Start Your Business in Broward County

Broward County business license: do you need a business tax receipt?

Broward County is home to about 2.04 million people, and its largest cities include Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood and Miramar. Whether you form an LLC, a corporation or a PLLC, the Broward County Tax Collector requires a Business Tax Receipt for every business operating in the county, including home-based businesses and sole proprietors. Fees depend on the type of business and range from $27 to $150. Once all documents are in, receipts are usually issued within minutes. Most cities require their own receipt before the county will issue one, so the Tax Collector suggests starting with your city, especially for a home-based business. A county receipt isn't refunded if your city later denies zoning. In unincorporated Broward you need a Certificate of Use from the county's Permitting, Licensing and Consumer Protection Division first. Receipts expire September 30, and you can renew starting July 1.

Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Broward County

Broward County has an estimated 2,037,472 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), making it Florida's 2nd most populous of 67 counties, and it has grown about 4.8% since the 2020 Census base. The county seat is Fort Lauderdale, and its largest incorporated communities include Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood. 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 Broward 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 Broward County, start with the Broward County Tax Collector (https://browardtax.org/), and if your business is inside a city such as Fort Lauderdale, check that city's business tax office too. Add any state professional license and confirm zoning before you open.

Broward County business license FAQs