258,575
U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 sub-county estimates (sub-est2024.csv), July 1, 2024
St. Lucie CountyCity of Port St. Lucie Business Tax (city BTR first) + St. Lucie County Tax Collector (county BTR)
Port St. Lucie business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Port St. Lucie has about 259,000 residents and is the largest city in St. Lucie County on the Treasure Coast, next to Fort Pierce and St. Lucie Village. Whether you form an LLC, a corporation or a PLLC, the local steps come in a set order. Step one is the City of Port St. Lucie Business Tax Receipt, applied for through the city's online portal. Upload a valid ID, your articles of incorporation or organization or your fictitious name registration, any state or professional license, and any fee-exemption request. Commercial locations also pay for a use-and-occupancy zoning review. Step two is the St. Lucie County receipt from the Tax Collector at tcslc.com. County ordinance 07-016 requires both receipts inside city limits, and having only one counts as a violation. The county needs one receipt per location and per business category, charges $3 to transfer a receipt, and doesn't require a receipt if you're paid on a W-2. Both receipts expire September 30.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie has an estimated 258,575 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), ranking #6 among Florida's incorporated places. It sits in St. Lucie 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 Port St. Lucie: 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.
Port St. Lucie business license FAQs
Do I need a Port St. Lucie business license (business tax receipt)?
Yes, you need two. Get the City of Port St. Lucie Business Tax Receipt first, then the St. Lucie County receipt from the Tax Collector. Under county ordinance 07-016, operating inside city limits with only one of them is a violation.
Is a Port St. Lucie 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 Port St. Lucie?
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 Port St. Lucie in?
St. Lucie County.
Should my Port St. Lucie 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.