Anyone who sells any goods or service or solicits business or offers goods or services for sale or hire in the City

Filed as a business entity with the State of Florida Division of Corporations, shall be evidence of engaging in business.

Each business displaying a sign or using an address for advertising within city limits

If any person operates a business at more than 1 location, each location shall be considered a separate business and a Business Tax/Certificate of Use shall be required for each location.

All initial applications must be submitted to the City within 15 calendar days of:

• Tenant occupancy in your business location, or
• Start date listed on the Florida Division of Corporations (sunbiz.org)

Running behind on submitting your application?  Fortunately the penalties are less than $30 if you obtain it within a few months.  Just be careful not to wait too long, as there is an additional penalty of $250 if it is not obtained by March 1.

Your initial Business Tax license is valid until the end of the current fiscal year, which ends on September 30.

Zoning

Our building is zoned as an R-B-1 district.  This designation allows for business & professional offices, financial institutions, business services, interior decorators, among others.

Note that professional offices includes lawyers, accountants, and several types of medical professionals, such as therapists, psychiatrists and psychologists.

Since our building has already undergone zoning inspections, our clients do not require inspections provided their business purpose of our facility meets these zoning requirements

Registration with the Florida Department of Corporations

If you will be operating as a business entity, you’ll need to file with the State of Florida Division of Corporations.  Sunbiz registration

If the business will be operated under a name that is not a corporation or a person’s legal name, you’ll need to file a Fictitious Name Registration

State or Federal Certifications

Obtain required certification for your profession or business. For Example: Restaurant approval from the Florida State Division of Hotels & Restaurants; professional licenses from the Florida Dept. of Business & Professional Regulations; attorney’s bar card from the American Bar Association; contractor certification from the Florida State Construction Industry Licensing Board, etc.

The fee for the Business Tax/Certificate of Use is $105 per year.

When applying for the first time, the following fees are included as well:

• Application Fee: $28
• Certificate of Use Fee: $45

Visit the Office

The Boca Raton Business Tax Authority one-stop center is located at:

200 NW 2 Avenue
Boca Raton, FL 33432

Office Hours are:

• Monday: 8am to 4pm
• Tuesday: 8am to 4pm
• Wednesday: 8am to 3pm
• Thursday: 8am to 4pm
• Friday: 8am to 4pm

When you arrive, sign in for Business Tax and have a seat in the waiting area.  They will call your name once a staff member is available to meet with you.  The staff member will then:

• Verify the business information on sunbiz.org (if applicable)
• Verify that state license requirements have been met
• Verify that zoning requirements are in compliance
• Sign the zoning authorization for your Palm Beach County Business Tax Application

The Business Tax Receipt can be renewed beginning July 1 and is due by September 30 of each year.  Renewals can be processed online.

As a courtesy, the City mails renewal reminders in August. However, if the renewal reminder notice is not received, it is your responsibility to ensure that your Business Tax is renewed prior to September 30th of each year.

If you do not renew by the due date (September 30), the penalties are generally less than $30, provided you renew it prior to March 1, when an additional $250 penalty is assessed.