291,782
U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024 (co-est2024-alldata.csv), July 1, 2024 estimate
Gainesville
Gainesville · Alachua · Newberry · High Springs
No county BTR (Alachua County repealed its Local Business Tax); city receipts via each municipality
Alachua County business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Alachua County has about 292,000 residents, centered on Gainesville, with Alachua, Newberry and High Springs as its next-largest cities. Whether you form an LLC, a corporation or a PLLC, the local step here is lighter than in most Florida counties. The Board of County Commissioners repealed the Alachua County Local Business Tax, so the Tax Collector no longer issues a county business tax receipt. The receipt you may need comes from your city. Nine municipalities can set their own requirements: Alachua, Archer, Gainesville, Hawthorne, High Springs, LaCrosse, Micanopy, Newberry and Waldo. The Tax Collector's site lists a phone number for each one. Gainesville, for example, is reached at 352-334-5024. Businesses in unincorporated Alachua County have no local business tax to pay, but state licenses, sales tax registration with the Department of Revenue, and zoning rules still apply.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Alachua County
Alachua County has an estimated 291,782 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), making it Florida's 24th most populous of 67 counties, and it has grown about 4.8% since the 2020 Census base. The county seat is Gainesville, and its largest incorporated communities include Gainesville, Alachua, Newberry. Wherever you are in the county, your LLC or corporation is formed at the state level, so the entity itself is the same as one formed in Miami or Tallahassee.
How to start a business in Alachua County: LLC, corporation or PLLC
Florida's Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) charges $125 to file Articles of Organization for an LLC ($100 filing plus $25 registered agent designation) and $70 for Articles of Incorporation ($35 plus $35). Florida requires every entity to keep a registered agent with a physical Florida street address, and an annual report is due to Sunbiz between January 1 and May 1 each year ($138.75 for an LLC, $150 for a corporation, with a $400 late fee). Corp USA can file your Articles, serve as your registered agent and remind you of the annual report deadline. Your registered agent's address appears in the public Sunbiz record, so many owners who work from home use a registered agent service to keep their home address off that filing.
After the state filing, check local requirements. Florida counties and cities may levy a Local Business Tax under Chapter 205, Florida Statutes; in Alachua County, start with the Alachua County Tax Collector (https://www.alachuacollector.com/), and if your business is inside a city such as Gainesville, check that city's business tax office too. Add any state professional license and confirm zoning before you open.
Alachua County business license FAQs
Do I need a Alachua County business license (business tax receipt)?
There's no county receipt. Alachua County repealed its local business tax. If you're inside Alachua, Archer, Gainesville, Hawthorne, High Springs, LaCrosse, Micanopy, Newberry or Waldo, check that city's requirements.
Is a Alachua County 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).
Can I form a Florida LLC if my business is based in Gainesville?
Yes. Florida LLCs are formed statewide through Sunbiz for $125; your Gainesville address can be the principal office, and you need a Florida registered agent.
Where is the Alachua County Tax Collector?
Its official site is https://www.alachuacollector.com/.
Should my Alachua County 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.