Licences and permits in Florida: three levels, and the order matters

A new Florida business faces up to three layers of authorisation, and they are sequential more often than parallel. The state layer: the entity registration with the Division of Corporations, an EIN from the IRS, a sales tax certificate with the Department of Revenue where applicable, and the professional or industry licence if the activity is regulated — contractors, real estate, cosmetology, food service, childcare, health occupations and many more each have their own board. The county layer: a local business tax receipt, and for anything involving food, water or public health, the county health department. The city layer: the municipal business tax receipt, plus zoning approval confirming the use is permitted at that address, plus a certificate of use or occupancy for the premises. If the space needs work, building permits come with their own inspections. The order that saves time: confirm zoning for the specific address before signing a lease — a use that is not permitted there cannot be fixed by paperwork — then the entity and the EIN, then the state licence, then county, then city, because the local receipts commonly require the state registration number. Two recurring traps. A home-based business still needs to check the municipal rules and, in a deed-restricted community, the association's. And several licences require the physical address, which means they cannot be completed before the lease is signed — so the sequence has to be planned, not improvised. Call the city's business tax office before signing anything. They will tell you the sequence for that city. This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change and every deal is different — check your own case with a licensed professional. Alberto Zaltzberg — Adonait · adonait.com