26,503
U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024 (co-est2024-alldata.csv), July 1, 2024 estimate
Chipley
Chipley · Vernon · Wausau · Caryville
Washington County Tax Collector; City of Chipley City Clerk (city license)
Washington County business license: do you need a business tax receipt?
Washington County has about 27,000 residents in the Panhandle along I-10. Chipley is the county seat, and Vernon, Caryville, Ebro and Wausau are its other towns. Whether you form an LLC, a corporation or a PLLC, a business in Chipley needs a City of Chipley business tax license before it opens. Apply through the City Clerk's Office at 1442 Jackson Ave. (850-638-6350). For the county receipt, contact the Washington County Tax Collector at 1331 S. Blvd., Suite 101, Chipley (850-638-6275). Businesses in the smaller towns or unincorporated areas should check with the Tax Collector and the town. Contractors and other regulated trades need their state license before either receipt is issued, and county zoning applies outside the towns.
Occupational license vs. business tax receipt in Washington County
Washington County has an estimated 26,503 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024), making it Florida's 52nd most populous of 67 counties, and it has grown about 4.7% since the 2020 Census base. The county seat is Chipley, and its largest incorporated communities include Chipley, Vernon, Wausau. 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 Washington 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 Washington County, start with the Washington County Tax Collector (https://www.washingtoncountytaxcollector.com/), and if your business is inside a city such as Chipley, check that city's business tax office too. Add any state professional license and confirm zoning before you open.
Washington County business license FAQs
Do I need a Washington County business license (business tax receipt)?
Yes, inside Chipley. You need a City of Chipley business tax license before you open, plus the county receipt from the Washington County Tax Collector.
Is a Washington 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 Chipley?
Yes. Florida LLCs are formed statewide through Sunbiz for $125; your Chipley address can be the principal office, and you need a Florida registered agent.
Where is the Washington County Tax Collector?
Its official site is https://www.washingtoncountytaxcollector.com/.
Should my Washington 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.