WITH EMPLOYEES
4,376
U.S. CENSUS CBP 2023
GUIDES · FLORIDA · TRUCKING
Start a trucking company in Florida
UPDATED JUL 2026 · DATA RETRIEVED JUL 2026
THE SHORT ANSWER
To start a trucking company in Florida you'll file Articles of Organization with the Division of Corporations ($125) and get a free EIN from the IRS. Florida charges no separate state fee for carriers that operate only inside the state, lighter than most states in this guide, though federal interstate operating authority (MC number, $300) still applies to any carrier hauling freight for others across state lines and takes three to four weeks to activate. Total state filings: ~$125 and 2–5 business days for the LLC.
Source: Florida Division of Corporations · FDOT · FMCSA — verified Jul 2026
RETRIEVED JUL 27 2026
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU · CBP + NES
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU · CBP + NES
TRUCKING — FLORIDA ESTABLISHMENTS · NAICS 48412 · 2023
FL
STATE OF FLORIDA
TRUCKING
TRUCKING
SOLO OPERATORS
SOLO
60,399
NONEMPLOYER 2023 · 93.2% OF TOTAL
STATE FILING FEE
$125
ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION
PROCESSING TIME
PROCESSING
2–5
BUSINESS DAYS
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, CBP 2023 + NONEMPLOYER STATISTICS 2023 — RETRIEVED JUL 2026 CENSUS.GOV/CBP /METHODOLOGY/
MARKET SIGNAL
695,943 new business applications in Florida (last 12 mo) ▲ 13% YoY
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics — retrieved Jul 2026 Embed this chart
Florida’s lighter state-level trucking rules don’t shrink the federal stack: a for-hire carrier still needs USDOT registration, MC authority, insurance, UCR, and IFTA/IRP registration before hauling across state lines, the same as anywhere else in this guide. What Florida skips is a state fee and a separate intrastate authority number for carriers that stay inside its own borders, one less filing than several neighboring pilot states.
File your Florida LLC in 7 steps
1
STEP 1 OF 7
Choose and search your business name
Your name must include "LLC" or "L.L.C." and be distinguishable from existing Florida entities. Search current records on Sunbiz before filing. The Division of Corporations rejects names that conflict with an active registration.
search.sunbiz.org — Sunbiz records search
Florida Sunbiz — entity name search (UI as of Jul 2026)
2
STEP 2 OF 7
Appoint a registered agent
Florida requires a registered agent with a physical street address in the state. You can act as your own agent, which makes your address public. A commercial agent lists theirs instead. The agent must sign or electronically accept the designation on your filing.
3
STEP 3 OF 7
File the Articles of Organization on Sunbiz
File online at Sunbiz. The e-filing start screen opens with a disclaimer worth reading as written: once submitted, the Articles cannot be changed, canceled, or refunded. Accept it, click "Start New Filing," enter your name exactly as searched, list your principal address, and pay by card. The $125 total covers the $100 filing fee plus the $25 registered agent designation. Online filings are typically processed in 2–5 business days.
efile.sunbiz.org — Sunbiz e-file
Florida Sunbiz — Articles of Organization e-filing start screen, before any filing data (UI as of Jul 2026)
4
STEP 4 OF 7
Get a free EIN from the IRS
Apply for an Employer Identification Number on the IRS website after the LLC is approved. It is free and takes about ten minutes online; you need it for banking, hiring, and taxes. Ignore any site that charges for an EIN.
irs.gov — EIN Assistant
IRS — "Get an employer identification number," EIN Assistant entry (UI as of Jul 2026)
5
STEP 5 OF 7
Create an operating agreement
Florida doesn't require an operating agreement, but banks routinely ask for one and it fixes ownership and profit splits in writing. Single-member LLCs can use a short standard form; multi-member LLCs should document splits and exit terms.
6
STEP 6 OF 7
Check licenses and local permits
Florida has no general statewide business license, but most counties and many cities require a local Business Tax Receipt before you operate. For trucking specifically: Florida does not require a state MC number for carriers that operate only within Florida, and intrastate motor carrier registration through FDOT carries no state filing fee, unlike most of the other pilot states. A USDOT number is still required for a vehicle over 26,000 pounds, and proof of insurance (Form E) still applies.
7
STEP 7 OF 7
Calendar the annual report and open a bank account
Florida LLCs must file an annual report on Sunbiz between January 1 and May 1 ($138.75); missing the window adds a steep late fee. Open a separate business bank account with your filed articles and EIN to keep liability protection intact.
File it yourself, or have it done
Same state fee either way. The difference is your time, and whose address goes on the public record.
DIY
WITH NORTHWEST
State fee
$125
$125
Service fee
$0
$39
Your time
~4 hrs
~10 min
Registered agent (1 yr)
you, publicly listed
included, private
Start your Florida LLC →
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Common questions
Does Florida require its own trucking authority number?
No. Carriers that operate only inside Florida don't need a federal MC number, and Florida charges no state fee for intrastate motor carrier registration, unlike most states in this pilot. A USDOT number is still required for vehicles over 26,000 pounds.
Does Florida's lighter state layer reduce the federal trucking requirements?
No. The federal stack applies in full: USDOT registration, MC authority for for-hire interstate hauling ($300, three to four weeks to activate), the $750,000 insurance floor, UCR, and IFTA/IRP registration. Florida skips only its own state fee and a separate intrastate authority number.
Can I be my own registered agent in Florida?
Yes. Any Florida resident with a physical street address in the state can serve as agent, including yourself. Your name and address then appear on the public record, and you must be reachable there during business hours. Those are the main reasons owners hire a commercial agent instead.
What does the $125 Florida filing fee cover?
The $125 combines the $100 Articles of Organization filing fee and the $25 registered agent designation fee. It creates the LLC itself. It does not include an EIN (free from the IRS), local business tax receipts, or the $138.75 annual report Florida requires every year.
Source: BusinessFormation.us analysis of U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2023 (establishment counts, NAICS 48412), and Business Formation Statistics (monthly applications); retrieved Jul 2026. businessformation.us/start/trucking-company/florida/