The $125 state fee, the paperwork, the registered agent requirement — here's exactly what it costs, how long it takes, and the fastest legitimate path to an approved LLC.
Florida keeps this straightforward — get the order right and you're filed within a week or two, without the guesswork.
Must include "LLC" or "L.L.C." — run it through Sunbiz first, since a taken name is the #1 reason filings bounce.
Non-negotiable under Florida law. Needs a real street address, staffed during business hours — no P.O. boxes.
Filed online or by mail with the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), along with the $125 state fee. This is the step that makes it official.
Free straight from the IRS — you'll need it before a bank will let you open a business account.
Annual Report, $138.75, due every May 1 — miss the deadline and the late fee jumps to $538.75.
Northwest handles all five steps above and includes your Florida registered agent free for year one.
Wrong entity designator, missing registered agent info, and name conflicts account for most bounced filings. Here's what changes with a formation service handling it.
| What matters | Filing it yourself | Using a formation service |
|---|---|---|
| Time spent | 3–5 hours of research + filing | ~10 minutes |
| Total cost | $125 state fee only | $125 state fee + service fee |
| Registered agent | Separate purchase, $100–$300/yr | Often included year one |
| Compliance reminders | You track manually | Automated deadline alerts |
| Rejection risk | Common on first attempt | Reviewed before submission |
Northwest handles the filing, includes your registered agent for the first year, and flags common rejection triggers before you submit — no add-ons to track down separately.
Files your Articles of Organization directly with the Florida Division of Corporations, includes a Florida-address registered agent for the first year at no extra cost, and flags common rejection triggers before you submit.
"Filed on a Tuesday, approved about a week later. Didn't expect the registered agent to already be set up when the confirmation came through."
"I tried filing myself first and got the entity name format wrong. Second time, went through a service and it was fixed before submission."
"Didn't realize how steep the late fee was on the Annual Report until the reminder email showed up in April. Would've missed the May 1 deadline otherwise."
Northwest Registered Agent, $39 plus your $125 state fee, no long-term contract.