487,014
U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 sub-county estimates (sub-est2024.csv), July 1, 2024
Miami-Dade CountyCity of Miami (city BTR) + Miami-Dade County Tax Collector (county receipt)
Miami business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Miami has about 487,000 residents and is the largest city in Miami-Dade County, next to Hialeah, Coral Gables and Miami Beach. Businesses inside city limits need two local receipts, one from the City of Miami and one from the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector. The city's Business Tax Receipt is handled online through the MiamiBiz portal. Most businesses must get a Certificate of Use before applying. Peddlers, food trucks and businesses without a physical location in Miami can apply directly. Have your EIN ready, or your SSN if you operate under your legal name, along with any state license. Once the city approves the application, it emails an invoice, and after payment it emails an interim receipt. The county receipt follows its own October-to-September cycle, and the county requires a separate receipt for each location and each business classification.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Miami
Miami has an estimated 487,014 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), ranking #2 among Florida's incorporated places. It sits in Miami-Dade 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 Miami: 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.
Miami business license FAQs
Do I need a Miami business license (business tax receipt)?
Yes. Inside Miami city limits you need a City of Miami business tax receipt and the Miami-Dade County Local Business Tax Receipt.
Is a Miami 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 Miami?
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 Miami in?
Miami-Dade County.
Should my Miami 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.