To register a business in Nevada, you file formation documents with the Secretary of State’s Commercial Recordings Division, pay a $75 base filing fee, and then complete an initial list of officers or managers along with a state business license within about a month of formation.1Nevada Secretary of State. About the Office Depending on how prepared you are and which processing speed you pay for, the state side of the registration can be done in an afternoon or stretch across a couple of weeks.
Pick Your Entity Type First
Every other decision follows from this one. Nevada’s two common structures are the corporation, governed by NRS Chapter 78, and the limited liability company, governed by NRS Chapter 86. A corporation is owned by shareholders and managed by a board of directors; you create one by filing Articles of Incorporation. An LLC is owned by members and can be run by those members directly or by designated managers; you create one by filing Articles of Organization.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 86.161 – Articles of Organization Required and Optional Provisions
A solo founder who wants simplicity usually lands on an LLC. Founders who plan to raise outside capital or eventually go public generally choose a corporation because investors know the rails. Your choice sets your formation paperwork, governance obligations, annual fees, and your state business license cost, so settle it before you fill out any form.
Clear Your Business Name
Your entity name has to be distinguishable from every other name already on file with the Secretary of State. For LLCs, NRS 86.171 requires the proposed name not be confusingly similar to any other entity registered under Title 7 of the Nevada Revised Statutes.3Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 86.171 – Name of Company Distinguishable Name Required Corporations face the same distinguishability rule under NRS 78.035, and a corporation name that reads like a person’s name must include an identifier such as “Inc.,” “Corp.,” or “Company.”
Check availability in the Secretary of State’s searchable database on the SilverFlume portal before you get attached to a name.4Nevada Secretary of State. SilverFlume Nevada Business Portal Certain words, especially those suggesting you’re a bank, insurance company, or engineering firm, may require approval from the relevant state licensing board before the Secretary of State will accept the filing.
If you plan to operate under a name different from your legal entity name, Nevada requires a fictitious firm name certificate filed with the county clerk in every county where you use it.5Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 602 – Doing Business Under Assumed or Fictitious Name That is a county filing, not a state one; fees vary but often run around $25 and typically require notarization.
Appoint a Registered Agent
Every Nevada entity needs a registered agent — someone authorized to accept lawsuits, government notices, and other legal documents for the company. NRS 77.310 requires the formation documents to name either a commercial registered agent or a noncommercial agent with a name and address.6Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 77.310 – Appointment of Registered Agent
The agent must keep a physical Nevada address (no P.O. boxes) and staff it during normal business hours to accept service of process.7Legal Information Institute. Nevada Administrative Code 77.015 – Registered Agent Required to Maintain Location for Service of Process A Nevada resident with a qualifying address can act as their own agent. Many owners hire a commercial service instead for privacy (the agent’s address rather than yours goes on the public record) and because someone is always there during business hours. Letting your agent lapse is one of the fastest ways to lose good standing; the Secretary of State can start administrative dissolution once no valid agent is on file.
File Your Formation Documents
Once your entity type is chosen, your name is clear, and your agent is lined up, you’re ready to file.
For an LLC, NRS 86.161 requires the Articles of Organization to include the LLC’s name, registered agent information, the name and address of each organizer, and whether the company is member-managed or manager-managed.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 86.161 – Articles of Organization Required and Optional Provisions If managers will run the company, list each initial manager. If members will manage directly, list each initial member.
For a corporation, the Articles of Incorporation must include the corporation’s name, the number of shares the company is authorized to issue, and registered agent information. Authorized shares matter for the fee.
The SilverFlume portal handles both filings electronically and is the fastest route.4Nevada Secretary of State. SilverFlume Nevada Business Portal You can also mail paper forms with a check or money order to the Secretary of State in Carson City.
Fees and How Long It Takes
The base filing fee is $75 for Articles of Organization and $75 for Articles of Incorporation. For a corporation, that $75 covers up to $75,000 in authorized stock value; above that, the fee scales up with authorized stock.
Standard processing on an online filing usually runs a few business days. Nevada also sells three tiers of expedited service on top of the base fee:8Nevada Secretary of State. Forms and Fees – Expedite Services
- 24-hour processing: $125
- 2-hour processing: $500
- 1-hour processing: $1,000
If you need the entity formed by a specific date for a lease, contract, or bank account, the 24-hour expedite is usually fast enough and the cheapest of the three. Once the filing is approved, the state returns a file-stamped copy of your documents and a certificate of existence.
File the Initial List and State Business License
Formation is only half the process. Nevada requires the initial list of officers (corporation) or managers or members (LLC) to be filed with the Secretary of State no later than the last day of the month following the month your entity was formed.9Nevada Secretary of State. State Business License – FAQ File your Articles on March 10 and the initial list is due by April 30. Miss it and your entity immediately falls into default.
The state business license is filed at the same time and carries the same deadline. The fee is $200 for LLCs and $500 for corporations, and it renews annually at the same amount.10Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 76.100 – State Business License Required
Get an EIN and Register for the Taxes That Apply
You need a Federal Employer Identification Number from the IRS before you can open a business bank account, hire employees, or file federal returns. The IRS recommends forming your entity with the state first and then applying for the EIN; doing it in the wrong order can delay the application.11Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number The online application is free and typically issues the EIN immediately.
Nevada has no personal or corporate income tax, but several state-level tax registrations still apply depending on what you do:
- Sales and use tax. If you sell tangible goods or certain taxable services, you need a sales tax permit from the Department of Taxation. The permit costs $15 per location and is issued through the My Nevada Tax portal, usually within 24 hours. You’ll need your EIN and state business license first. Non-retail businesses that buy from out-of-state vendors without paying Nevada tax may need a Consumer Use Tax permit.12State of Nevada Department of Taxation. Register a Business FAQs
- Modified Business Tax. If you have employees, this quarterly payroll tax applies. The general-business rate is 1.17% on wages above $50,000 per quarter; financial institutions and mining businesses pay 1.554% with no wage exemption.13State of Nevada – Department of Taxation. Modified Business Tax
- Commerce Tax. Businesses with Nevada gross revenue over $4 million per fiscal year file and pay this tax, with an annual return due in August. Below the threshold, you’re exempt.14State of Nevada – Department of Taxation. Commerce Tax
Workers’ Comp and Unemployment Insurance
Any employer with one or more employees must carry workers’ compensation coverage. There is no small-business exemption, and construction trades are never exempt regardless of job size. Limited exceptions exist for certain interstate commerce situations and casual work (fewer than 20 days with total labor cost under $500).15State of Nevada Department of Business and Industry Workers’ Compensation Section. Employer Guide Workers’ Compensation
Once you pay $225 or more in wages in any calendar quarter, you must register with the Nevada Employment Security Division and start paying unemployment insurance taxes.16Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation. UI Information for Employers That threshold is low enough that almost any business with a payroll hits it the first pay period.
Local Licenses and Zoning
State registration does not authorize you to open your doors. The city or county where you physically operate has its own licensing requirements, and fees vary by jurisdiction. Food service, liquor sales, construction, and activities with environmental impact often need extra permits from local health departments, fire marshals, or building departments.
Zoning catches people off guard. A home-based business, a retail storefront, and a manufacturing operation each face different rules, and the county or city planning department decides whether your intended use is allowed at your chosen address. Confirm zoning before you sign a lease; discovering a conflict afterward is expensive and sometimes unfixable.
Staying in Good Standing After Year One
Every LLC files an annual list with the Secretary of State by the last day of the month in which its formation anniversary falls, at a filing fee of $150.17Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 86.263 – Filing Requirements Corporations file a similar annual list with a $150 minimum that scales with authorized stock. The state business license renewal ($200 for LLCs, $500 for corporations) is due at the same time.
Miss the annual list and the LLC goes into default with a $75 penalty added. Let the default sit for roughly a year and the Secretary of State revokes the charter, ending your right to transact business in Nevada.18Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 86 – Limited-Liability Companies Reinstatement is possible within five years of revocation; after that, the charter cannot be restored. Corporations follow a parallel process on similar timelines. The annual filing costs less than a nice dinner, and ignoring it for a year is what kills otherwise healthy entities.
Beneficial Ownership Reporting
Under an interim final rule published in March 2025, all domestically formed entities are currently exempt from the Corporate Transparency Act’s requirement to report beneficial ownership information to FinCEN.19Federal Register. Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Requirement Revision and Deadline Extension A new Nevada LLC or corporation does not currently need to file a BOI report. Because this came through an interim rule rather than a permanent one, check FinCEN’s website before you assume the exemption still applies; a final rule could bring the requirement back for domestic entities.