205,089
U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 sub-county estimates (sub-est2024.csv), July 1, 2024
Leon CountyTallahassee business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Tallahassee is Florida's capital and the largest city in Leon County, with about 205,000 residents. Its neighbors include Quincy, Havana, Monticello and Crawfordville. It's also one of the simplest places in Florida to open, because there's no local business tax receipt. The City of Tallahassee repealed its business license tax, effective in fiscal year 2017-18, and Leon County repealed its receipt in 2009, so you won't apply to the city or the Leon County Tax Collector. You still need your state registration through Sunbiz, sales tax registration with the Florida Department of Revenue if you sell taxable goods, any state professional license, and zoning approval and permits for a physical location. The city's Start a Business page explains which approvals apply.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Tallahassee
Tallahassee has an estimated 205,089 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), ranking #9 among Florida's incorporated places. It sits in Leon 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 Tallahassee: 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.
Tallahassee business license FAQs
Do I need a Tallahassee business license (business tax receipt)?
No. Tallahassee repealed its business license tax effective fiscal year 2017–18, and Leon County repealed its receipt in 2009. Zoning and state licenses still apply.
Is a Tallahassee 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 Tallahassee?
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 Tallahassee in?
Leon County.
Should my Tallahassee 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.