In Nevada, business records sit with the Secretary of State in Carson City. The team that handles them is the Commercial Recordings Division. Formation papers, amendments, annual lists and certificates all go through SilverFlume, the state's online business portal. Lookups run on a separate Business Entity Search.
The thing that sets Nevada apart is the State Business License. Most companies renew it at the Secretary of State every year, on the same date as the annual list. So your yearly cost here is the list fee plus the license fee, not one report fee.
Looking up a Nevada company
In the Business Entity Search you can type a business name, an entity number or an NV business ID. You can also search by officer or by registered agent, which helps when you know a person but not the company name.
| Official business search | nvsos.gov/businesses/business-entity-search (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| You can search by | business name (business name), entity or file number (entity number, NV business ID), officer or owner name, registered agent (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| Name availability check | nvsos.gov/businesses/business-entity-search (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
- Choose a mode: Starts With, Contains, Exact Match, or All Words
- Search by name, entity number, NV business ID, officer or registered agent
From esos.nv.gov, checked .
If you are checking a name for a new company, try both Contains and Exact Match before you decide.
Status words on a Nevada record
Nevada uses four main status words. Active is the one you want to see. Default means a list or license renewal was missed, and that is still fixable.
| Status shown | What it means |
|---|---|
| Active | In good standing and current with filing requirements. |
| Default | Did not file the Initial or Annual List (Title 7 entities) or the business license renewal (non-Title 7) by the due date. |
| Revoked | Entities in Default for one year go to Revoked. |
| Permanently Revoked | Permanent revocation under the Nevada Revised Statutes. |
Status wording from nvsos.gov, checked .
Revoked follows after a year in Default. Permanently Revoked is the end point under the Nevada Revised Statutes, so act early if a record shows Default.
Nevada formation and filing fees
Articles of Organization for an LLC cost $75. A corporation starts at $75 when its total share value is $75,000 or less, and higher tiers apply above that. When you form online, SilverFlume also asks for the initial list and the first State Business License in the same order.
| Form an LLC | $75 (bizhub.nv.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Form a corporation | $75 minimum when the total share value is $75,000 or less; higher tiers apply above that (leg.state.nv.us, checked ) |
| Reserve a name | $25 (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| Annual or biennial report | LLC: $150 annual list (initial list and each annual list); corporation: $150 annual list (bizhub.nv.gov, checked ) |
| Good standing certificate | $50 for a certificate of existence that does not list previous records (NRS 78 fee) (leg.state.nv.us, checked ) |
Rather not file it yourself? Ask our private filing service about forming or reporting in Nevada. State fees are separate.
That means the true cost of a new Nevada LLC is the articles fee plus a $150 initial list and a $200 license. Budget for all three before you start.
The Nevada annual list and State Business License
Every LLC and corporation files an annual list of its managers, members or officers. The list costs $150. With it comes the State Business License renewal: $200 for an LLC and most other entity types, $500 for a corporation.
| Fee | LLC: $150 annual list (initial list and each annual list); corporation: $150 annual list (bizhub.nv.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| When it is due | Due on the last day of the anniversary month of the original filing (state business license renewal and annual list). (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| If you file late | State business license: $100 penalty added to the annual fee if not paid by the due date. Entity goes to Default if the list or license is not filed, and to Revoked after one year in Default. (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| Franchise or privilege tax | No franchise or income tax found. Nevada charges the annual State Business License fee instead: $500 for corporations, $200 for all other entity types. (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| Where to file | nvsilverflume.gov (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| Processing time | A Processing Dates page exists (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
Both are due on the last day of the anniversary month of your first filing. Late license renewals carry a $100 penalty, and the company drops into Default. The state's own pages show no franchise tax or income tax on these entities, so the license fee is the main yearly charge. For a step by step walk through, read our guide on filing an annual report.
Choosing a name for a Nevada LLC
An LLC name must end with a word such as "Limited Liability Company", "Limited Company" or "Limited", or a short form like LLC, L.L.C., LC or Ltd. "Company" can be shortened to "Co."
| LLC name must include | "Limited-Liability Company", "Limited Liability Company", "Limited Company", "Limited", or abbreviations "Ltd.", "L.L.C.", "L.C.", "LLC", "LC". "Company" may be abbreviated "Co." (leg.state.nv.us, checked ) |
|---|---|
| How different a name must be | The name must be distinguishable on the records of the Secretary of State from all other entities on file and all reserved names. Distinctive lettering, marks, trademarks or trade names alone do not make a name distinguishable. If not distinguishable, the articles are returned unless the holder consents in writing. NRS 86.171. (leg.state.nv.us, checked ) |
| Reservation fee | $25 (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation lasts | 90 days (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation form | nvsos.gov/sos/businesses/commercial-recordings/forms-fees/name-reservation (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
The name must be distinguishable from every entity and reserved name on the state's records. A new logo or a trademark does not make a copied name acceptable. If your name clashes, the filing comes back to you unless the holder of the other name agrees in writing. A $25 reservation holds a name for 90 days while you prepare.
Certificate of existence in Nevada
Nevada calls its proof of standing a certificate of existence. It can be issued with or without status, and the sample certificates page shows both. The fee for a plain certificate of existence is $50.
What it costs, where to order it and what blocks it are in our Nevada good standing guide.
Banks and out of state filing offices usually want the version with status. Our page on the certificate of good standing covers how other states treat the same document.
Reaching the Nevada Secretary of State
Commercial Recordings works from 401 N. Carson Street in Carson City, while the main Secretary of State office is at 101 N. Carson Street. Call the main line before you drive over, because walk-in counters have moved in the past. Keep your entity number or NV business ID nearby so staff can find the record quickly.
Sources
- www.nvsos.gov/sos/sos-information/contact-us: office name, division, phone, contact page. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/sos-information/office-facts/about-francisco-v-aguilar: officeholder. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/businesses/business-entity-search: business search. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/sos/businesses/commercial-recordings/faqs: search fields. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/sos/businesses/commercial-recordings/forms-fees/name-reservation: name check, name reservation fee, name reservation term, name reservation form. Checked .
- www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-086.html: LLC name endings, name rule. Checked .
- bizhub.nv.gov/filing-processing-fees: LLC filing fee, report fee. Checked .
- www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-078.html: corporation filing fee, certificate fee. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/licensing/state-business-license/state-business-license-faq: report due date, late penalty, franchise tax, status terms. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/sos/businesses/commercial-recordings: online filing. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/businesses/processing-dates: processing time. Checked .
- esos.nv.gov/EntitySearch/OnlineEntitySearch: search tips. Checked .