Florida business entity search
Florida law files an LLC name for public notice only, so the filing creates no presumption of ownership beyond common law.
Check a name against Florida's naming rules
Example: a check of "Blue Heron Bakery LLC" against Florida's rules.
- Ends with "L.L.C.", an ending Florida lists for an LLC.
- No ending from Florida's list for a corporation was found at the end of this name.
Get the matching domain name
Type a business name to check its .com, .net, .org and .us.
"Not registered" is the registry's answer at this moment. It is not a promise that the name can be bought at the standard price, since some unregistered names are reserved or sold at a premium. The buttons open Spaceship, a domain registrar, where the price is shown.
This checks the ending and the restricted words Florida publishes. It does not tell you whether another company already holds the name. Only the state's own search can show that.
A private website, not a government site. Every state entry links to that state's official search.
Florida's own search
- Run by
- Florida Department of State
- Called
- Search Records
- Search by
- Entity Name, Officer/Registered Agent Name, Registered Agent Name, Trademark Name, Trademark Owner Name, FEI/EIN, Document Number, Zip Code, Street Address
The state's search is the record that counts. State Business Entity Search is not a government site.
The Division of Corporations of the Department of State keeps the register, and its entity search is known as Sunbiz.
Florida filing fees for a new business name
| Filing | State fee | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Form an LLC in Florida | $100 | Articles of organization. Source: Florida Statutes section 605.0213, LLC filing fees. |
| Form a corporation in Florida | $35 | Articles of incorporation. Source: Florida Statutes section 607.0122, corporation filing fees. |
| Reserve a name in Florida | $25 | Held for 120 days. |
| Annual report for a Florida LLC | $138.75 | Every year. Between January 1 and May 1 of each calendar year. |
| Fictitious name registration, in Florida | $50 | Source: Florida Statutes section 865.09, fictitious name registration. |
Name endings Florida accepts
For an LLC (Florida Statutes 605.0112)
For a corporation (Florida Statutes 607.0401)
What a Florida name filing does
Section 605.0112 says the LLC name is filed with the department for public notice only. Filing alone does not create a presumption of ownership beyond what common law gives. A name on the Sunbiz register is a record, not a title.
Entity names are checked for distinguishability against all other entities on file, but not against fictitious name registrations under section 865.09. A fictitious name can therefore sit beside an LLC with the same words. The guide to two businesses with the same name explains how that works.
What Florida counts as the same name
A name is not distinguishable from another if it differs only by a suffix, a definite or indefinite article, "and" against "&", a singular, plural or possessive form, or a punctuation mark or symbol. So "Blue Heron Bakery" and "Blue Herons Bakery" are the same name to the department.
Written consent from the other entity can allow a name that is not identical. The LLC name must also contain limited liability company, L.L.C. or LLC, and must not state or imply a connection with a state or federal government agency.
Florida corporation names and fictitious names
Section 607.0401 asks a corporation name to contain corporation, company or incorporated, or Corp., Inc. or Co. A registered fictitious name may not contain corporation, incorporated, Corp. or Inc. unless the business is incorporated or holds a certificate of authority.
Fictitious name registration in Florida
The Division of Corporations registers fictitious names for $50 under section 865.09. The registration runs to December 31 of the 5th calendar year, and it gives no presumption of ownership.
The applicant certifies that the intention to register was advertised at least once in a newspaper in the county of the principal place of business. A fictitious name is not an LLC name, and fictitious business names explained covers the difference.
Florida filing fees and the annual report
Section 605.0213 sets $100 for articles of organization and $50 for an annual report. Section 607.0122 sets articles of incorporation at $35. The Division's fee schedule lists the LLC annual report with its supplemental fee at $138.75, and the LLC cost calculator uses that figure.
The annual report goes in between January 1 and May 1, starting the year after the articles became effective. Initial articles can carry an effective date up to 5 business days before filing, or a delayed date up to 90 days after.
Checking a Florida name before filing
- Search the name in Sunbiz, with and without a plural, an article or punctuation.
- Check the ending against the name endings each state accepts.
- File articles of organization at $100, or articles of incorporation at $35.
- Calendar the annual report for January 1 to May 1 of the next year.
Florida name search questions
Is the Florida Secretary of State business name search the same as Sunbiz?
Florida's business filings are kept by the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, and its entity search is known as Sunbiz. Entity names are compared with each other, not with fictitious name registrations.
How do I check a business name in Florida before filing an LLC?
Section 605.0112 asks that the name be distinguishable from all other entities and filings on record. A difference only in an article, a plural or possessive form, "and" against "&" or a punctuation mark does not count.
What happens if a Florida LLC misses its annual report?
An LLC files between January 1 and May 1 each year, and section 605.0213 sets the fee at $50. The Division of Corporations fee schedule lists the report with its supplemental fee at $138.75. One that misses it cannot maintain or defend a court action until the report and all fees and penalties are paid.
How long does a Florida fictitious name registration last?
Until December 31 of the 5th calendar year after registration, with the year of registration counted as the first. Section 865.09 sets the fee at $50.
Does registering a fictitious name in Florida reserve it?
No. Section 865.09 says registration does not reserve a fictitious name against future use. It also asks the applicant to certify that the intention to register was advertised once in a newspaper.
After the Florida name check
- LLC cost calculatorFlorida filing and report fees added up
- Business name rules by stateFlorida's endings beside other states
- Georgia business entity searchGeorgia Secretary of State
- Maryland business entity searchMaryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation
- Massachusetts business entity searchSecretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- How much to trademark a business nameUSPTO application, extra and upkeep fees per class, plus what Texas and Florida charge for a state mark.
- Company domain nameWhat a domain is, who registers it, how renewal works and what the official pages say about email.
8 official Florida sources
- Florida Statutes section 865.09, fictitious name registration, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Florida Statutes section 605.0112, LLC names, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Florida Statutes section 607.0401, corporate names, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Florida Statutes section 605.0213, LLC filing fees, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Florida Statutes section 607.0122, corporation filing fees, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Florida Statutes section 605.0212, LLC annual report, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Florida Statutes section 605.0207, effective date of filings, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Florida Department of State, reserve a name in Florida, from the Internet Archive's copy of October 1, 2026.
Where a state page would not load, its stored copy at the Internet Archive was used and the copy's date is shown. Fees can change, so confirm the amount with the state before you pay.