FLORIDA AREA
Form an LLC in Fort Lauderdale
Launching in Fort Lauderdale: form the LLC, then clear the local layer
From the marine and boating trades to tourism, home services, and a growing professional scene, Fort Lauderdale rewards owners who set up right the first time. The state filing is simple; Broward's local requirements are where you want a clear path.
The state step (fast)
Your LLC becomes official when the state approves your Articles of Organization — $125, usually within one to three business days.
The Broward County layer
- A Fort Lauderdale business needs both a City of Fort Lauderdale BTR and a Broward County BTR. In Broward, the usual order is city first, then county.
- The county receipt is filed online at Broward's BTExpress portal, with roughly 24–48 hours of processing.
- If your business is in unincorporated Broward rather than a city, you'll need a Certificate of Use from the county's Permitting, Licensing & Consumer Protection division (Plantation) before the county receipt is issued.
- Contractors must show a Broward County Certificate of Competency or a state certification before a receipt is issued.
- Renewal notices mail around July 1; receipts are delinquent after September 30. Note that Broward does not reciprocate receipts from other counties — a receipt from elsewhere doesn't count here.
- Running a short-term rental? You may also owe Broward's Tourist Development Tax.
How we help
We form your LLC, lay out the exact city-then-county sequence for your situation, and stand up your website, business phone, and Google Business Profile so customers across Broward can find and trust you from week one.
Serving Fort Lauderdale and Broward County. Local rules and fees change — verify with the City of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County before filing. Private filing service, not a law firm.