2,838,461
U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024 (co-est2024-alldata.csv), July 1, 2024 estimate
Miami
Miami · Hialeah · Miami Gardens · Homestead
Miami-Dade County business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Miami-Dade is Florida's most populous county, with about 2.84 million residents in the 2024 Census estimate, and its largest cities are Miami, Hialeah, Miami Gardens and Homestead. Whether you form an LLC, a corporation or a PLLC, the entity is filed once with the state, then the local step begins. The Miami-Dade County Tax Collector issues the county Local Business Tax Receipt, and new applicants apply online through BTExpress or submit the printed application by mail or in person at 200 NW 2nd Avenue in Miami. The county requires a receipt for each place of business and for each separate business classification at that location. If your business sits inside a city, you need both a city receipt and a county receipt. In unincorporated Miami-Dade you also need a Certificate of Use. Corporations and LLCs attach their Florida status certificate, and the tax year runs October 1 to September 30.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County has an estimated 2,838,461 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), making it Florida's 1st most populous of 67 counties, and it has grown about 5.1% since the 2020 Census base. The county seat is Miami, and its largest incorporated communities include Miami, Hialeah, Miami Gardens. 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 Miami-Dade 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 Miami-Dade County, start with the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector (https://www.miamidade.gov/taxcollector/), and if your business is inside a city such as Miami, check that city's business tax office too. Add any state professional license and confirm zoning before you open.
Miami-Dade County business license FAQs
Do I need a Miami-Dade County business license (business tax receipt)?
Most businesses check with the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector for the county receipt, and with their city if they are inside city limits. Requirements vary by business type and location.
Is a Miami-Dade 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 Miami?
Yes. Florida LLCs are formed statewide through Sunbiz for $125; your Miami address can be the principal office, and you need a Florida registered agent.
Where is the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector?
Its official site is https://www.miamidade.gov/taxcollector/.
Should my Miami-Dade 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.