Innovation Partners Overview
Start and Locate a Business
Home Based Businesses
QTI and other Incentives
Alachua County is dedicated to providing the information and assistance you need for relocating a company, starting a business, or helping your existing business achieve success.
We can guide you through local regulatory requirements, and present available state and local incentives.
Visit the website of the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce to learn more about why Gainesville/
Alachua County is a great place to build a business.
Visit the website of Innovation Gainesville to
view a video highlighting the benefits of doing business in our community.
The Gainesville Area Innovation Network (GAIN) encourages technology entrepreneurs to start up and develop in
the Gainesville area by providing them with support through networking and educational opportunities.
Questions? Call (352) 374-5249
- Get an EIN Number
- Register a Fictitious Name.
- Setup a New Corporation.
- Apply for a Business or Professional License.
- Obtain a Local Business Tax Receipt.
- Do I need to pay State Taxes?
- What Federal Taxes do I pay?
- Small Business Administration
- UF Entrepreneurship Programs
Start and Locate a Business
Why Alachua County?
- Alachua County has a lot to offer new and existing businesses, from highly educated employees to an easily accessible transportation network. Visit the data center of The Council for Economic Outreach to learn more about our business friendly community.
Choosing a business location
- The Alachua County Department of Growth Management, in partnership with the local community, has strived to create land use policies that help businesses locate near major transportation and employment hubs (Activity Centers). Recently the department has spearheaded policies that allow Traditional Neighborhood Developments and Transit Oriented Developments (TOD) by right in many land use categories. TNDs and TOD's are mixed use communities, often along multi-modal transit lines, allowing employees to live within minutes of their work.
- Any business must be located not only for the target audience, but in the appropriate zoning district.
See the Use Table in the Unified Land Development Code to determine what zoning district(s) are necessary for your type of business
Questions? Call (352) 374-5249
- Fill out an application for a General Home-Based Business.
- Fill out an application for a Rural Home-Based Business
- Register your business and obtain a local business tax receipt.
- Use our GeoGM Mapper or Map Atlas to find out which zoning district your property is in.
Home Based Businesses
Starting a Home-Based Business is great way to supplement or replace your current income. In order to have a home-based business an application must be made to the Alachua County Building Department. General home-based businesses are allowed in any established residence, while Rural Home-Based Businesses are allowed only in the Agriculture zoning district.
General Home-Based Business Requirements
- Only persons living at the residence may work at the home.
- No more than 20% of the floor area of the residence may be used for the business.
- Visitation Hours are restricted to the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- There can be no more than six customer visits in a day
- Up to two additional parking spaces may be provided and must use the existing driveway for the site.
- The permit is good for two years and costs $70.
- Only one commercial vehicle and trailer may be parked on the site. Commercial vehicles cannot exceed 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight
- See this page for more detailed information
Rural Home-Based Business Requirements
- In addition to residents of the home, up to three additional employees may be allowed at the site.
- The lot must be at least three acres in size.
- No more than 20% of the floor area of the residence may be used for the business, and any accessory building for the business may be no more than 50% of the size of the residence.
- Visitation and delivery hours are restricted to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Up to three additional parking space may be provided and must use the existing driveway for the site.
- Up to three one-ton capacity commercial vehicles may be parked on the site, including any customer vehicles parked for repair.
- This type of home-based business must be approved by the Development Review Committee.
- See this page for more detailed information.
- Follow this link to the application for Development Review, check other and fill in Rural Home-Based Business.
- The application will require a site plan that is drawn to scale.
- The initial permit costs $800 and is good for two years, but can be renewed thereafter for $70 every two years.
- For more information contact the Development Review Staff at (352) 374-5249.
Questions? Call (352) 374-5249
- Key Incentives offered by the State of Florida.
- View the State of Florida Incentive Matrix.
Qualified Target Industry (QTI)
What is Qualified Target Industry?
- QTI is a program sponsored by the State of Florida that provides tax incentives for the location of specific types of businesses within Alachua County.
- QTI businesses include bio-technology, green industries, and clean technology (a full list can be found here.)
- QTI incentives must be approved by the Board of County Commissioners.
How does the County help QTIs?
- 20% Local Match of Tax Incentives (more information on tax incentives can be found here).
- Expedited Review of Development Plans
- Meeting-intensive process designed to shorten communication time between staff and applicant.
- Interactive plan review to reduce confusion and increase collaboration.
- Contact the Development Review division for more information at (352) 374-5249.
How do I get started with the QTI program?
- Contact Enterprise Florida to begin the application process for Qualified Target Industry
- Contact the County’s Economic Development Coordinator to begin County Approval of a Qualified Target Industry
- Contact the County’s Development Review Staff to find out about the Expedited Review Process for Qualified Target Industry
