Florida business · updated
Florida LLC names: the Sunbiz rules, and how to check yours
Florida is one of the busiest places in the country to start a business: about 590,000 new businesses were formed there in 2025 (FloridaCommerce, Jan 2026). Every new LLC needs a name the Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) will accept. Here are the rules in plain English, a free check you can run below, and the costs. Every rule links to the statute or the official Sunbiz page.
Runs in your browser against Florida’s written rules, then hands you the exact Sunbiz search. Nothing you type is sent to Spark.
En español: cómo abrir una LLC en Florida paso a paso →
The rules at a glance
| Rule | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The LLC ending | The name must include “limited liability company”, “L.L.C.” or “LLC”, so it shows the business is an LLC. | s. 605.0112(1)(a) |
| Distinguishable | It must be distinguishable from names already on the Division’s records. With the other business’s written consent, a name that isn’t distinguishable can still be filed, as long as it isn’t identical. | s. 605.0112(1)(b) |
| Differences that don’t count | A suffix (LLC, Inc., Corp., Co.), an article (a, an, the), “and” vs “&”, singular, plural or possessive forms, punctuation and symbols. | statute, Sunbiz FAQ |
| No false purpose or government link | The name may not imply a purpose the LLC isn’t organized for, or a connection with a state or federal agency or a federally chartered entity. | s. 605.0112(1)(c)–(d) |
| Banking words | Only authorized financial institutions may use bank, banc, banco, banque, banker, banking, trust company, savings and loan association, savings bank or credit union. “Trust” on its own is not on the list. | s. 655.922 |
| Insurance agencies | The state may reject an agency name that implies it’s an insurer or a government agency, that misleads, or that contains “Medicare” or “Medicaid”. | s. 626.602 |
| Professional LLCs | Formed since Jan 1, 2014: must use “professional limited liability company”, “P.L.L.C.” or “PLLC”, and may only offer the one professional service its licensed members provide. | s. 621.12, s. 621.051 |
| Dissolved names | A name from an administratively dissolved or revoked entity stays unavailable for 1 year; from a voluntarily dissolved one, 120 days. Status ACTIVE or INACT/UA = not available; INACT = available. | Sunbiz FAQ #2 |
| Name reservation | You can reserve a name for 120 days by signed letter. Fee: $25. | Sunbiz FAQ #3, fee list |
| Ownership | Filing the name is “for public notice only” and creates no presumption of ownership. | s. 605.0112(5) |
What “distinguishable” looks like in practice
Say Blue Wave Pools LLC is already on the records. Under the list of differences that don’t count, these would be treated as the same name:
- Blue Wave Pool LLC (singular instead of plural)
- The Blue Wave Pools, Inc. (an article and a different suffix)
- Blue-Wave Pools LLC (punctuation)
- Blue Wave Pools & Spas LLC next to an existing Blue Wave Pools and Spas LLC (& vs and)
Adding a real word, like Blue Wave Pool Service LLC, is a different set of words, but the Division decides when you file. Sunbiz says: “Do not use or assume the name is approved until you receive a filing acknowledgment” (Sunbiz LLC instructions), and the e-filing help adds that you’re responsible for any name infringement that results from your choice (Sunbiz).
How to search a name on Sunbiz, step by step
1. Open the entity name search
Go to Sunbiz “Search by Entity Name”. It covers corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships and trademarks filed with the state (Sunbiz search). The check above builds this search for you.
2. Type only the main words
Leave out LLC, Inc. and “The”. The Sunbiz FAQ says to leave suffixes out when searching (FAQ #1). Sunbiz lists names in alphabetical order starting from what you type, so start with your first main word.
3. Read the status column
ACTIVE or INACT/UA means the name is taken. INACT means it’s available, subject to the dissolved-name waiting periods above.
4. Search fictitious names (DBAs) too
Registered fictitious names don’t block an LLC name on the records, but a business already trading under that name may still have rights to it. Use the fictitious name search on the Sunbiz search page.
5. Check federal trademarks and the .com
A Sunbiz filing gives you no rights to the name, so search the USPTO trademark database and check the web address with Spark’s free Name Check before you print anything.
Using a different name: Florida fictitious names (DBA)
- When: if your LLC does business under any name other than its legal name, register it as a fictitious name with the Division of Corporations (s. 865.09).
- Cost and term: $50 to register, $50 to renew. It lasts until December 31 of the fifth calendar year (s. 865.09).
- The newspaper step: you certify the name was advertised at least once in a newspaper in the county of your principal place of business; no proof of the ad is required (Sunbiz fictitious name FAQ).
- No rights: registration is for public notice only and doesn’t stop others from registering the same name (Sunbiz).
- No entity ending: a fictitious name may not include an ending like Corp or L.L.C. unless a registrant is that type of entity (Sunbiz instructions).
- If you skip it: the business can’t sue in Florida courts until it registers, and it’s a noncriminal violation (s. 865.09(9)). File online at Sunbiz.
What it costs
| Filing | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization + registered agent designation | $100 + $25 = $125 | Sunbiz |
| Certified copy (optional) | $30 | Sunbiz |
| Certificate of status (optional) | $5 | Sunbiz |
| Name reservation (120 days) | $25 | Sunbiz fees |
| Fictitious name (DBA) | $50 | s. 865.09 |
| Annual report, every year from the year after you form | $138.75, due Jan 1–May 1; $400 late fee after May 1 | Sunbiz fees, s. 605.0212 |
| EIN from the IRS | Free | IRS |
The IRS warns: “Beware of websites that charge for an EIN.” For 2026, LLCs that still hadn’t filed their annual report were dissolved on September 25 (Sunbiz annual report page).
Timing and two things that changed
- Processing: Sunbiz has no expedited service. In its October 9, 2026 update, it was working on online filings for new entities received October 5 (Sunbiz processing dates).
- Forming late in the year: filers in October to December can choose a January 1 effective date, which postpones the first annual report (Sunbiz instructions).
- BOI reports: FinCEN says U.S. companies are now exempt from beneficial ownership reporting; the final rule took effect August 14, 2026 (FinCEN).
Picking a name that passes, and works
A name Sunbiz accepts still has to work for customers. Make it easy to say on the phone, spell after hearing it once, and find on Google. Leave your town out if you might grow. Then check the .com and the federal trademark records before you file. Spark’s free name generator gives you starting points with the .com checked, and the five free checks guide walks through the rest.
Questions people ask
What does a Florida LLC name have to include?
Florida law requires the words "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "LLC" (section 605.0112). A professional LLC formed since January 1, 2014 must use "professional limited liability company", "P.L.L.C." or "PLLC".
What makes a name distinguishable on Sunbiz?
Your name must be distinguishable from names already on the Division of Corporations' records. Differences that don't count: a suffix such as LLC or Inc., an article such as the or a, "and" versus "&", singular, plural or possessive forms, and punctuation or symbols.
Can I reserve an LLC name in Florida?
Yes. The Division of Corporations' FAQ says a name can be reserved for 120 days by signed letter, and the fee list shows Name Reservation at $25.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Florida?
$125: $100 for the Articles of Organization plus $25 to designate a registered agent. A certified copy is $30 and a certificate of status is $5, both optional. Every year after, the annual report costs $138.75, due between January 1 and May 1.
Does registering my LLC name give me the rights to it?
No. Florida law says the name is filed for public notice only and creates no presumption of ownership. Federal trademark rights are separate, so search the USPTO database too.
Do I need a DBA if my LLC uses another name?
If you do business under a name other than the LLC's legal name, Florida requires a fictitious name registration. It costs $50 and lasts until December 31 of the fifth year.
Not legal or tax advice. This page summarises Florida statutes and official Sunbiz, IRS and FinCEN pages as of October 12, 2026. Fees and rules change; confirm with the Division of Corporations or an attorney before you file.
Keep going
cómo abrir una LLC en Florida (español) · how to check if a business name is taken · free name check · free slogan generator · naming guides by industry
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