476,604
U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024 (co-est2024-alldata.csv), July 1, 2024 estimate
Sarasota
North Port · Sarasota · Venice · Longboat Key
Sarasota County business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Sarasota County has about 477,000 residents, and its cities are North Port, Sarasota (the county seat), Venice and part of Longboat Key. Whether you form an LLC, a corporation or a PLLC, there's good news on the local side. The Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners voted on July 9, 2024 to repeal the county business tax, and the Tax Collector no longer collects it. The remaining requirement is municipal. Businesses inside Longboat Key, North Port, Sarasota or Venice may need to pay that city's business tax, so check with the city before you open. Businesses in unincorporated areas such as Englewood, Osprey or Nokomis don't owe a local business tax at all, though state licenses, sales tax registration and county zoning still apply.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Sarasota County
Sarasota County has an estimated 476,604 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), making it Florida's 14th most populous of 67 counties, and it has grown about 9.8% since the 2020 Census base. The county seat is Sarasota, and its largest incorporated communities include North Port, Sarasota, Venice. 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota County, start with the Sarasota County Tax Collector (https://www.sarasotataxcollector.gov/), and if your business is inside a city such as North Port, check that city's business tax office too. Add any state professional license and confirm zoning before you open.
Sarasota County business license FAQs
Do I need a Sarasota County business license (business tax receipt)?
There's no county receipt. Sarasota County repealed its county business tax on July 9, 2024. Businesses in Longboat Key, North Port, Sarasota or Venice may still owe a city business tax.
Is a Sarasota 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 Sarasota?
Yes. Florida LLCs are formed statewide through Sunbiz for $125; your Sarasota address can be the principal office, and you need a Florida registered agent.
Where is the Sarasota County Tax Collector?
Its official site is https://www.sarasotataxcollector.gov/.
Should my Sarasota 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.