Florida Nonprofits, by the Numbers
Florida's registry isn't all businesses chasing a profit. About 242,347 active nonprofit corporations are registered in the state. These are the charities, churches, civic groups, foundations, and associations that file as nonprofits rather than for-profit companies. That's roughly 3.1% of all registered entities. Here's what the nonprofit slice of Florida actually looks like.
Florida has about 242,347 registered nonprofit corporations, 3.1% of all entities. The vast majority (235,559) are domestic, formed in Florida.
Nonprofits in the context of the whole registry
Set against the millions of LLCs and the 1,838,993 for-profit corporations, nonprofits are a modest slice. But 242,347 organizations is a serious civic footprint. Unlike a for-profit, a nonprofit has no owners or shareholders; it's a corporation governed by a board and organized for a mission rather than a return. That's why it's a corporation, not an LLC, in the entity-type breakdown.
Domestic vs. foreign nonprofits
Almost all of Florida's nonprofits, 235,559 of them, were formed in Florida. Only 6,788 are "foreign," meaning a nonprofit incorporated in another state that registered to operate in Florida (a national charity opening a Florida chapter, for instance). The same out-of-state-versus-overseas distinction applies here as everywhere in the registry; we explain it in out-of-state businesses registering in Florida.
| Nonprofit type | Count | Share of all entities |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic nonprofit (formed in Florida) | 235,559 | 3.03% |
| Foreign nonprofit (formed out of state) | 6,788 | 0.09% |
| All nonprofits | 242,347 | 3.12% |
Reading the nonprofit numbers
A nonprofit corporation registration with the state is the first step, not the whole story. Federal tax-exempt status (the familiar 501(c)(3)) is a separate matter handled by the IRS, and not every state-registered nonprofit pursues or holds it. So treat 242,347 as the count of organizations that chose the nonprofit corporate form in Florida, which is exactly what the state registry records. For the full registry and how every structure stacks up, see how many businesses are in Florida.
Frequently asked questions
How many nonprofits are in Florida?
About 242,347 active nonprofit corporations are registered with the state: 235,559 domestic and 6,788 foreign (out-of-state).
Is a nonprofit an LLC or a corporation in Florida?
A corporation. Nonprofits register as nonprofit corporations, governed by a board, with no owners or shareholders, not as LLCs.
What share of Florida entities are nonprofits?
About 3.1% of all registered entities in the state.
Does registering as a nonprofit make it tax-exempt?
No. State nonprofit registration is separate from federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, which the IRS grants on its own application.
Related reading
- Types of Florida business entities, explained
- Out-of-state businesses registering in Florida
- How many businesses are in Florida?
- Florida LLC vs corporation
Sources
- Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (sunbiz)
- IRS: Charities and nonprofits (501(c)(3))
- sneyk index of Florida Division of Corporations data, verified June 8, 2026.
Image credits
- Header image: Photo: Rawpixel Ltd via Flickr. CC BY 2.0.
- A jar of coins: Photo: Hilltop Finance via Flickr. CC BY 2.0.
- People putting their hands together: Photo: Rawpixel Ltd via Flickr. CC BY 2.0.
- Volunteers planting a tree: Photo: Elijah Hail via Stocksnap. CC0.