Florida’s New Series LLC Law Explained: What Every Business Owner Should Know

Florida business owners now have a new option for structuring multiple businesses, investments, or properties under one LLC framework.

Effective July 1, 2026, Florida’s Revised LLC Act formally recognizes Protected Series LLCs, giving business owners a way to separate certain assets, liabilities, ownership interests, and operations within a single Florida LLC structure.

For entrepreneurs and real estate investors with multiple ventures, this could be an important planning tool. But a Series LLC is not simply a shortcut to avoiding liability. The structure comes with specific legal, filing, governance, and recordkeeping requirements. Here is what Florida business owners should know.

What Is a Series LLC in Florida?

A Florida Series LLC is an LLC that has designated one or more protected series. Importantly, you do not create a separate “Florida Series LLC” through a standalone filing. An existing Florida LLC becomes a Series LLC when it designates its first protected series with the Florida Department of State.

Think of the parent LLC as an umbrella. Under that umbrella, the business can establish separate protected series for different ventures, investments, or assets. Each protected series is legally distinct from the parent LLC and from the other protected series, subject to the requirements of Chapter 605.

How Does a Protected Series LLC Work?

The basic idea is separation. For example, imagine a real estate investor owns several rental properties. Instead of automatically placing every property and liability into one bucket, the investor could potentially use separate protected series for different holdings.

The law provides that, generally, a liability of one protected series is the liability of that protected series, not another protected series or the parent Series LLC merely because they are part of the same overall structure.

That distinction is one of the primary reasons business owners may consider a Protected Series LLC. However, the legal separation is not a license to treat everything as one business. The structure needs to be properly established and maintained.

How Do You Create a Protected Series in Florida?

Florida law requires the LLC to formally establish the protected series.

The company must obtain the required member approval and file a Protected Series Designation with the Florida Department of State. The protected series becomes established when that filing takes effect.

The Florida Division of Corporations currently lists the filing fee for a protected-series designation at $25 per protected series, with the designation filing submitted online. The name also matters. A protected series must include the name of the Series LLC and contain “protected series,” “P.S.,” or “PS.”

Can a Florida Series LLC Protect Different Businesses or Properties?

Potentially, yes. This is where the structure can become particularly interesting for real estate investors, entrepreneurs, and business owners with multiple ventures. A company could potentially organize different investments or business activities into different protected series rather than placing everything into one liability pool.

But the appropriate structure depends on the business, its assets, financing, contracts, ownership, tax considerations, and risk profile. A Series LLC is not automatically the right solution for every business owner.

What Are the Recordkeeping Requirements?

This is one of the most important practical considerations. If you establish multiple protected series, you need to take the separation seriously. That means maintaining appropriate records, documenting ownership and transactions, and keeping the financial activity of different series properly distinguishable.

The purpose of the structure is to create legally distinct compartments. Treating those compartments casually can undermine the planning behind the structure. For that reason, the operating agreement and internal documentation deserve just as much attention as the initial filing.

Is a Florida Series LLC the Same as Having Multiple LLCs?

No, a protected series is not a separate entity with its own separate Sunbiz record number. Instead, it exists as a protected portion of the Series LLC under Florida’s statutory framework.

That distinction matters when deciding whether a Series LLC or multiple traditional LLCs makes more sense for your business. The right structure depends on what you own, how your businesses operate, who owns them, and what liabilities you are trying to separate.

Should I Form a Florida Protected Series LLC?

For business owners with multiple assets or ventures, Florida’s new Series LLC law creates another option for asset protection and business structuring. But this is not a “file it and forget it” strategy.

Before creating a Protected Series LLC, business owners should consider the operating agreement, ownership structure, asset transfers, contracts, banking, bookkeeping, insurance, tax treatment, and compliance requirements. Florida’s Series LLC law is new, and businesses should approach the structure carefully rather than assuming that simply creating a protected series guarantees protection from every liability.

If you are considering a Florida Series LLC, Protected Series LLC, or restructuring your existing LLCs, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our experienced attorneys at 305-570-2208. 

You can also contact our team directly at: arianna@ayalalawpa.com                     

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[The opinions in this blog are not intended to be legal advice. You should consult with an attorney about the particulars of your case].