114,287
2020 Census CDP count (approximate; verify)
Lee CountyLee County Tax Collector (county Business Tax account only; Lehigh Acres is unincorporated)
Unincorporated: county receipt rules applyLehigh Acres business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Lehigh Acres has about 114,000 residents in the 2020 Census, making it one of the largest unincorporated communities in Florida. It sits east of Fort Myers in Lee County, near Buckingham, Alva and Gateway. Because there's no city government, a Lehigh Acres business license or occupational license means a Lee County Business Tax account from the Tax Collector, with no city receipt on top. Whether you form an LLC, a corporation or a PLLC, apply through BTExpress and include the Business Tax Affidavit. The location has to be properly zoned first, which matters for home businesses on residential lots. The full-year county fee is $50. It drops to $25 from April to June and $12.50 from July to September. If you already hold a receipt in another county, you still need a Lee account before doing business here.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Lehigh Acres
Lehigh Acres is an unincorporated community in Lee County, so there is no Lehigh Acres city government or city business license; the county rules below apply.
How to start a business in Lehigh Acres: 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.
Lehigh Acres business license FAQs
Do I need a Lehigh Acres business license (business tax receipt)?
Lehigh Acres is unincorporated, so there's no city business license. You need only a Lee County Business Tax account, the county's business tax receipt. It's $50 for a full year, and the location must be properly zoned.
Is a Lehigh Acres 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 Lehigh Acres?
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 Lehigh Acres in?
Lee County.
Should my Lehigh Acres 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.