Foreign corporation registration
Florida Foreign Corporation Registration: Form CR2E007
A corporation formed in another state registers with Florida on Form CR2E007, Application by Foreign Corporation for Authorization to Transact Business in Florida. The $70 filing fee goes to Florida; our $199 covers preparing and filing it plus the first year of Florida registered agent service, for $269 at checkout. Florida sets its own proof rule for foreign corporations.
Florida corporation registration at a glance
- Filing
- Form CR2E007, Application by Foreign Corporation for Authorization to Transact Business in Florida
- State fee
- $70 filing fee
- Total with us
- $269, first year of Florida registered agent service included
- Home-state certificate
- Set by the state
- Florida yearly filing
- Annual Report, $150, every year
- Filed with
- Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), Registration Section
What Form CR2E007 asks for
For Form CR2E007, Florida needs:
- The exact name of your corporation as formed, or an alternate name if that name is taken there
- The state it was formed in and its date of formation
- A Florida registered agent with a street address there; we fill in ours
- A principal office address
Corporation into Florida, by home state
Every home state pays the same $269 at checkout for Florida.
| Formed in | Home-state certificate | First year |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Alaska | Certificate of Compliance, if asked | $269 |
| Arizona | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Arkansas | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| California | Certificate of Status, if asked | $269 |
| Colorado | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Connecticut | Certificate of Legal Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Delaware | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Georgia | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Hawaii | Good Standing Certificate, if asked | $269 |
| Idaho | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Illinois | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Indiana | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Iowa | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Kansas | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Kentucky | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Louisiana | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Maine | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Maryland | Certificate of Status, if asked | $269 |
| Massachusetts | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Michigan | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Minnesota | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Mississippi | Certificate of Good Standing / Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Missouri | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Montana | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Nebraska | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Nevada | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| New Hampshire | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| New Jersey | Standing Certificate, if asked | $269 |
| New Mexico | Certificate of Good Standing and Compliance, if asked | $269 |
| New York | Certificate of Status, if asked | $269 |
| North Carolina | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| North Dakota | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Ohio | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Oklahoma | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Oregon | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Pennsylvania | Subsistence Certificate, if asked | $269 |
| Rhode Island | Certificate of Status / Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| South Carolina | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| South Dakota | Certificate of Good Standing/Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Tennessee | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Texas | Certificate of Fact - Status, if asked | $269 |
| Utah | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Vermont | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Virginia | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
| Washington | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| West Virginia | Certificate of Existence, if asked | $269 |
| Wisconsin | Certificate of Status, if asked | $269 |
| Wyoming | Certificate of Good Standing, if asked | $269 |
When Florida expects a corporation to register
Florida law lists 13 activities that do not, on their own, count as doing business in Florida. An office, staff, or regular sales and contracts there are what typically lead to registration.
If you do business in Florida without registering
Its contracts stay valid, and it can still defend a case brought against it. Florida penalties for unregistered business: a civil penalty of up to $1,000 and a fine of at least $500. With no registered agent on file, legal papers can be served through the Florida Department of State.
Florida registered agent rule
Florida requires every registered foreign corporation to keep a registered agent there. The agent's address must be a street address in Florida, not a P.O. box. Switching agents later costs $25. Our $199 includes the first year of Florida registered agent service, then $149 a year.
Florida yearly filings
Once registered, your corporation files the Florida Annual Report every year, at $150, due May 1. The Florida filing window opens January 1 and closes May 1. Filing it late adds $400. From year two, keeping the Florida registration costs $299 a year with our registered agent service.
How long Florida takes
We file Form CR2E007 with the Florida Department of State.
Florida foreign corporation questions
Do I have to register my corporation in Florida?
Yes, if it was formed in another state and does business there. Florida law lists 13 activities that do not count on their own. An office, staff or regular sales there usually mean registering.
How much does foreign corporation registration in Florida cost?
$269 at checkout: the $70 filing fee plus our $199, which includes the first year of registered agent service.
What does it cost each year to stay registered in Florida?
$299 a year: $150 for the Annual Report and $149 for our registered agent service. The home state's own yearly filing stays separate.
What if I don't register with Florida?
Florida can charge a civil penalty of up to $1,000 and a fine of at least $500.
Do I need a registered agent in Florida?
Yes. Florida requires one for every corporation registered there from another state, with a street address in the state. Ours is included for the first year, then $149 a year.
What if my company's name is taken in Florida?
Florida lets an out-of-state corporation register under an alternate name. A name can be held for $35.
Can I form a new Florida corporation instead?
It is possible, but that is a separate company that files Florida's Annual Report ($150), while the original keeps its home-state filings. Registering keeps one company in both states.
Is the Florida filing the same for an LLC?
No: LLCs file Form CR2E027 ($125 in state fees), and corporations file Form CR2E007.
Is this a certificate of authority?
Florida calls it registration; other states call the same step a certificate of authority or foreign qualification.
Official Florida sources
- Florida filing page (form.sunbiz.org)
- Florida Form CR2E007 (files.floridados.gov)
- Florida Division of Corporations, corporate fees
- Florida Statutes 607.1501 (foreign corporation authority required)
- Florida Statutes 607.1502 (effect of failure to have a certificate of authority)
- Florida Division of Corporations, Form CR2E027 instructions (foreign LLC)
- Florida Division of Corporations, LLC fees
- Florida yearly filing (leg.state.fl.us)