Business Law: Getting Started

Small Business Administration - Use of the Recovery Act

P2Ploans

Prosper

Easy

For sponsorship opportunities please contact: (County Sponsorship Information Package)
Steve Burley (steve.burley@flvec.com)
P: (386) 290-8335


For website management requests please contact:
Michael Zaharios (michael.zaharios@flvec.com)
UCF Business Incubator at DBIA
601 Innovation Way, Office 123
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
P: (386) 310-8781
www.FLVEC.com


For Marketing & Public Relations requests please contact:
Kerry Martin (kmartin@TheStrategicFirm.com)
Curley & Pynn – The Strategic Firm
258 Southhall Lane, Suite 130
Maitland, FL 32751
P: (407) 423-8006
www.thestrategicfirm.com


Funding and support for FLVEC provided by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council:
1055 AAA Drive, Suite 140
Heathrow, FL 32746
P: (407) 708-4630
www.FloridaHighTech.com

Doing Business in Florida: 

Business Registration, Licensing & Permitting:

Registration

• Division of Corporations - Registration of corporations & other businesses
• Corporation Forms (All Types) | Annual Reports | Corporation Annual Reports Online Filing (UBR) | Forms Download (All Types of Forms) | Electronic Filing | Filing Questions | Contacts | Fees | Telephone Numbers & Division Addresses
• DBA - Online Filing of Your Fictitious Name | Application Form | Fictitious Name Registration Instructions and Information
• Florida Incorporation - FAQs - Frequently asked questions and answers on forming a corporation in Florida. - Florida Incorporation Service
• Florida Limited Liability Company (LLC) Information - File to establish your Florida LLC online | LLC FAQs 

•  Florida Tax Guide - All Types of Florida Taxes: Business, Personal, Non-Profit
• Florida Department of Revenue - Business Tax Information
  >>Start-up Kit for New Business Owners
  Do I need to collect sales tax? Find out what is taxable
  e-Tax Services Online | Tax Contacts & Telephone Numbers
• New Hire Reporting | Reporting Form (pdf) - Florida Dept. of Revenue
• W-4 Form (IRS) (pdf) | I-9 Form (USCIS) (pdf) | E-Verify (Employment Eligibility Verification) - Automated system to verify the employment authorization of all newly hired employees.
• IRS - Tax Information for Businesses | EIN Tax ID Number | IRS Business Start-up Issues | Business Structure, Sub S Corporation Designation
• Obtaining a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)
• SCOR Securities Registration - Corporations, sale or offering of securities
  
  Non-Profit Organizations (Nonprofit Information):
• Florida Division of Corporations
  Non-Profit Corporations Registration (Forms by Mail) | Download Forms | Corporations Help & Questions | State Registration of Charitable Organizations | Search Corporation Names, Locate Addresses & Corporate Officers
• Not-for-Profit Organizations (Tax Information)
• IRS (Federal) Non-Profit Organziation Tax Information

WV Sec. of State - Business Structures Defined

WV Dept. of Commerce - Choosing a Business Structure

The Winning Business Plan

A good business plan provides a tool to fully evaluate your business idea to see if it makes sense. The business plan says a lot about you as a potential business owner, including how much you know about the business you want to open.

There are four major elements of a business plan. The written plan should be concise and to the point.

1. Description of the Business

2. Marketing Plan

3. Organization Plan

4. Financial Plan

Small Business Administration - Planning your Business

Business Plan template

Who must register?

You may be required to register to collect, accrue and remit the taxes or fees listed below if you are engaged in any of the activities associated with each tax or fee. You must register before you begin your business activities.

• Sales and Use Tax

  Sales Tax

  • Sales, leases, or licenses to use certain property or goods (tangible personal property).
  • Sales and rentals/admissions, amusement machine receipts, or vending machine receipts for all taxable items.
  • Repair or alteration of tangible personal property.
  • Leases or licenses to use commercial real property (includes management companies).
  • Rental of transient (six months or less) living or sleeping accommodations (includes management companies). A local tourist development tax (bed tax) may also apply. Contact the taxing authority in the county where the property is located.
  • Sales or rental of self-propelled, power-drawn, or power-driven farm equipment.
  • Sales of electric power or energy.
  • Sales of prepaid telephone calling cards.
  • Sales of commercial pest control services, nonresidential building cleaning services, commercial/residential burglary and security services, or detective services.
  • Sales of secondhand goods. A secondhand dealer registration (Form DR-1S) may also be required.

  Use Tax

  • Any taxable purchases that were not taxed by the seller at the time of purchase.
  • Repeated untaxed purchases through the Internet or from out-of-state vendors.
  • Any purchases originally for resale, but later used or consumed by your business or for personal use.
  • Use of dyed diesel fuel for off-road purposes.
• Solid Waste Fees & Surcharge

  Solid Waste Fees and Pollutants Tax

  • Sales of new tires for motor vehicles.
  • Sales of new or remanufactured lead-acid batteries.
  • Rental or lease of motor vehicles to others.
  • Sales of dry-cleaning services (plants or drop-off facilities).
• Reemployment (formerly unemployment) Tax

  Reemployment (formerly unemployment) Tax

  • Paid wages of $1,500 in any quarter or employed at least one worker for 20 weeks in a calendar year. (Payments made to corporate officers are wages.)
  • Applicant is a governmental entity, Indian tribe or tribal unit.
  • Hold a section 501(c)(3) exemption from federal income tax and employ four or more workers for 20 weeks in a calendar year.
  • Agricultural employer with a $10,000 cash quarterly payroll, or who employs five or more workers for 20 weeks in a calendar year.
  • Private home or college club that paid $1,000 cash in a quarter for domestic services.
  • Acquired all or part of the organization, trade, business, or assets of a liable employer.
  • Liable for federal unemployment taxes.
  • Previously liable for reemployment (unemployment) tax in the State of Florida.
• Gross Receipts Tax

  Gross Receipts Tax

  • Sales or delivery of electricity or gas.
  • Importation/severance of electricity or natural gas for one's own use where gross receipts tax has not been paid.
• Documentary Stamp Tax

  Documentary Stamp Tax

  • Entering into written financing agreements (five or more transactions anticipated per month).
  • Making title loans.
  • Self-financing dealers (buy here – pay here).
  • Banks, mortgage companies and consumer finance companies.
  • Promissory notes.
• Communications Services Tax

  Communications Services Tax

  • Sales of communications services (telephone, paging, certain facsimile services, videoconferencing).
  • Sales of cable services.
  • Sales of direct-to-home satellite services.
  • Resellers (for example, pay telephones and prepaid calling arrangements).
  • Seeking a direct pay permit.
• Fuel Taxes

  Fuel Taxes

  Businesses storing, delivering or selling fuel, other than at retail, must register and get a fuel license. The method of operation determines the type of license(s):

  • Blender — A person who produces blended diesel fuel outside the bulk transfer/terminal system.
  • Carrier — A railroad company, pipeline company, water transportation company, private or common carrier, or a person transporting motor or diesel fuel, casinghead gasoline, natural gasoline, naphtha, or distillate for others, either in interstate or intrastate commerce, to points within Florida, or from a point in Florida to a point outside the state.
  • Exporter — A person who exports taxable motor or diesel fuels either from substorage at a bulk facility or directly from a terminal rack to a destination outside the state.
  • Importer — A person who imports motor fuel or diesel fuel upon which no precollection of tax has occurred, other than through bulk transfer, into Florida by common carrier or company-owned trucks.
  • Local Government User of Diesel Fuel — A county, municipality, or school district that uses untaxed or dyed diesel fuel in motor vehicles.
  • Mass Transit System — A local transportation company providing local bus service that is open to the public and travels regular routes.
  • Retailer of Alternative Fuel — A person who sells alternative fuel at retail for use in non-Florida registered motor vehicles.
  • Terminal Operator — A person who owns, operates, or otherwise controls a terminal. A terminal operator may own the motor or diesel fuel that is transferred through or stored in the terminal, but must be licensed as a terminal supplier.
  • Terminal Supplier — A person who is registered under s. 4101 of the Internal Revenue Code for transactions involving the bulk storage and transfer of taxable motor or diesel fuels.
  • Wholesaler — A person who holds a valid wholesaler of taxable fuel license issued by the Department of Revenue.
• Pollutants Tax

  Solid Waste Fees and Pollutants Tax

  • Sales of new tires for motor vehicles.
  • Sales of new or remanufactured lead-acid batteries.
  • Rental or lease of motor vehicles to others.
  • Sales of dry-cleaning services (plants or drop-off facilities).
• Secondhand Dealers/Secondary Metals Recyclers License