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City of St. Petersburg Small Business Guide

City of St. Petersburg Small Business Guide

St. Petersburg may be known primarily for great weather, as a popular location for golfing and fishing, but it is also a great location to start a business. Located in Pinellas County, St. Petersburg is growing rapidly and is currently the fourth largest city in Florida. Although companies like Raymond James, All Children's Hospital, Home Shopping Network, Bayfront Medical Center, and Fidelity National Information Services make up the top five largest employers, thousands of small businesses serve residents and tourists in the area each year.

Business Environment

One of the major factors that is driving growth in St. Petersburg is that Florida does not have a state income tax. This makes St. Petersburg a top business-friendly locale. The city also offers robust transportation, telecommunications and utility infrastructures that are essential for business growth.

Business Structure and Licensing

The first step to starting a new St. Petersburg business is to determine the best business entity for your company. You should also become familiar with all of the local licensing and tax requirements. There is no state income tax in Florida. However, there are local regulations for businesses.

Before doing business in St. Petersburg, you will need to obtain a business tax certificate. This is a requirement for all businesses that are located and operated within the city limits. Business tax certificates must be renewed each year by September 30th.

Sales tax in Florida is 6 percent plus the county surtax rate. Before you start doing business in Florida, you must first determine if your business activity or products used will be subject to sales or use tax. If it is, you are required to register to collect sales tax or pay use tax. Florida Department of Revenue provides a partial list of business activities that are taxable.

If you are trying to start a business, careful planning can help to ensure that your business will be successful. Seeking out the advice of an experienced accountant can save you money and help to ensure that your business is in compliance with local St. Petersburg licensing requirements.

Business Support From the City

Small business networking groups can help you to make the contacts that will offer you the best chance of success. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides small business counseling, entrepreneurial programs and a business resource center to entrepreneurs that are looking to start a business. Meetup groups and the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce can help you get off to a good start.

Business owners can obtain complete information on all of the business assistance programs that are available by contacting the City of St. Petersburg's Economic Development Division.

Resources

The following links provide resources to help you get started with your St. Petersburg business.

  • St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce
  • St. Petersburg City Census Information
  • St. Petersburg Economic Development Division
  • Buy a Business in St. Petersburg
  • Find Commercial Real Estate in St. Petersburg
  • Find the Best St. Petersburg Accountant
  • Meetups in St. Petersburg
  • Tax Incentives
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Tom Gargiulo, E.A.

Tom Gargiulo, E.A.

Tom Gargiulo, E.A. is a tand Quickbooks accounting professional based in St. Petersburg, Florida. Tom is a Member of the National Society of Tax Professionals and has been Enrolled to Practice before I.R.S. since 1986. Specializing in Quickbooks Accounting, Consulting and Training, he has many QuickBooks certifications. National Tax, Accounting & Financial is a family business started over 25 years ago. If you could summarize our firm in one word, it would be "personalization". Our firm gets to know our clients as people and uses our personalized service to best meet their needs in all facets of our business. This translates into savings for our clients. We bring unique solutions to complex problems by applying years of experience and the latest technologies. We can assist you with your tax preparation and accounting needs.

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