The short answer: opening a first store in Miami runs on three tracks at once. The business setup (a US entity, tax IDs, a bank account), the real estate (market, corridor, site, LOI and lease), and the build-out and licensing (design, permits, inspections, a Certificate of Use and business tax receipts). Most brands should plan on 12 to 18 months from decision to opening, and start with the market question, not with a space.
Step 1: Is Miami the right first market?
Miami is the natural gateway for many Latin American and European brands, and that is exactly why it deserves a second look. Its prime corridors carry some of the highest retail rents in the country, and demand changes sharply from one neighborhood to the next. Before touring, model where your customer lives, works and shops, and test the store's economics at realistic sales. Sometimes the answer is a different Miami corridor; sometimes it is Orlando, Tampa or another state. Where should your first US store go? covers this decision in depth.
Step 2: Set up the business side early
The landlord will want to know who is signing and what stands behind the signature. Work with US counsel and an accountant on:
- A US entity. Many foreign brands form a US subsidiary, often an LLC or a corporation, and register it with the Florida Division of Corporations.
- Tax identification. An Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, needed for banking, payroll and local business tax receipts.
- A US bank account and financial statements a landlord can review. A new entity without a US track record should expect to discuss a guarantee or extra security. See how new and foreign tenants can limit personal guarantees.
Immigration and visas are a separate track. Handle them with an immigration attorney, in parallel.
Step 3: Choose the corridor, then the site
Miami's corridors behave like different markets: dense office and residential districts with weekday demand, tourist streets where traffic is high but conversion varies, luxury clusters, regional malls, and suburban centers with strong daytime population. Match the corridor to what the first store has to prove, then compare specific spaces on demand, visibility, access, parking, co-tenancy and total occupancy cost. Our Miami market briefing reads the main corridors, and how to choose a retail location walks through the process.
Step 4: Negotiate the LOI, then the lease
The letter of intent (LOI) sets the business terms: rent and increases, term and renewal options, the landlord's contribution to the build-out (the TI allowance), free rent, use and exclusivity, the guarantee, and the dates that govern delivery and rent start. Settle these before lawyers draft the lease; reopening them later is slow and expensive. Two Florida points to know:
- No state sales tax on commercial rent. Florida repealed it, including local surtax, for occupancy periods beginning on or after October 1, 2025. Older budgets and templates may still include it.
- Expect pass-through charges. Many retail leases add common area maintenance (CAM), property taxes and insurance to base rent. Ask for the history and the estimate for your space.
How to negotiate a retail LOI lists the terms in the order that matters.
Step 5: Design, permits and build-out
Once the lease is signed, design, permitting and construction set the pace. Food and beverage concepts take longer: ventilation, grease interceptors, health requirements and more inspections. Get the architect and a contractor to review the space before the lease is final, so the date rent starts reflects the real schedule.
Step 6: Licenses to open
In the City of Miami, a business generally needs a Certificate of Use (CU) and a Business Tax Receipt (BTR) from the city, plus a Miami-Dade County business tax receipt. The CU requires inspections, which can include environmental (DERM), fire and code enforcement reviews. Other municipalities in Miami-Dade run their own processes, so confirm the requirements for the exact address. Industry licenses, such as food service permits, come on top.
A realistic timeline
| Phase | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Market analysis and site search | 3 to 6 months |
| LOI and lease negotiation | 2 to 4 months |
| Design, permits and build-out | 6 to 9 months |
| Decision to opening | 12 to 18 months |
The ranges overlap because good teams run phases in parallel. How long it takes to open a store in Florida explains what moves each one.
Mistakes that cost first stores the most
- Touring space before the market has been modeled.
- Reading demand from compatriots alone. A packed opening month of your diaspora is goodwill, not proof. See why strong Brazilian concepts fail in Miami.
- Signing a long term with no exit if the store underperforms.
- Budgeting base rent but not CAM, taxes and insurance.
- Letting the landlord's broker be your only source of market information.
How Site Logic helps
Site Logic works with brands entering the US from the first market decision to the signed lease, in English, Portuguese or Spanish. Read about our US market entry work, or see how Alex Bord helped take a Brazilian-owned brand from its first US store to a national program.
Sources
- City of Miami: apply for business licenses (Certificate of Use and Business Tax Receipt)
- Florida eliminates commercial rent sales tax: what businesses need to know (jmco.com, on HB 7031)
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to open a first store in Miami?
Plan on 12 to 18 months from the decision to opening day: about 3 to 6 months for market analysis and site search, 2 to 4 for the LOI and lease, and 6 to 9 for design, permits and build-out, depending on the city and the concept.
Do I need a US company to sign a lease in Miami?
In practice, most foreign brands sign through a US entity, often an LLC or corporation registered in Florida, and landlords will look at what stands behind it, such as a guarantee or a larger deposit. Structure it with US counsel and an accountant before you negotiate.
What licenses do I need to open a store in the City of Miami?
Generally a Certificate of Use and a Business Tax Receipt from the City of Miami, plus a Miami-Dade County business tax receipt, and any license your industry requires. Other municipalities in Miami-Dade, such as Miami Beach or Coral Gables, have their own processes.
Is there sales tax on commercial rent in Florida?
Not anymore for most leases. Florida repealed its sales tax on commercial rent, including local surtax, for occupancy periods beginning on or after October 1, 2025.