To start a business in Nevada, you file formation documents and a state business license through the Secretary of State’s SilverFlume online portal, get a federal EIN, register with the Department of Taxation for any taxes that apply to your activity, add employer registrations if you’ll have staff, and pick up a local business license from the city or county where you operate. Most of it can be done online, and the formation filing itself takes one session. The rest of this guide walks each step in the order you’ll actually do it.
Pick a Name the State Will Accept
Your business name has to be distinguishable from every other entity already on file with the Secretary of State. Run your proposed name through the SilverFlume name availability tool before you do anything else. If it’s too close to an existing entity, the filing gets rejected.
Nevada also restricts certain words that require prior approval from a regulatory agency before they can appear in a business name. “Bank,” “insurance,” “engineer,” “architect,” “accountant,” and “university” are on that list, along with dozens more across financial services, professional licensing, and real estate.1Nevada Secretary of State. Restricted Word List
Planning to operate under a name different from your registered legal name? Nevada requires a fictitious firm name certificate filed with the county clerk in each county where you do business, under NRS 602.020. The fee runs around $25 depending on the county, and the signature has to be notarized.
Appoint a Nevada Registered Agent
Every Nevada entity must designate a registered agent to receive legal documents and official state correspondence.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 77 – Model Registered Agents Act Your formation documents won’t be accepted without one.
The agent needs a physical Nevada street address. P.O. boxes don’t qualify. You can use a noncommercial registered agent (any individual or business with a Nevada address serving fewer than 10 entities) or a commercial registered agent registered with the Secretary of State to serve 10 or more.3Nevada Secretary of State. Registered Agents You can name yourself if you have a Nevada address and don’t mind that address being on the public record. Third-party services usually charge $50 to $300 per year.
File Your Formation Documents
What you file depends on the entity you’re forming. Both go through SilverFlume.
LLC: Articles of Organization
An LLC files Articles of Organization under NRS 86.161. You’ll provide:
- The distinguishable company name you cleared
- Your registered agent’s name and physical address
- The name and address of each organizer signing the articles
- The management structure (member-managed or manager-managed; if manager-managed, each initial manager’s name and address)
Nevada doesn’t require an LLC to adopt a written operating agreement, but creating one is strongly recommended. It sets ownership percentages, profit distribution, voting rights, and what happens when a member leaves. Without one, default state rules decide those questions, and the defaults rarely match what the members actually wanted.5Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 86 – Limited-Liability Companies
Corporation: Articles of Incorporation
A corporation files Articles of Incorporation under NRS 78.035. The form asks for:
- The corporation’s name, which must include a designator like “Inc.,” “Corp.,” or “Ltd.”
- Registered agent name and physical address
- The total number and par value (if any) of authorized shares
- Names and addresses of the initial board of directors; Nevada requires at least one
Authorized shares affect the filing fee. Modest stock authorizations pay the base; large authorizations or high par-value stock push the cost up.
Pay the Filing Fees and Get the State Business License
SilverFlume takes major credit and debit cards and processes the state business license in the same session as the formation documents, so you handle both at once.
- LLC Articles of Organization: $75
- Corporation Articles of Incorporation: starts at $75, scaling with authorized capital
- State business license (LLCs, partnerships, sole proprietors): $200 per year
- State business license (corporations): $500 per year
6Nevada Secretary of State. Forms and Fees7Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 76.100 – State Business License Required Application and Fee for License Activities Constituting Conduct of Business
Standard processing takes several business days. Expedited options are available if you need the entity formed in time for a bank account opening or contract closing. Once approved, file-stamped documents and a Certificate of Existence land in your SilverFlume account.
A few operations are exempt from the state business license under NRS 76.020: 501(c) nonprofits, very small home-based operations whose net earnings don’t exceed roughly two-thirds of the state’s average annual wage, individuals renting four or fewer dwelling units, and government entities. Confirm the exemption with the Secretary of State before relying on it.
Get Your Federal EIN
You need an Employer Identification Number from the IRS before you can open a business bank account, hire employees, or file federal tax returns. Apply with Form SS-4; the online application on irs.gov issues the EIN immediately.8Internal Revenue Service. About Form SS-4 Application for Employer Identification Number EIN If your responsible party changes later, report it within 60 days using Form 8822-B.
Register for the State Taxes That Apply
Nevada has no corporate or personal income tax. The state does collect several other business taxes, and which ones you register for depends on what you sell and whether you have employees.
Sales and Use Tax
Any business selling tangible goods in Nevada needs a Sales/Use Tax Permit. Service-only businesses register for a Consumer Use Tax Permit instead. Both go through the Nevada Business Registration form (TAX-F006), available online or by mail.9State of Nevada Department of Taxation. Start / Run a Business
Modified Business Tax
Nevada imposes a Modified Business Tax on gross payroll if you have employees. You don’t register separately. When you sign up with the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation for unemployment insurance, DETR enrolls you for the MBT at the same time.10Nevada Department of Taxation. TAX-F006 Nevada Business Registration Form Instructions It’s filed quarterly on gross wages, with a deduction allowed for qualified health insurance plans.
Commerce Tax
The Commerce Tax applies only to businesses with Nevada gross revenue over $4,000,000 during the tax year ending June 30.11State of Nevada Department of Taxation. Commerce Tax FAQs Below that threshold, there’s no filing obligation. If you cross it, the rate depends on your industry category. The return for the 2025–2026 tax year is due August 14, 2026.12State of Nevada Department of Taxation. Commerce Tax
Add Employer Registrations Before Your First Payroll
If you’ll have employees, two more registrations kick in.
Unemployment Insurance
Any employer paying $225 or more in wages during any calendar quarter must register with the Employment Security Division at DETR. The new-employer unemployment insurance rate is 2.95% of wages, plus 0.05% for the Career Enhancement Program, applied to the first $43,700 in wages per employee for 2026.13Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation. UI Information for Employers Quarterly wage reports are due January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Nevada requires workers’ compensation coverage for any employer with one or more employees. There is no small-employer exception. The exemptions are narrow: casual employment under 20 days with labor costs under $500, interstate commerce workers covered by federal law, and temporary workers already insured in another state. Construction trades always require coverage, no exceptions.14Division of Industrial Relations. Employer Guide Workers Compensation Coverage is available through private insurers or the state’s assigned risk pool.
Get Your Local Business License
The state license doesn’t replace a local one. You also need a business license from the city or county where you physically operate. Nevada gives local governments broad authority to regulate businesses in their boundaries, so requirements, fees, and renewal schedules vary. The local licensing office will typically check your zoning first to confirm the activity is permitted at your address, then issue the license based on your business category. Contact the office in your specific jurisdiction before you open.
Home-Based Operations
If the business runs out of your home, most local jurisdictions require a home occupation permit with conditions attached. The usual rules keep the business invisible to the neighborhood: no customer foot traffic, no employees working at the residence, no outdoor signage, and no activities like vehicle repair or commercial food preparation. Some jurisdictions make narrow exceptions (a tutoring business with a small number of students at a time, for example). Check your local ordinances before assuming your work qualifies.
Keep the Entity in Good Standing
Forming the entity is only the beginning. Nevada has strict annual filing requirements, and penalties stack fast when you miss them.
Initial List of Officers or Managers
Within the first month after formation, file an Initial List of Officers (corporation) or Managers/Members (LLC). The deadline is the last day of the month following the month you filed your formation documents. Form the LLC on March 15, and the Initial List is due by April 30. Miss that date and the entity drops into default status immediately.15Nevada Secretary of State. State Business License – FAQ
Annual List and License Renewal
Every year after, file an Annual List and renew the state business license. For LLCs, the annual list fee is $150, due on or before the last day of the anniversary month of formation.16Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 86.263 – Filing Requirements Add the $200 license renewal and an LLC’s total annual cost is $350. Corporations pay a list fee that scales with authorized stock, up to $11,125, plus the $500 license renewal.17Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 78.150 – Filing Requirements
What a Missed Deadline Costs
A late annual list for an LLC triggers a $75 penalty. A late business license renewal adds $100.18Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 76.130 – Annual Renewal of State Business License Fee Notice Penalty for Late Payment Waiver of Fees and Penalties The entity goes into default and loses the ability to maintain lawsuits or do business in good standing. After one year of default, the Secretary of State revokes the entity entirely. Reinstatement means paying all back fees and accumulated penalties, and it gets more expensive the longer you wait.15Nevada Secretary of State. State Business License – FAQ A calendar reminder a few weeks before your anniversary month is enough to avoid the whole problem.