Nebraska's Secretary of State keeps its business register through the Business Services Division, from an office on N Street in Lincoln. LLCs, corporations, nonprofits and sole proprietors' trade names are all filed there. Filings go in through Document eDelivery, where you upload a signed PDF.
Two things are different here. Name checks are done by staff on written request, not by an online tool. And the state plans to replace its search and filing system with a new one before the end of the year, so links and screens may change soon.
Nebraska corporate and LLC search
The public corporate search runs on nebraska.gov. Search by name using one of several match styles, or enter the SOS entity account number. A reCAPTCHA appears before results.
| Official business search | nebraska.gov/sos/corp/corpsearch.cgi (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| You can search by | business name (starts with), business name (keyword, match all words), business name (keyword, match any word), business name (sounds like), business name (exact match), SOS entity account number (nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Name availability check | sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/name-procedures (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| What a result means | Name availability reply is a courtesy only: "verification of name availability is merely a complimentary, courtesy service", final decision made when a filing is submitted. (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
- Starts With, Keyword and Sounds Like searches need at least 3 letters.
- Exact Match needs the full name including corporate endings.
- Sounds Like is very broad and returns many results.
- Keyword Match Any returns names with any of the words.
- Results can be sorted by Type of Business or Status.
From nebraska.gov, checked .
Documents filed after March 10, 1999 usually appear online within 3 business days. If you need an agent location search, it exists only as part of the paid Special Request batch tool.
Nebraska filing fees
Filing online saves money in Nebraska. An LLC Certificate of Organization costs $100 through eDelivery and $110 in the office, and the same goes for Articles of Incorporation. A nonprofit pays $25 online. A company from another state pays $100 online for a Certificate of Authority, plus $10 for the certificate.
| Form an LLC | $100 (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Form a corporation | $100 (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Form a nonprofit | $25 (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Register an out-of-state LLC | $100 (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Reserve a name | $30 (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Good standing certificate | $6.50 for the online electronic certificate; $10.00 for a mailed paper certificate (nebraska.gov, checked ) |
Rather not file it yourself? Ask our private filing service about forming or reporting in Nebraska. State fees are separate.
A protected series costs $110 per entity. No expedite option is listed on the fee page, so plan around normal review times.
Nebraska biennial reports
Nebraska splits its reports by entity type. LLCs and nonprofits file in odd years, due April 1, and they become delinquent after June 16. Business corporations file a biennial occupation tax report in even years, due March 1, with the delinquency date on April 15.
| When it is due | LLCs and nonprofits: biennial report due April 1 of odd-numbered years, delinquent after June 16. Business corporations: biennial occupation tax report due March 1 of even-numbered years, delinquent April 15. LLPs: annual, April 1. (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| If you file late | If not filed by the delinquency date the entity is administratively dissolved (or foreign authority revoked). Reinstatement application $30; late reinstatement $500 (HOA $100) for entities dissolved long ago. (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Where to file | nebraska.gov/apps-sos-edocs (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
The regular report fee was not shown on the office's fee page, so check the amount when you file. An amendment or correction to a filed biennial report costs $30. If a report stays unfiled past the delinquency date, the company is administratively dissolved, or a foreign company loses its authority. Reinstatement costs $30, and a company inactive for more than five years faces a $500 late reinstatement fee.
Nebraska business name rules
Staff search each proposed name against the records and decide using their own established criteria. A name cannot match another name on file. If yours is only similar, the owner's consent may let you go ahead.
| Words that are limited | Extra restrictions apply to: Bank or derivatives, Geologist, Trust, Olympic, Engineer, Architect or derivatives, Land Surveyor or Land Surveying or derivatives, Cooperative or abbreviations, Barber or Barber Shop. (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| How different a name must be | Staff search proposed names against existing records and decide on "established criteria". Names cannot be the same as another name on record; consent of the owner may be an option when similar. (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation fee | $30 (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation lasts | 120 days from approval (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation form | sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/name-procedures (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
Extra rules apply to names with words like Bank, Trust, Olympic, Engineer, Architect, Geologist, Land Surveyor, Cooperative or Barber. A reservation costs $30 for any entity type and lasts 120 days from approval. You submit it in writing with the fee.
Registered agent in Nebraska
Corporations and LLCs must have a registered agent and registered office, continuously maintained in Nebraska. Agent must reside in Nebraska or be an authorized Nebraska entity. (sos.nebraska.gov, checked )
The agent and office must stay in place for as long as the company exists. To make a change, see our guide on changing a registered agent.
Nebraska certificate of good standing
The Secretary of State issues a Certificate of Good Standing from the same corporate search page. The online electronic version costs $6.50. A paper copy by mail costs $10.00.
| What the state calls it | Certificate of Good Standing (nebraska.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee | $6.50 for the online electronic certificate; $10.00 for a mailed paper certificate (nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Where to order | nebraska.gov/sos/corp/corpsearch.cgi (nebraska.gov, checked ) |
The electronic certificate can be checked by a third party for 12 months. That is handy when a bank wants to confirm the document is genuine.
Trade names in Nebraska
Sole proprietors register a trade name with the Secretary of State. The application costs $100 online and $110 in the office.
Trade names are registered with the state Secretary of State (sole proprietors). Fee $100 online, $110 in office. (sos.nebraska.gov, checked )
Contacting the Nebraska Secretary of State
| Office | Nebraska Secretary of State (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Division | Business Services Division (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Officeholder | Robert B. Evnen (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Phone | 402-471-4079 (Corporate); 402-471-2554 (main office) (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 94608, Lincoln, NE 68509-4608 (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
| Street address | 1201 N Street, Suite 120, Lincoln, NE 68508 (sos.nebraska.gov, checked ) |
Name availability requests and general questions can go by fax to 402-471-3666 or by mail to P.O. Box 94608 in Lincoln. Walk-in visitors go to Suite 120 at 1201 N Street. Write your SOS entity account number on anything you send.
Sources
- sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/business-services-division: office name, division, mailing address, street address, phone, contact page. Checked .
- sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/corporate-and-business: officeholder, business search. Checked .
- www.nebraska.gov/sos/corp/corpsearch.cgi?nav=search: search fields, name check, good standing certificate, certificate fee, certificate ordering, search tips. Checked .
- sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/name-procedures: name check, search disclaimer, restricted words, name rule, name reservation term, name reservation form. Checked .
- sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/forms-and-fee-information: name reservation fee, LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, foreign LLC fee, online filing, assumed names (DBA). Checked .
- sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/annualbiennial-reporting: report due date, late penalty. Checked .
- sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/new-business-information: registered agent rule. Checked .