Workers' Compensation Coverage (Florida DFS): Miami restaurant guide

Florida Department of Financial Services — Division of Workers' Compensation

What it is

Florida requires a non-construction employer with four or more employees (counting owners who are corporate officers or LLC members) to carry workers' compensation insurance. Restaurants hit four employees almost immediately.

When a restaurant needs it

Before your fourth employee starts. Officers and LLC members can file an exemption for themselves, which lowers the headcount.

How to apply

Buy a policy from a Florida-licensed carrier through an insurance agent (or the state's assigned-risk plan if no carrier will write it); file officer/member exemptions online with DFS if you want them.

Documents you’ll need

Entity name, FEIN and Sunbiz document number
Estimated payroll by job class
Officer/member exemption applications (optional)

Fee

No state fee for coverage; premiums are set by the carrier. (The DFS page lists no fee.)

Processing time

Days to bind a policy.

Renewal

Annual policy; exemptions last 2 years.

Who files

The employer buys the policy; an insurance agent places it.

Good to know

DFS compliance investigators issue stop-work orders to uninsured employers. Keep the certificate of insurance with your other licenses.

Official source

FL DFS — workers' compensation coverage requirements · FL DFS — employer FAQs

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Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Guidance only, not legal advice.