How to Set Up an LLC in Florida as a Non-Resident (Step-by-Step)

You don't need to be a US citizen — or ever set foot in Florida — to own a Florida LLC. The state allows 100% foreign ownership, the whole formation process happens online through Sunbiz, and the state fee is $125.

Florida is one of the most popular formation states in the country, and for non-residents it has real appeal: name recognition your customers already trust, and a large US market presence. It also has two traps that catch foreign founders every year — a hard May 1 annual report deadline with a $400 penalty, and a public record that lists owner names for anyone to search.

This guide walks through the full process, step by step, including the parts most Florida guides skip: getting an EIN without a Social Security Number, opening a bank account from abroad, and what the "AMBR" title on your filing actually means.

Florida LLC at a Glance

Should You Choose Florida?

An honest word before the steps, because Florida isn't the right state for every non-resident.

Florida makes sense when:

• You spend time in Florida, have family or partners there, or plan to.
• Your business has a real Florida connection — inventory in a Florida warehouse, Florida clients, or a US-facing brand where a recognizable state helps.
• You simply want your company in the state you know. Florida is a legitimate, well-run choice.`

Wyoming usually makes more sense when:

• You run a fully online business with no US footprint. Wyoming costs less to maintain ($60/year vs $138.75), has a softer deadline structure, and — the big one — keeps your name off the public record. Florida makes the information submitted in formation documents and annual reports publicly searchable. Managers, authorized representatives and other persons voluntarily or otherwise listed may therefore appear in public records.

If you're still deciding, our guides to the best US states for non-residents and Wyoming vs Delaware cover the trade-offs in detail. If Florida is your state, read on.

Step 1: Choose a Name for Your Florida LLC

Florida's naming rules are straightforward:

• The name must contain "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C."
• It must be distinguishable from every other business name registered in Florida.
• It can't imply a government affiliation or a licensed profession you don't hold.

Check availability by searching the Sunbiz name database (Search Records → Entity Name) before you file.

If your name is taken, small additions (a different suffix won't work, but a genuinely different word will) can make it distinguishable.

Two practical checks worth doing at the same time: the USPTO trademark database, and domain availability. A Sunbiz-approved name that infringes a trademark is still a problem.

Step 2: Appoint a Florida Registered Agent

Every Florida LLC must designate a registered agent: a person or company with a physical street address in Florida (no PO boxes) that accepts legal documents and state mail during business hours. The agent signs your Articles of Organization to accept the appointment.

As a non-resident, you can't be your own registered agent — you don't have a Florida street address. You'll use a registered agent service. This is normal and inexpensive, and it's how the state guarantees there's always a reliable point of contact for your company. A registered agent service for the first year is included in every StartFleet plan.

Step 3: File Articles of Organization on Sunbiz ($125)

The Articles of Organization is the document that creates your LLC. You file it online at Sunbiz (efile.sunbiz.org) and pay $125 — that's $100 for the Articles plus the $25 registered agent designation fee, paid together.

You'll provide:

• LLC name
• Principal place of business address
• Mailing address
• Registered agent
• Management — the names, addresses, and titles of the people authorized to run the LLC (see the AMBR note below).
• Effective date (optional) — you can post-date up to 90 days or back-date up to 5 business days; most filers leave it as the filing date.

Online filings are processed in the order received. Turnaround varies with the Division’s workload, so check Sunbiz’s current processing dates rather than relying on a fixed one-to-two-day estimate.

What does "AMBR" mean on the form?

Florida's filing asks for the title of each person listed: AMBR means authorized member (an owner authorized to manage the LLC), and MGR means manager (someone appointed to run a manager-managed LLC, who may or may not be an owner).

For a single-member LLC you run yourself, you'll typically list yourself as AMBR. We've written a full explainer on what AMBR means in an LLC.

Privacy note: whoever you list here becomes public record, permanently searchable on Sunbiz. Florida offers no anonymous option for this. If that matters to you, revisit the Wyoming discussion above before filing — not after.

Step 4: Create an Operating Agreement

Florida law doesn't require an operating agreement, and you don't file it with the state. Write one anyway. It's the document that says who owns the LLC, how decisions are made, and what happens if an owner leaves — and it's sometimes requested by banks during account opening.

For a single-member LLC this can be a short, standard document. The key is that it exists, it's signed, and it matches what you told Sunbiz.

Generate your Florida LLC operating Agreement here.

Step 5: Get Your EIN (No SSN Required)

Your EIN — Employer Identification Number — is your LLC's federal tax ID, issued free by the IRS. You need it for banking, payment processors, and tax filings. Non-residents can absolutely get one without a Social Security Number; you just can't use the IRS's online application, which requires an SSN or ITIN.

Instead, you complete Form SS-4 and submit it by fax or mail, or apply by phone from abroad on the IRS international line at +1-267-941-1099 (Monday–Friday, 6 a.m.–11 p.m. US Eastern Time).

Timelines are the pain point: fax applications commonly take several weeks for non-residents, and mail takes longer.

StartFleet's Startup plan includes Express EIN processing — typically 8–10 business days instead of the 40–60 days a standard non-resident application can take.

Once your EIN is issued, keep the confirmation letter (CP-575) safe; if you ever lose it, you can request a replacement 147C letter from the IRS.

Step 6: Open a US Business Bank Account

With your approved Articles and EIN in hand, you can open a US business account remotely. Fintech platforms like Mercury, Wise Business, and Relay onboard non-resident-owned LLCs online — no US visit required — and evaluate you on who you are and what your business does, not which state you filed in.

Have ready: Articles of Organization, EIN confirmation, passport, and sometimes proof of address or a certificate of status. Our complete guide to US business bank accounts for non-residents walks through each option.

Step 7: Stay Compliant — the May 1 Rule

This is where Florida differs most from other states, and where non-residents lose real money.

The annual report. Every Florida LLC must file an annual report on Sunbiz between January 1 and May 1 each year, starting the calendar year after formation. The fee is $138.75. It's not a financial report — it simply confirms or updates your company details.

The $400 penalty. File even one day after May 1 and Florida adds a mandatory $400 late fee — total $538.75. The state does not waive it. Miss the follow-up deadline in late September and Florida administratively dissolves your LLC, and reinstatement costs more again.

Set two calendar reminders now — one for early January, one for mid-April. (StartFleet's compliance alerts cover this automatically for our clients.)

Other obligations to know about:

• Federal tax filings. A foreign-owned single-member LLC files Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 every year, even with zero US tax owed. Whether you owe US income tax depends on your activities and treaty position — see our complete non-resident LLC guide for how this works.
• No BOI report. Since March 2025, US-formed LLCs are exempt from FinCEN's beneficial ownership (BOI) filing — if a website tells you to file one, it's out of date.
• Sales tax. If you sell taxable goods to Florida customers or store inventory in the state, you may need to register with the Florida Department of Revenue and collect sales tax.
• Local licenses. Florida has no general state business license, but some counties require a local business tax receipt if you physically operate there. Purely remote owners typically don't.

What a Florida LLC Costs Over Time

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a non-US citizen open an LLC in Florida?

Yes. Florida places no citizenship or residency requirements on LLC ownership. You can form and own 100% of a Florida LLC from anywhere in the world, without a visa, SSN, or US address — you only need a Florida registered agent.

How much does it cost to set up an LLC in Florida?

$125 in state fees — $100 for the Articles of Organization plus $25 for the registered agent designation. Ongoing, the annual report costs $138.75 per year. A registered agent service and optional extras (certificate of status $5, certified copy $30) come on top.

How long does it take?

Online Sunbiz filings takes a few business days to process the application. The longer wait is the EIN: several weeks for a standard non-resident application, or 8–10 business days with expedited handling.

Do I need to visit Florida?

No. Formation, EIN, banking, and annual compliance all happen online. Many Florida LLC owners have never been to the state.

What is Sunbiz?

Sunbiz is the online portal of the Florida Division of Corporations — the state agency where you file your Articles of Organization, submit annual reports, and search existing business records.

What does AMBR mean on my Florida LLC?

AMBR stands for "authorized member" — an owner listed as authorized to manage the LLC. MGR means "manager." One of these titles appears next to each person named on your Articles and annual report. Full explainer here.

Is Florida better than Wyoming for non-residents?

It depends on what you value. Florida offers a recognizable brand-name state and suits businesses with a real Florida connection; Wyoming is cheaper to maintain ($60/year vs $138.75), has no equivalent of the $400 late-fee trap, and keeps owner names off the public record. For a pure online business with no US footprint, Wyoming usually wins on the numbers.