Starting A Business In Eustis

PO Box 1210, Eustis, FL  32727-1210

Phone: 352-357-3434        Fax:      352-357-1392

All phone numbers in this brochure are area code 352 unless otherwise noted.

Starting A New Business In Florida

Enterprise Florida - www.eflorida.com

Orlando Office    407-316-4600

If you are considering locating or expanding a business in Florida, Enterprise Florida has an online Project Assistance Form at the website mentioned above.

ALL OTHER PHONE NUMBERS & WEBSITES ARE LISTED AT THE END OF THIS BROCHURE

Economic Feasibility

If the economic feasibility of your business has not been assessed for this area, it is recom-mended this be done before registrations and licensing are completed.  Whether your business requires legal assistance is one of the first determinations you must make.  Most small businesses can be completely registered by the owner with the assistance of the respective agency.

Legal Requirements in Florida

If a business operates under a trade name, it must be filed at the Clerk of the Circuit Courts and you must publish the trade named business as a  notice in a local newspaper once per week for four consecutive weeks.  If a business is within the city limits, an owner must have occupational licenses from both City and County.  If it is outside the city, the owner needs only a County license.  You will also be required to have a Retail Stamp from the Department of Revenue and a tax ID number to be used in remitting Florida’s 7% sales tax to the State.  All licenses expire September 30 of each year.  In addition to licenses or permits, various boards and commissions may require licenses to practice a profession.

What you will need for an occupational license:

¨       Your Social Security Number

¨       Legal description of the property where the business will be located (a deed or tax bill for description)

¨       If the property is owned by someone else, bring legal description of the property and the owner

¨       If your business will deal with food, you will have to contact the Health Inspection Office before proceeding to license. 

Registration of Fictitious Name

The name of your business is considered fictitious unless it contains only the surname of the owner or all the surnames of the partners.  You must file the Application For Registration of Fictitious Name with the State of Florida.  This can be done through the Records Dept. at the Lake County Tax Collector’s Office.

Sales Tax Registration

If your business sells personal, tangible property (merchandise), you must obtain a seller’s permit from the State Sales Tax Agency.  The Application For Sales & Use Tax can be obtained at the Lake County Tax Collector’s Office. 

Registering Business Legal Forms

Here is what you need to legally register an LLC in Florida. The legal form of the business will determine the type of registration required at the State level.  Sole Proprietorship & Simple Partnerships require only the Application for Fictitious Name Registration.  In partnerships where one of the partners is a Corporation, the business does not need a special registration.  However, it must file a Florida Information Return on or before the first day of the fifth month following the close of the taxable year.  Limited Partnership Certificates must be filed with the Dept. of State.  Businesses may become Florida Corporations by filing Articles of Incorporation with the Dept. of State.

Special Business Licensing

The type of business you plan to operate may involve some combination of bonding, education, experience, and passage of licensing examinations.  If the nature of your business is in agriculture, consumer services, insurance, banking or finance, you may be subject to licensing programs of several state agencies.

Opening a Business in Eustis

¨       Obtain a Lake County occupational license

¨       Fill out the City of Eustis Occupational License application

¨       Submit any state certifications (i.e. Dept. of Health, Dept of Business & Professional Regulations, Dept. of Agriculture, etc.)

¨       Pay all appropriate fees

¨       Have the Zoning, Building, and Police Departments sign off on the occupational licensing application.

¨       Have the Fire Department inspect your business if the business is not a home occupation

Home Occupations

Home occupations require a separate review process through Development Services.

Home occupations, including any profession, vocation, business, or trade may be conducted in a residential district provided that a city Occupational License is secured and that such home occupation is conducted in accordance with the following regulations:

¨       The home occupation shall be conducted within the principal building and only by persons residing in the home.  No person shall be employed who is not a resident of the premises. 

¨       Home occupations cannot offer products for sale from the premises.

¨       Does not generate traffic in excess of that customary at residences and where no commercial vehicles are.  kept on the premises parked overnight unless otherwise permitted by these regulations.

¨       Not more than 25% of the total floor area of any dwelling unit may be devoted to such use.

¨       For the purpose of identification of such use, 1 sign, not over 1 square foot in area may be permitted.  There shall be no neon, flashing, or blinking lights used for the illumination of identification signs.

¨       No motor power other than electrically operated motors shall be used in conjunction with such home occupation and the total of such permitted electric motors shall no exceed 3 HP, or more than 1 HP for any single motor.

¨       There shall be no alteration in the residential character of the premises in connection with such home occupation.

¨       No merchandise or articles for sale shall be displayed in a manner as to be visible from the exterior of the building and no sign or device relative to the sale of such merchandise shall be displayed on the premises. 

¨       No articles or materials used in connection with such home occupation shall be stored on the premises other than in the principal building.

¨       There shall be no emissions of high or low frequency electromagnetic power, which would create disturbances or interference with any electronic communications system.

LAKE COUNTY IMPORTANT #’s

Property Appraiser                       343-9748

Building Dept.                             343-9653

Health Dept.                                589-6424

Clerk Public Records Center         742-4100

Clerk of Circuit Court                    742-4100

www.lakecountyclerk.org

Dept. of Economic Development   429-4265

www.lakecountyfl.com

Demographics, business information

Tax Collector                               343-9622

www.laketax.com

Occupational License & Fictitious Name applications available online

CITY OF EUSTIS IMPORTANT #’s

The City of Eustis                        483-5430

www.eustis.org

Most applications, including Occupational license, can be downloaded from the website.

Development Services                  483-5460

Building Dept.                             483-5462

Fire Dept.                                   357-6585

Police Dept.                                483-5400

Occupational Licenses                 589-4160

STATE OF FLORIDA IMPORTANT #’s

Florida Dept. of Revenue       800-352-3671

http://sun6.dms.state.fl.us/dor/

Dept. of State, Div. of Corporations

file online!                              800-755-5111

http://www.dos.state.fl.us/doc/

Business & Professional Regulations

www.myflorida.com/dbpr/        800-487-1395

Enterprise Florida                  407-316-4600

www.eflorida.com

Many forms and filings are available on these websites

OTHER HELPS

The Business Assistance Center    365-3579

at Lake-Sumter Community College

SCORE                                          323-3603

Counselors to America’s Small Business

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

J.R. Buxman                                408-6996

Commercial Realty   1465 Eustis Rd., Eustis

Crescent Moon Properties            383-1919

PO Box 31, Mt. Dora            Roy Pink

Greenacre Properties                  360-1001

32403 Countryside Blvd., Leesburg

DBR Investment Management (owns Eustis Village Shopping Plaza)    904-523-2070

Commerce Park Investments      735-2506