334,854
U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 sub-county estimates (sub-est2024.csv), July 1, 2024
Orange CountyCity of Orlando (city BTR) + Orange County Tax Collector (county receipt)
Orlando business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Orlando has about 335,000 residents and is the largest city in Orange County, near Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee and Apopka. The local order is fixed. You get the City of Orlando Business Tax Receipt first, then the Orange County one, because the county requires the city receipt before it will issue its own. Start by confirming the address is inside Orlando city limits and zoned for your use. Then submit the city's combined Business Tax Receipt and Certificate of Use application online, by email to businesstax@orlando.gov, or in person at City Hall, with your Sunbiz registration, EIN or SSN, and any state license. The city sends a billing summary within about 10 business days and mails the receipt after payment. You then take the city receipt to the Orange County Tax Collector to finish the county step.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Orlando
Orlando has an estimated 334,854 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), ranking #4 among Florida's incorporated places. It sits in Orange 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 Orlando: 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.
Orlando business license FAQs
Do I need a Orlando business license (business tax receipt)?
Yes. Inside Orlando city limits you need a City of Orlando business tax receipt and the Orange County local business tax receipt.
Is a Orlando 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 Orlando?
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 Orlando in?
Orange County.
Should my Orlando 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.