15,876
U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024 (co-est2024-alldata.csv), July 1, 2024 estimate
Port St. Joe
Port St. Joe · Wewahitchka
Gulf County Tax Collector (county business license); City of Port St. Joe (city license)
Gulf County business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Gulf County has about 16,000 residents on the Forgotten Coast. Port St. Joe is the county seat, and Wewahitchka is the other city, with Cape San Blas, Indian Pass and Mexico Beach nearby. Whether you form an LLC, a corporation or a PLLC, Gulf County requires an annual business license under its 2021 ordinance. The standard fee is $25, vacation rentals pay $100 a year, and businesses registered with the state DBPR are exempt from the fee. The Gulf County Tax Collector at 1000 Cecil G. Costin Sr. Blvd., Room 147, in Port St. Joe (850-229-6116) handles it. Inside Port St. Joe you also need a separate city business license. Wewahitchka businesses should check with that city. Vacation rental owners should look at the county's rental rules too.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Gulf County
Gulf County has an estimated 15,876 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), making it Florida's 60th most populous of 67 counties, and it has grown about 11.8% since the 2020 Census base. The county seat is Port St. Joe, and its largest incorporated communities include Port St. Joe, Wewahitchka. 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 Gulf 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 Gulf County, start with the Gulf County Tax Collector (https://www.gulftaxcollector.com), and if your business is inside a city such as Port St. Joe, check that city's business tax office too. Add any state professional license and confirm zoning before you open.
Gulf County business license FAQs
Do I need a Gulf County business license (business tax receipt)?
Yes. Gulf County requires an annual business license, $25 standard and $100 for vacation rentals. DBPR-registered businesses are exempt from the fee. Port St. Joe businesses also need the city license.
Is a Gulf 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 Port St. Joe?
Yes. Florida LLCs are formed statewide through Sunbiz for $125; your Port St. Joe address can be the principal office, and you need a Florida registered agent.
Where is the Gulf County Tax Collector?
Its official site is https://www.gulftaxcollector.com.
Should my Gulf 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.