June 7, 2026 — Northwest Florida (Panhandle & Capital) new business activity

Northwest Florida logged 477 new business filings for May 17 to 23, 2026. That ran a touch ahead of last year's pace. Property holding and professional services led the gains.

Several kinds of business grew this week. Property holding added 17 to reach 66. Professional services added 19 to reach 55. Healthcare rose 11 to 33. The biggest pullbacks were in management of companies and hospitality and tourism. Management of companies fell 19 to 23. Hospitality and tourism dropped 18 to 30.

steady growth over the past 13 weeks, with a dip this past week pulling the average down.

The bold line is the 13-week average. Read it for the longer trend. The thin line is each week's count, which swings week to week.

Professional Services grew the most this week, 19 more (up 52.8%). Management of Companies dropped the most, 19 fewer (down 45.2%). Several smaller sectors also grew.

Leon led the region this week with 95 new filings. 2 other counties also grew from the week before.

• Florida passed SB 122. It repeals the law that let counties charge local business taxes. It also ends the local business tax receipt system statewide, effective July 1, 2026. The Florida Association of Counties says counties could lose more than $50 million a year. Counties will need to unwind related ordinances. After July 1, the many new LLCs forming across the region will not owe a county business tax receipt. That trims one early cost of starting up. Florida Association of Counties 2026 Sine Die Report, 2026-05-31
• A new state law sets up a process for very large developments of 15,000 or more acres. They can move ahead under a special plan that can override local comprehensive plans and zoning. The law requires 60% of the land to be kept for conservation or similar uses. It takes effect July 1, 2026. This could open the door to big land projects in the region's rural counties. That would mean future work for construction and real estate firms. Florida Association of Counties 2026 Sine Die Report, 2026-05-31
• Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport received an $8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the state. It supports the airport's 80,000 square foot North Terminal Expansion. The work will add three gates, six airline baggage offices, four more baggage claim carousels, more concessions, and a relocated TSA checkpoint. The terminal build means steady work for Bay County trades. It also means work for the suppliers and service firms that support a large construction job. WJHG / WECP News, 2026-05-28
• Airport leaders at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport said the North Terminal Expansion is close to on schedule as of late May 2026. They expect one of their busiest summer travel seasons. Passenger traffic grew from about 300,000 a year in 2010 to nearly 2 million in 2025. A heavy summer of visitors through Bay County should feed hospitality, retail, and lodging businesses in the area. WJHG / WECP News, 2026-05-28
• The Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce's president and CEO published a call on May 14, 2026 for a unified economic growth plan for Tallahassee and Leon County. The call cited meetings with business leaders, educators, and officials. It pointed to university partnerships and workforce development. Leon County leads the region in filings. A coordinated growth plan there could shape where new businesses land next. Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, 2026-05-14
• A 10.5 acre surf and beach club is planned near the Pier Park area in Panama City Beach, built with Endless Surf. It is set to begin construction in 2026 and aims to open in 2027. Plans include a family beach, pool, a two-story open-air clubhouse with restaurant and bar, event space, a members-only beach club, and a surf academy. Another Bay County tourism project means near-term construction work. Once open, it brings new hospitality jobs and vendor demand. Gulf Coast Journeys, 2026-04-12

If you sell to new businesses here, this was a steady week with no single dominant buyer type. Property holding firms (66) and professional services (55) are where the new volume is. Almost all of these new entities are LLCs. Your pitch should fit small, owner-run shops. Spending is split across Leon, Bay, Okaloosa, and Escambia. A one-county focus misses most of the market. With the local business tax receipt going away July 1, formation costs should drop slightly. That may keep the steady flow of new LLCs coming.

We count new business filings recorded with the state for the 16 counties in Northwest Florida (Panhandle and Capital) for the business week shown. Each sector and place is compared to its own count from the week before. We wait about two weeks after the week ends for the state to finish recording all of its filings. So the counts here are complete and final. Shares are each group's part of the regional total for the week.

Frequently asked questions

How many new businesses filed in the region this week?

477 across the 16 counties, 22 more than the 455 filed the same week last year.

What kind of business filed most often?

LLCs by a wide margin, 442 of the 477 filings (92.7%). Among sectors, property holding led with 66 and professional services followed with 55.

Why did Walton County stand out?

Walton had 28 filings. That is down from 48 the week before. It sits below its recent typical level of about 49 a week. It was the only county that looked unusually slow. It reads as one quiet week.