City business license guide
Last updated: October 3, 2026
If you start or run a business inside the City of Miami, do not start with an LLC form and call the job done. Miami has local zoning and business-tax steps, Miami-Dade County has its own tax and review layer, and Florida may require tax or industry registration. The exact list depends on your address, business activity, space, signs, employees, and whether you sell goods, food, lodging, alcohol, or regulated services.
Bottom line
The City of Miami says every business operating in the city needs a Business Tax Receipt (BTR). Most fixed-location businesses need a City Certificate of Use (CU) first. Home businesses need extra care: Miami’s website still routes a home office to Accessory Use, while Florida Statute 559.955 limits different local licensing of a qualifying home-based business. Miami-Dade County separately requires a Local Business Tax Receipt.
Check the exact address and activity before you sign a lease, build out a space, buy signs, or open. A city BTR, county receipt, LLC, DBA, sales-tax account, and state professional license are different things.
Miami business changes: April 1–October 1, 2026
- Miami-Dade ended the physical-display rule for the county receipt. Ordinance 26-19 was adopted April 21, 2026 and repealed the display requirement. The tax and receipt still apply.
- Miami replaced its Building Department fee schedule. The schedule adopted April 23, 2026 under Resolution R-26-0200 supersedes prior City building fees. Use the current fee schedule for construction or build-out work.
- Miami-Dade added the new state-required Local Business Tax attestation to its process. Effective July 1, 2026, Florida changed section 205.0532. Miami-Dade now requires applicants and renewals to complete its Tax Collector Consent attestation about prohibited business with Cuba. The Tax Collector says the receipt can take up to three business days to become printable after the attestation is completed.
- Florida changed the reemployment-tax filing system. Effective August 24, 2026, employers use the Department of Revenue’s new reemployment tax eFile and Pay system. Old filing history was available only through September 30, 2026.
Quick start: what to check first
- Confirm the address is actually inside the City of Miami. Miami’s zoning FAQ says a folio that does not begin with 01 is not City of Miami property.
- Check the exact address before signing a lease. Use Miami’s zoning guidance and eStart tools.
- For a normal fixed location, follow Miami’s usual order: zoning and any construction, then CU and inspections, then BTR. Start through MiamiBiz.
- If you work from home, read Florida’s home-based-business law before paying for Miami’s Accessory Use route. A qualifying business may be protected from different local licensing.
- Finish the Miami-Dade County Local Business Tax Receipt and current attestation, then handle Florida tax, fictitious-name, employer, and industry licensing that applies to your activity.
Miami’s opening guide warns owners to check zoning before moving forward. A landlord or broker may not know whether your planned use is allowed.
Miami business license facts box
| City | Miami, Florida |
|---|---|
| Main city requirement | City of Miami Business Tax Receipt; most fixed-location businesses complete a Certificate of Use first |
| Main city portal | MiamiBiz |
| First location check | Zoning, allowed use, and whether construction or a CO/CC is needed |
| County layer | Miami-Dade Local Business Tax Receipt, current attestation, and Municipal CU/DERM review when applicable |
| State layer | Sunbiz filings, Florida tax/employer accounts, and state-regulated licenses |
| Best first move | Check the exact address and exact activity before committing money to the location |
What does this mean for me?
Ask more than “Do I need a business license?” The useful question is: “What approvals apply to this activity at this exact address?” Different businesses can follow different routes.
The City handles land use, CU/Accessory Use routing, inspections, and its BTR. Miami-Dade adds the County tax receipt and, when applicable, Municipal CU or environmental review. Florida handles entity/name filings, tax and employer accounts, and many industry licenses. Federal steps are usually narrower, such as an EIN.
If you are comparing terms, read BLG’s business license, LLC, DBA, and seller’s permit guide. These filings do different jobs and do not replace one another.
City, county, state, and federal requirements
City of Miami requirements
Miami’s Certificate of Use page uses a CU for a new business, relocation, or a missing CU when that path applies. The application includes the Fire Safety Permit, and Miami 21 requires a CU before a new or changed use.
Use MiamiBiz for the CU, Accessory Use, BTR, and related intake. Miami says most businesses need the CU before the BTR. Its BTR page sends peddlers, food trucks, and businesses with no physical City location directly to the BTR application instead of the normal CU-first route.
If you build, remodel, or change the use of a space, check the City’s Certificate of Occupancy/Completion page. Miami explains that a CO is used for new construction or a change of use, while a CC is used for remodels, renovations, and shell buildings. Signs are separately governed by Miami 21 Article 10; review the City sign code before ordering or installing a sign.
Home-based businesses: read the city route and state law together
Miami’s CU page still routes a home office to “Accessory Use,” and its fee page lists a Home Office Accessory Use certificate. But Florida Statute 559.955 says a qualifying home-based business may not be regulated or licensed differently from other businesses except as the statute allows and is only subject to applicable Chapter 205 business taxes. The law has its own conditions and does not override private HOA/condominium covenants or valid transient-lodging rules.
Practical path: first check whether you meet the state definition. If you do, do not assume the older Miami home-office limits or the separate Accessory Use fee automatically apply; ask Miami to reconcile its current web route with section 559.955 before paying. If you do not qualify for the state protection, Miami’s Accessory Use route may still matter. For context, see BLG’s home occupation permit guide.
Miami-Dade County requirements
Miami-Dade is a separate layer. The Tax Collector says businesses inside a municipality must obtain both the municipal receipt and the County Local Business Tax Receipt. Applications, renewals, and account changes are handled online through BTExpress. The county tax year runs October 1 through September 30.
For applications and renewals, Miami-Dade now requires the Tax Collector Consent attestation tied to Florida Statute 205.0532. The Tax Collector says the receipt may take up to three business days to become printable after the attestation is completed. This requirement entered the county process after the state-law change effective July 1, 2026.
The County receipt is a tax receipt, not zoning approval. Miami-Dade’s Certificate of Use page describes Municipal CU review inside municipalities. County review can apply to a new business, relocation, use change/expansion, some temporary uses, or ownership/name changes. DERM may also apply.
One less paper-display step now applies: Miami-Dade Ordinance 26-19 repealed the county-code requirement to display the Local Business Tax Receipt conspicuously. That did not repeal the Local Business Tax itself.
Florida state requirements
Florida does not issue one general state license for every Miami business. If you form an LLC or corporation, use the Division of Corporations. If you use another business name, review the Florida fictitious-name filing. A DBA does not form an entity or create ownership rights.
If you sell taxable goods or taxable services, Florida Revenue says you must register as a sales-and-use-tax dealer before conducting taxable business. The Florida Business Tax Application is the main registration route. Online sellers should still separate tax rules from local licensing; see BLG’s online business license guide.
If you hire, the Florida Business Tax Application can also register a business for reemployment tax when it applies. For filing and payment, use the new reemployment tax eFile and Pay system launched August 24, 2026. Employers also have a separate new-hire reporting route.
State-regulated work has its own layer. DBPR covers many restaurants, lodging businesses, contractors, salons, real-estate activities, and alcohol licensing. FDACS handles many retail food establishments. A City BTR does not replace the applicable state license.
Food trucks and mobile food
Florida Statute 509.102 preempts specified local licensing, registration, permit, and fee regulation of mobile food dispensing vehicles, while leaving other lawful local operational controls. Start with the DBPR mobile-food guide. Miami separately sends food trucks directly to its BTR application rather than the usual CU-first route. Treat the state food license, local tax route, and location rules as separate layers.
Federal requirements
Use the IRS EIN tool when an EIN is needed; the EIN itself is free. Federal licenses are activity-based, so use the SBA’s license and permit overview when federal regulation applies.
FinCEN’s August 2026 final BOI rule made permanent an exemption already in effect under the 2025 interim rule. U.S.-created companies are exempt; certain foreign entities registered in the United States can still have duties. See FinCEN BOI.
Costs you can plan for
Do not budget from guesses. Miami and Miami-Dade charges can depend on the use, space, inspections, classification, and outside reviews. These are current official items worth planning around.
| Cost item | Current official information | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| City CU application fee | $50 non-refundable application fee; Miami says it is credited toward the total CU application if the application proceeds beyond initial screening. | Miami CU fee page |
| City CU inspection/service fees | Variable by use type, size, and service. Use the current schedule rather than a copied estimate. | City CU fee page and City invoice |
| Home Office Accessory Use | Miami’s fee page lists $94 and no fee for seniors 65+, but qualifying businesses under Florida Statute 559.955 may be protected from different local licensing. Confirm applicability before paying. | City CU fee page, section 559.955, and MiamiBiz |
| City BTR | Varies by business activity/classification. Use the official City invoice. | MiamiBiz and City BTR page |
| County Local Business Tax | Varies by category and factors such as employees, seats, units, square footage, and location. | County tax categories |
| Building permits | The City adopted a replacement Building Department fee schedule on April 23, 2026. Construction and build-out costs should be checked against that current schedule. | City building permit fees |
| IRS EIN | The EIN itself is free through the IRS. | IRS EIN page |
Future building-code change: The Florida Building Commission schedules the 9th Edition (2026) Florida Building Code to take effect December 31, 2026. If your project will be submitted near that date, verify which code edition applies before finalizing plans.
Permits that may matter by business type
| Business type | Extra checks | Useful route |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant, bar, cafe, or caterer | City CU/BTR, Fire and Code, DERM as applicable, state food-service license, occupancy/load issues, and alcohol license if alcohol is sold | Use DBPR Hotels & Restaurants for public food service and DBPR Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco for alcohol. |
| Retail store | CU/BTR, county receipt, Florida sales-tax registration, signs, and tenant build-out permits | Check City zoning before the lease and register taxable sales with Florida Revenue. |
| Home-based service business | Florida home-business statute, Miami Accessory Use routing, city/county business taxes, and state license if regulated | Read section 559.955 and then use Miami’s current home-office process for your facts. |
| Food truck | DBPR MFDV license, City direct-to-BTR route, county business-tax step, and lawful operating/location rules | Start with the state MFDV guide and section 509.102. See BLG’s food truck license guide for the wider stack. |
| Short-term rental or lodging | Zoning/lodging use, CO, DBPR lodging license, City CU/BTR, and applicable county/tax steps | Use Miami’s short-term rental/lodging procedure before listing the unit. |
| Salon, barber, contractor, real estate, or other regulated profession | State license plus the local tax/land-use steps that apply | Verify the exact profession in DBPR’s licensing system before applying for the local receipt. |
Real-world examples
A home-based bookkeeper in Miami
First check Florida’s home-based-business definition and then reconcile it with Miami’s current home-office route. City and County business taxes can still apply. If you use a brand name instead of the legal name, check Florida fictitious-name rules.
A small retail shop in Wynwood
Check the allowed use before signing the lease. A build-out may need City permits and a CO or CC. The business can then need a CU, Fire/Code and any DERM review, City BTR, County Local Business Tax Receipt, Florida sales-tax registration, and a sign permit or sign-code review.
A food truck serving in Miami
Do not copy the fixed-restaurant checklist. Florida controls MFDV licensing and preempts the local license/permit/fee regulation covered by section 509.102. Miami separately routes food trucks directly to its BTR application instead of the CU-first path. Verify the DBPR license, the current local tax route, and where the truck may lawfully operate.
A short-term rental unit
Miami treats short-term rental as a lodging use. The City’s current procedure can require the correct zoning, CO, DBPR lodging license, CU, BTR, and applicable county approvals before operation. Check the building and unit before listing on a platform; a platform listing does not create zoning approval.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing a lease before checking the exact Miami zoning and use.
- Thinking an LLC, corporation, DBA, or sales-tax registration is the City BTR.
- Getting the City receipt but skipping the separate County Local Business Tax Receipt, or the other way around.
- Using an old home-occupation handout without checking Florida Statute 559.955.
- Following an old local food-truck ordinance as if it overrides Florida’s mobile-food preemption.
- Starting construction, signs, or a change of use from an old fee schedule or without the needed permit/CO/CC route.
- Forgetting the County attestation when applying for or renewing the Local Business Tax Receipt.
- Assuming a marketplace, booking platform, landlord, or filing company replaces government approval.
What to do if this doesn’t work
If MiamiBiz rejects your application, your inspection fails, or one office sends you elsewhere, do not keep refiling the same thing. Save the rejection email, invoice, process number, address, suite number, and business description. Then ask what is blocking the next step.
If zoning is the problem, go back to the use and address. If DERM is the problem, ask what environmental information is missing. If the BTR is the problem, ask whether the city is waiting on a CU, state license, professional license, EIN, fictitious name proof, or invoice payment. If the county receipt is the problem, ask the Tax Collector which business tax category or document is missing.
Do not rely on a landlord, broker, contractor, accountant, filing company, or online seller platform as the final source for Miami licensing. They may be helpful, but the official agency should control.
A compact compliance checklist
- Confirm the business address is inside the City of Miami.
- Write down the exact business activity and how the space will be used.
- Check zoning before signing a lease or buying equipment.
- Confirm whether construction, signs, a CO/CC, or occupant-load approval is needed.
- Use MiamiBiz for the correct CU, Accessory Use, or direct BTR route.
- If home-based, compare the City route with Florida Statute 559.955.
- Complete required Fire, Code, DERM, or other inspections/reviews.
- Obtain the City BTR when the City route is complete.
- Apply for/renew the Miami-Dade Local Business Tax Receipt and complete the current attestation.
- Register Florida sales/use tax or reemployment tax when your activity or hiring triggers it.
- Report new hires through the current Florida employer service when required.
- Check Sunbiz for entity and fictitious-name filings.
- Use the correct state agency for food, lodging, alcohol, professional, or other regulated work.
- Keep copies of receipts, certificates, state licenses, invoices, and renewal records.
Phone and email scripts
Use these short scripts when an agency must decide how your facts fit the rule.
City zoning or CU script
Hello, I plan to operate a [business type] at [address and suite]. Is this use allowed at this exact City of Miami address, and should I use the Certificate of Use, Accessory Use, or another City path before the BTR?
Home-business script
Hello, this business will operate from my residence and I am reviewing Florida Statute 559.955. Based on [business activity, employees/contractors, customer visits, parking, equipment], how does the City’s Accessory Use/BTR process apply to this address?
County tax receipt script
Hello, my business is at [address] in the City of Miami. Which Miami-Dade Local Business Tax category applies, and have I completed every current step, including the Tax Collector Consent attestation?
DERM or environmental review script
Hello, I am applying for a City CU for [business type] at [address]. The business will [describe food, grease, chemicals, wastewater, storage, or other relevant activity]. Does Miami-Dade require DERM review or an operating permit before the municipal approval can be completed?
Use the contact information shown on the current official action page. City and County routing can change, so this guide favors current application and agency links instead of copying a phone number that may later move to another unit.
Official resources
- City of Miami Business & Licenses
- MiamiBiz application portal
- City Certificate of Use
- City CU inspections
- City Business Tax Receipt
- City guide to opening a business
- City zoning FAQs and GIS routing
- City Certificate of Occupancy/Completion
- City sign code
- City short-term rental/lodging procedure
- Miami-Dade Local Business Tax Receipt
- Miami-Dade Certificate of Use / Municipal CU
- Florida home-based-business statute
- Florida mobile-food preemption statute
- Florida tax registration
- Florida reemployment tax eFile and Pay
- Florida entity e-filing
- Florida fictitious-name filing
- DBPR mobile-food guide
- DBPR Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco
- FDACS retail food permit
- Florida Department of Health food safety
- IRS EIN
- FinCEN BOI
- Florida Building Code resources
About BusinessLicenseGuide.com
BusinessLicenseGuide.com is a plain-English licensing guide for ordinary U.S. small-business owners. We are not a government agency, law firm, CPA firm, filing company, or paid compliance service. Our goal is to help you understand which offices to check, which terms matter, and what to ask before you spend money.
For a wider state view, see our Florida business license guide.
Related business license guides
Start with the closest next-step guides, then explore other BLG location and licensing resources.
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FAQ
Does Miami, FL require a business license?
The City of Miami says every business operating in the city needs a Business Tax Receipt. Most fixed-location businesses need a Certificate of Use first, while some activities use a different route.
Is a Miami Business Tax Receipt the same as an LLC?
No. An LLC is a Florida entity filing. A City of Miami Business Tax Receipt is a local business-tax receipt. One does not replace the other.
Do I also need a Miami-Dade County receipt?
Miami-Dade says a business located inside a municipality must obtain the municipal receipt and the County Local Business Tax Receipt. The County currently also requires its Tax Collector Consent attestation for applications and renewals.
Do home businesses in Miami need a local approval?
Miami’s website routes home offices to Accessory Use, but Florida Statute 559.955 protects qualifying home-based businesses from different local licensing. Check the state definition first; if you qualify, ask Miami how its Accessory Use route applies before paying a separate fee.
Should I check zoning before signing a lease in Miami?
Yes. Check the exact use at the exact address first. A landlord, broker, or prior tenant’s approval does not prove that your planned business use is allowed.
Does a Florida fictitious name protect my business name?
No. Florida says fictitious-name registration gives public notice of who is doing business under the name, but it does not create ownership rights in the name.
Update note
Last updated: October 3, 2026
Next review: January 1, 2027
This refresh rechecked Miami zoning, CU/Accessory Use, BTR, building/occupancy, County tax/CU, home-business and mobile-food law, state tax/employer systems, regulated industries, EIN, and BOI. Review-period changes included the County display-rule repeal, a new City building fee schedule, the County LBT attestation, and Florida’s new reemployment-tax filing system. The 9th Edition Florida Building Code is scheduled for December 31, 2026.
Disclaimer
This guide is for general information only. Business-license, tax, zoning, building, food, and professional rules can change. Confirm current requirements with the responsible official agency before you apply, pay a fee, sign a lease, build out a space, or begin operating.