Services — Florida DBA Publication
No confusion. No markup games. Here's exactly what this is, what it costs, and what you get.
$75 flat per nameSigned affidavit of publication · All 67 counties · Next available edition
What You Walk Away With
When your notice runs, the newspaper issues a sworn affidavit of publication — a signed, dated legal document certifying your DBA notice was published in a qualifying Chapter 50 newspaper. Every publication produces one. No exceptions.
That affidavit is the tangible thing your $75 buys: your proof the job is done, and the document you rely on when you certify publication on your Sunbiz filing. The moment it's issued, I email it straight to you — yours to keep.
The Honest Breakdown
Florida law requires you to publish a newspaper notice before registering a fictitious name (DBA) with the state. It's called the Fictitious Name Act (§865.09 F.S.), and skipping it means you technically can't maintain a lawsuit in Florida on behalf of that business until you fix it.
Most solo founders either don't know this step exists or spend an afternoon figuring out which newspaper qualifies for their county, how to write the notice, and how to submit it. I'll take care of this for you.
The newspaper fee varies by county and publication. Your $75 covers it regardless — no surprise invoices.
If you'd rather submit the notice yourself, research which newspapers qualify under Chapter 50 for your county and submit to the publication of your choice.
The Bigger Picture
Most guides jump straight to the Sunbiz filing and skip this step entirely. Here's the correct order — all three steps are required.
Form your LLC on Sunbiz
Register your own LLC (or other entity) with the Florida Division of Corporations at sunbiz.org. Cost: $160. This is your legal business entity — everything else hangs off of it.
Publish your newspaper notice ← This is what we do
Before you can register a fictitious name (DBA) with the state, Florida law requires you to publish a notice of intention in a qualifying Chapter 50 newspaper in your county. This must happen first. You cannot file on Sunbiz until this step is complete.
File your DBA on Sunbiz
After your notice has published, file your fictitious name registration at sunbiz.org. Cost: $50 paid directly to the state. You'll certify that the newspaper notice has been published — your affidavit is your proof. Valid for 5 years.
Scope of Service
What you get
What this doesn't do
The Process
Pay $75 belowFill out the form and submit payment. Takes about 5 minutes.
I write and submit your noticeI draft the legally required language and submit it to the qualifying Chapter 50 newspaper for your county.
Your notice publishes in the next available editionI need 24 hours ahead of the newspaper's deadline to draft and submit it. Papers print daily, weekly or twice a week depending on the county, so the print date depends on where your business is.
You receive your affidavitAfter publication, I forward the affidavit of publication to your email. Keep this for your records.
File on SunbizHead to efile.sunbiz.org and complete your fictitious name registration. Cost: $50 paid directly to the state. Your affidavit is your proof of compliance.
Questions
Yes. Despite what you may have read, the newspaper requirement is still in Florida law as of 2026 (§865.09 F.S., last amended 2019). When you sign the Sunbiz application, you self-certify that the notice has been published. Skipping it makes that certification false — and leaves you unable to maintain a lawsuit in Florida on behalf of that business until you fix it.
No. The notice must run in a newspaper that qualifies under Chapter 50 of the Florida Statutes. Your website, blog, or social media does not qualify. That's exactly what I handle here.
All 67 Florida counties. The qualifying newspaper varies by county — that's the research I've already done so you don't have to. I've written up Pinellas County and Miami-Dade County.
Each name is a separate newspaper notice and a separate order. You can submit multiple orders at once and I'll run them all in the same edition where possible.
I need your order 24 hours ahead of the newspaper's deadline. Orders that clear that window run in the next edition; orders that miss it run in the one after. Most county papers print weekly, so plan on one to two weeks from order to affidavit. Your affidavit is emailed to you after publication.
No — publication is step one. After you receive your affidavit, you still need to file the fictitious name registration on Sunbiz (sunbiz.org) for $50, paid directly to the state. That's the actual registration. This service handles the required publication step that must come first.
I'm a Florida solo founder who operates multiple businesses under Sunstate Bay Ventures, LLC. I've been through this process many times. I understand that your time is valuable, and because I already know the requirements inside and out, I'd like to save you the time and hassle of researching this on your own.
Place Your Order
$75 per name · All Florida counties · Next available edition
Publication timing: I need your order 24 hours ahead of the newspaper's deadline. Your notice runs in the next available edition, and your affidavit follows publication.
Payments are processed by Sunstate Bay Ventures, LLC. Your card statement will show THE HONEST FOUNDER. The Honest Founder is a brand of Sunstate Bay Ventures, LLC.
After You File
Already have your LLC? Every Florida LLC must file an annual report between January 1 and May 1 — every year, even if nothing has changed. Miss it and the late fee is $400, no exceptions. This guide walks you through the whole thing in plain English. Five pages. Done in 5 minutes.
See the Guide — $19Instant PDF download · 5 pages · Florida LLC owners only