12,979
U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024 (co-est2024-alldata.csv), July 1, 2024 estimate
Apalachicola
Carrabelle · Apalachicola
City of Apalachicola City Hall (city license); Franklin County Planning (peddler licenses)
Franklin County business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Franklin County has about 13,000 residents on the Forgotten Coast. Apalachicola is the county seat, and Carrabelle is the other city, with St. George Island, Eastpoint and Alligator Point unincorporated. Whether you form an LLC, a corporation or a PLLC, the county Tax Collector focuses on property taxes and doesn't issue local business tax receipts. A business inside Apalachicola needs the city's annual business license from City Hall (850-653-9319). It expires September 30, and renewals are due by October 1. Peddlers and mobile vendors in unincorporated areas are licensed through the county Planning Department. Carrabelle businesses should check with that city. Vacation rental, seafood and contractor businesses have their own state and county rules, so confirm those for your trade.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Franklin County
Franklin County has an estimated 12,979 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), making it Florida's 65th most populous of 67 counties, and it has grown about 4.2% since the 2020 Census base. The county seat is Apalachicola, and its largest incorporated communities include Carrabelle, Apalachicola. 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County, start with the Franklin County Tax Collector (https://www.franklintaxcollector.com), and if your business is inside a city such as Carrabelle, check that city's business tax office too. Add any state professional license and confirm zoning before you open.
Franklin County business license FAQs
Do I need a Franklin County business license (business tax receipt)?
Not from the county Tax Collector. Inside Apalachicola you need the city's annual business license, which expires September 30. Peddlers get licensed through county Planning.
Is a Franklin 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 Apalachicola?
Yes. Florida LLCs are formed statewide through Sunbiz for $125; your Apalachicola address can be the principal office, and you need a Florida registered agent.
Where is the Franklin County Tax Collector?
Its official site is https://www.franklintaxcollector.com.
Should my Franklin 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.