190,641
U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 sub-county estimates (sub-est2024.csv), July 1, 2024
Broward CountyCity of Fort Lauderdale Business Tax (city BTR) + Broward County Tax Collector
Fort Lauderdale business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Fort Lauderdale has about 191,000 residents and is the county seat of Broward County, near Hollywood, Plantation, Wilton Manors and Oakland Park. The city's process changed recently. Since October 1, 2026, new businesses must get a Certificate of Use (zoning approval) before applying for a Fort Lauderdale Business Tax Receipt, and the fee is $238.50. Both applications go through LauderBuild, the city's online permitting portal. Choose New Application, then Urban Design and Planning, then Certificate of Use, and file the Business Tax application after that. Because Broward's Tax Collector usually wants the city receipt first, the order is city Certificate of Use, then city receipt, then the Broward County receipt. Broward's county fee ranges from $27 to $150 depending on the business type.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale has an estimated 190,641 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), ranking #10 among Florida's incorporated places. It sits in Broward County, and businesses here file with the same state office as everywhere else in Florida: the Division of Corporations (Sunbiz).
How to start a business in Fort Lauderdale: LLC, corporation or PLLC
State filing fees are the same everywhere in Florida. See the full cost and steps in our Start a Business in Florida guide.
Fort Lauderdale business license FAQs
Do I need a Fort Lauderdale business license (business tax receipt)?
Yes. Inside Fort Lauderdale you need a city business tax receipt and the Broward County local business tax receipt.
Is a Fort Lauderdale occupational license the same as a business tax receipt?
Yes. Florida law renamed the old occupational license the local business tax in 2006, so a business tax receipt, an occupational license and a local business license all mean the same thing in Florida (Chapter 205, Florida Statutes).
How much does it cost to form a business in Fort Lauderdale?
Sunbiz state fees are the same anywhere in Florida: $125 for an LLC or PLLC and $70 for a corporation. Local business tax receipts are separate.
Which county is Fort Lauderdale in?
Broward County.
Should my Fort Lauderdale business be an LLC, a corporation or a PLLC?
Most small businesses choose an LLC for its simple management and pass-through taxes. A corporation suits owners who plan to issue stock or bring in investors. A PLLC is for state-licensed professionals such as doctors, lawyers and CPAs. All three file with Sunbiz: $125 for an LLC or PLLC and $70 for a corporation.