Loans by state
Florida Business Loans
Florida has the fourth-largest state economy in the country, but hurricane seasons and tourist-driven slow months make cash flow hard to predict for many owners. SMB Compass works with Florida restaurant groups, contractors, medical practices and other businesses to structure SBA, equipment and working capital financing sized to how the company actually earns money. Before you sign, our team walks you through the cost disclosures Florida law requires and whether a FloridaCommerce SSBCI program could fit.
Business financing in Florida
SMB Compass provides financing for established businesses from $25,000 to $5 million, with funding in as little as 24 hours. Applying takes a few minutes and won’t affect your credit score.
On this page
Florida’s small business economy
The industries employing the most people at Florida small businesses: Accommodation and food services; Health care and social assistance; Construction; Professional, scientific and technical services; Retail trade. Source
GDP: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · Small business data: SBA Office of Advocacy
Business loans we offer in Florida
The financing programs available to established Florida businesses. Our team helps you choose the one that fits how your business earns and spends.
Financing for Florida industries
Where we see the most demand for business financing in Florida.
Restaurants and hospitality
Many Florida operators take in most of their revenue in winter and spring, then run lean through late summer and storm season. A line of credit set up before the slow months helps cover payroll and food costs, and equipment financing spreads kitchen upgrades over their useful life so peak-season cash stays in the business.
Accommodation and food services is Florida’s largest small business employer, with 563,099 small business employees. (source)
Common fits: Business Line of Credit · Equipment Financing · SBA Loans
Construction and specialty trades
Florida contractors often carry 30 to 60 days of labor and materials before a draw or invoice is paid, and post-storm rebuilding can bring in more work than working capital can support. Invoice financing turns approved billings into cash, and equipment financing lets crews add trucks and machinery without tying up the operating account.
Construction firms employ 431,654 people at Florida small businesses, third among industries. (source)
Common fits: Invoice Financing · Equipment Financing · Business Line of Credit
Health care practices
Florida medical, dental and therapy practices lean heavily on Medicare and insurer reimbursements, which can arrive weeks after the visit. SBA loans are commonly used to buy or expand a practice, and equipment financing covers imaging and treatment equipment while reimbursements catch up.
Common fits: SBA Loans · Equipment Financing · Invoice Financing
Free help for Florida business owners
Public and nonprofit resources worth knowing about, alongside private financing.
SBDC
Florida SBDC Network
No-cost business consulting and training through more than 40 offices in nine regions covering all 67 counties; headquartered at the University of West Florida in Pensacola.
SBA district office
SBA North Florida District Office
Jacksonville office (7825 Baymeadows Way) with an appointment-only Orlando branch, serving 43 northern and central Florida counties including Duval, Leon, Orange and Seminole.
SBA district office
SBA South Florida District Office
Miami office (51 SW 1st Ave.) with virtual Tampa and Fort Pierce branches serving 24 southern Florida counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough and Pinellas.
State capital program
FloridaCommerce State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)
Collateral support, loan participation, loan guarantee, capital access and equity programs, delivered with partners including the Florida Opportunity Fund and Florida First Capital Finance Corporation.
Good to know in Florida: Florida’s Commercial Financing Disclosure Law (Fla. Stat. 559.961-559.9615) requires providers that complete more than five transactions a year in the state to give cost disclosures on commercial financing of $500,000 or less, and it bars brokers from assessing, collecting or soliciting advance fees. The Attorney General has exclusive enforcement authority, and the law creates no private right of action. Read the rule
How to get a business loan in Florida
Most Florida businesses we work with have at least a year in business and steady monthly revenue. Your advisor walks you through each option, including what it costs and how repayment works.
- Decide how much you need and what it’s for
- Check your personal and business credit
- Gather three to six months of bank statements and recent tax returns
- Apply online with SMB Compass (it won’t affect your credit score)
- Review your options with your advisor
- Accept the offer that fits and receive funding
Where we work in Florida
We provide financing for businesses statewide, including in Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Port St. Lucie, St. Petersburg, Cape Coral and Hialeah.
Neighboring states
FAQ
Florida business loan questions
Where can Florida business owners get free help preparing a loan application?
The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, offers no-cost consulting through more than 40 offices covering all 67 counties. Consultants can help with financial projections and loan packages before you approach a lender or talk with SMB Compass.
Does Florida regulate commercial financing and brokers?
Yes. Florida’s Commercial Financing Disclosure Law requires providers to disclose costs on most commercial financing transactions of $500,000 or less, and it prohibits brokers from collecting advance fees from businesses. The Attorney General enforces the law.
What is Florida’s SSBCI program?
FloridaCommerce administers Florida’s share of the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative, a $488 million allocation approved by the U.S. Treasury in September 2022. It funds collateral support, loan participation, loan guarantee, capital access and equity programs, and businesses reach the credit programs through participating lenders.
Which SBA district office covers my Florida county?
Florida is split between two SBA districts. The North Florida office in Jacksonville and its Orlando branch cover 43 counties, while the South Florida office in Miami, with virtual Tampa and Fort Pierce branches, covers 24 counties including Hillsborough, Pinellas and Palm Beach.
Sources
- BEA, Gross Domestic Product by State and Personal Income by State, 4th Quarter and Annual 2024 (March 28, 2025), Table 1
- SBA Office of Advocacy, 2026 Small Business Profile: Florida
- U.S. Census Bureau, City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates press release (Port St. Lucie 268,062)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, St. Petersburg city, Florida (V2025)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Cape Coral city, Florida (V2025)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Hialeah city, Florida (V2025)
- Florida Statutes Chapter 559 Part XIII, Florida Commercial Financing Disclosure Law
- Fla. Stat. 559.9612 Applicability
- Fla. Stat. 559.9614 Prohibited acts
- Fla. Stat. 559.9615 Enforcement
- FloridaCommerce, Florida SSBCI
- Florida SBDC Network
- SBA North Florida District Office
- SBA South Florida District Office
Figures checked 2026-09-23. SMB Compass is a business financing company, not a lender; we may be paid by the lenders we place loans with. This page is general information, not financial or legal advice.