99,918
U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 sub-county estimates (sub-est2024.csv), July 1, 2024
Lee CountyFort Myers business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Fort Myers has about 100,000 residents and is the county seat of Lee County. It sits on the Caloosahatchee River across from Cape Coral and near Lehigh Acres, Estero and Fort Myers Beach. Whether you form an LLC, a corporation or a PLLC, the City of Fort Myers requires a Business Tax Receipt before you open. You can drop off or mail the Business Tax Application to 1825 Hendry Street, Suite 101, or email it to BusinessTax@fortmyers.gov, with the fee and any supporting documents. Home businesses file the city's home business affidavit. The city prorates new-business fees to a half year, which helps if you open mid-cycle, and the Business Tax line is 239-321-7990. After the city step, the Lee County Tax Collector opens your county account, where the full-year fee is $50.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Fort Myers
Fort Myers has an estimated 99,918 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), ranking #28 among Florida's incorporated places. It sits in Lee 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 Myers: 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 Myers business license FAQs
Do I need a Fort Myers business license (business tax receipt)?
Yes. You need a City of Fort Myers Business Tax Receipt before you start operating. Lee County requires the city receipt or city zoning approval before it issues the county one.
Is a Fort Myers 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 Myers?
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 Myers in?
Lee County.
Should my Fort Myers 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.