After you start your LLC in Florida by filing information about the LLC and paying the fees, you will be required to file an annual report to let the state know about any material changes in your information.
This requirement is part of a process called “compliance.” Being “in compliance” shows the ability of your LLC to follow all Florida laws and file the necessary paperwork on time. Failure to keep your LLC in compliance regarding filing your annual report may cause it to pay late fees and fines and ultimately face dissolution through an administration process under Florida’s legal statutes.
In this annual report guide, you will learn everything you need to know about filing your annual report, including the information required, when it is due, and how to file it.
To keep your Florida LLC in good standing, each year by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on May 1, you must file an annual report and pay the yearly fee of $138.75 (according to the 2022 fee schedule). This annual report is required even if the LLC’s information remains the same as the previous year’s.
The annual report required by Florida state does not contain any financial information.
The purpose of this filing is to inform the State of Florida’s Division of Corporations of any changes in the status of the business principal(s), business location, or the registered agent for the LLC. This updated information becomes part of the public record.
Under Florida law, if your LLC was formed before January 1 of the current year, you can file your annual report online using a credit card, debit card, or by paying with some of the balance held in your Prepaid Sunbiz E-File Account.
You may choose to file your annual report by mail and send in a check for the fee. Make checks payable to the Florida Department of State.
If your LLC is a new one registered after January 1 in the current year, you are not required to file an annual report by May 1 of this year. The first annual report you must file is due by May 1 of the following year.
Nevertheless, if some of your information has changed, such as your registered agent, you should file an amended report with the new information. An amended report has a filing fee of $50 for a Florida LLC.
An amended report may be filed any time the information about your LLC changes. For example, the information about your current registered agent must always be up-to-date and accurate.
Here are the information requirements for filing your LLC’s annual report:
Florida annual reports for LLCs are due each year from January 1 to May 1. You can file any time during this period. Your annual report must be on file by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on May 1 to avoid paying a late payment penalty fee of $400.
The easiest and most efficient way to file is to go online and use Florida’s Sunbiz system. If you file online and pay the fee, you will see your updated information appear in minutes on the public records system.
You can print the form and then fill it out and mail it or send it by courier. Include a check for the fee and send it by the U.S. Postal Service to this address:
Department of State
Division of Corporations
Corporate Filings
P.O. Box 6327
Tallahassee, FL 32314
By another delivery courier to this office address:
Florida Department of State
The Center of Tallahassee
2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810
Tallahassee, FL 32303
You can file your annual report yourself either online or by mail. You can hire a company to make sure you are always in compliance, and they will do the filing for you.
This help is a valuable service we offer – Annual Compliance – making sure you follow all the necessary state requirements and laws. We do the filing of the annual report and amended reports for you.
It is a serious matter if you fail to file your annual report. There are late fees. There are fees and penalties for reinstatement. If your LLC dissolves by an administrative procedure, you might lose the right to use your company’s name in Florida.
The late fee for filing your LLC’s annual report after the deadline of 11:59 p.m. EST on May 1 is $400.
If you allow your LLC fees to go unpaid, on top of the $400 late fee, you will need to pay for file reinstatement and apply. The fee for a file reinstatement is $100 plus $138.75 for each reporting year that you failed to file an annual report.
One additional penalty for letting your LLC lapse is that you may lose the name, which then can become registered by another party after your LLC dissolves. If this happens, your file reinstatement application will be denied. Then, you must file to register for a new LLC with a different available name.
If you fail to pay your annual report fee by the third Friday in September of the year that the annual report is due, your LLC will automatically dissolve through an administrative process, making it inactive.
It is easy to forget the annual filing date and miss the window of opportunity to file your annual report. Moreover, your information may change at other times during the year, creating the additional requirement to file a special amended report.
Most companies appreciate the convenience of hiring us to handle compliance issues to make sure this critical annual report filing is submitted in Florida and any amended filings are done on a timely basis.
This portion of our website is for informational purposes only. Tailor Brands is not a law firm, and none of the information on this website constitutes or is intended to convey legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, Tailor Brands is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness.
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