Formation takes place at the state level and legal requirements vary across states. You will furthermore need to register your business in each state in which you operate through a process called foreign qualification.
The Need for Foreign Qualification For business owners seeking to establish their presence in the Sunshine State, foreign qualification involves registering with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations.
You'll need to file an Authorization to Transact Business in Florida, and for that you'll need to obtain a Florida Registered Agent. Not only do we offer the most affordable registered agent service in the state, we'll even file your registration papers for you.
In Florida, there are two main forms of transferring ownership of a corporation – gradual sales and outright sales. When someone transfers ownership of a corporation via gradual sale, the buyer receives the shares over a pre-determined period, while he/she is still paying the installments.
Florida Out-of-State Corporation Registration If you have incorporated your company in a state other than Florida and want to do business in the state, you must register your out-of-state corporation through a process called foreign qualification.
To start a business in Florida you need to: Check with your County Tax Collector to see if you need a license. Register your business with the Department of Revenue. Download their Registering Your Business form (PDF).
How to Transfer Ownership of a Corporation Consult your Articles of Incorporation and corporate bylaws. Contact the board of directors or shareholders. Find a buyer. Transfer ownership of stock. Inform the Secretary of State.
Corporations are by far, the easiest to types of incorporated structures to transfer, whether this is part or the whole company. As we discussed earlier in this guide, C Corporations have no legal limit on the number or types of shareholders.
Typically, after assessing the percentage of ownership to be transferred, an owner must seek approval from the corporate board of directors to proceed with the transaction. Then, the owner can sign the share transfer contract to close the deal.