Florida Corporation Filing Services

Professionals in Florida wishing to incorporate a practice come together to form a corporation of a special type known as Florida professional service corporation. These are same as the regular corporations, though their requirements are special.

In Florida, the professional corporations are controlled by the Limited Liability Companies Law, Florida Professional Service Corporations, and Florida Business Corporation Act.

Single Purpose Requirement

Florida professional service corporation act may be formed to provide professional services in a specific area. The shareholders of the corporation should be authorized or licensed to offer services in identical professional service area.  The professional services include personal services that need a legal authorization or license, such as an attorney at law, chiropractor, life insurance agent, physician, dentist, surgeon, certified public accountant, veterinarian, architect, or other professional.

The shareholders should be licensed so that they perform offer similar professional services. However, the shareholders are not under any compulsion to offer services to the professional service corporation.  Other agents or employees of the corporation provides services until they are authorized or licensed professionals. The corporation can hire non-licensed employees such as secretaries, clerks, technicians, bookkeepers, and other assistants to perform for the corporation non-professional services.

Professional Service Corporation Name Requirements in Florida

A professional corporation should include words such as “chartered,” “P.A.” or “professional association,”. Using other words, as “professional service corporation,” “company,” or “incorporated” or any other affix, abbreviation, or prefix indicates a professional service corporation is prohibited. The name should appear as the last name of all of the shareholders or at least in some, including the deceased or retired shareholders.

The words “professional association,” “chartered,” or “P.A.” maybe omitted from the corporation’s name, in case the professional service corporation has filed its name as a fabricated name with the Division of Corporations, Florida Department of State. In Florida, Business entities can register a fictitious name if they are doing business under another name.  It should not be the shareholder’s personal name or a registered corporate name, service mark or trademark. Thus, Professional service corporations not filing under a fictitious name should use “chartered,” “P.A.” or “professional association,” in their name.

Filing Articles of Incorporation

Forming a professional corporation means filing articles of incorporation with the Division of Corporations, the Florida Department of State. Ensure to feel your professional corporation name, the street address, the mailing address, the specific purpose, the incorporators name and address, the incorporators signature, the signed acceptance, if you do it through a registered agent.