Nevada LLC Name Reservation

Your company name is important. It’s your first impression, and it’s how people will remember you. You don’t want to be the business with a forgettable name. So, when you’ve got that perfect name in mind, that clever alliteration or meaningful acronym, you might think about reserving it before someone else does.

Naming your company is one of the first official steps when starting an LLC in Nevada. In certain situations, it may be beneficial to reserve a business name while you’re preparing to bring your business idea to life.

In this article, we’ll explain when reserving a business name can be helpful and guide you through all the steps involved.

Are You Required to Reserve a Business Name?

While some states require name reservation as the first step in LLC formation, Nevada does not. You have the option to reserve your business name, but you can go straight to your Articles of Organization instead if you’d like.

Should You Reserve Your LLC Name?

Maybe it took you sleepless nights of brainstorming, or maybe you thought of it while sitting at a traffic light. No matter how you came up with your memorable LLC name, you’ll want to make sure that it’s available and ready to use when you file your Nevada LLC registration.

You have the option to reserve your LLC name, but it’ll cost you a $25 fee. Overall, it’s cheaper to skip this fee and simply start your business, which will lock in your name.

However, there are cases where you may not be ready to officially start your business. Filing an application to reserve your business name gives you “dibs” and ensures that competitors aren’t able to snag it while you’re preparing for launch.

If your business name is unique, including unusual spellings or characters and/or family names, it may not be necessary to reserve a Nevada business name ahead of time. Plus, paying the extra state fee to reserve your business name could be a waste of resources if you’re planning to launch your business soon after.

How Long Does a Nevada Business Name Reservation Last?

Anyone planning to do business within the state of Nevada can reserve an entity name. Filing your name registration prevents another entity from using that name to conduct business in the state during the time of your hold. An entity name reservation in the state of Nevada gives you sole rights to that name for 90 days, after which you can re-reserve it, as long as it isn’t taken by someone else in the interim. Each time you re-reserve a name, you’ll need to file another form and pay another $25 fee.

Don’t like that name so much anymore? You can transfer or release your reservation by submitting a “Name Consent or Release” form.

How do I Reserve a Business Name in Nevada?

Got a name in mind? Perfect. Follow these steps to reserve it.

Before submitting your application to reserve your business name, you first need to check name availability by searching your desired name on the Nevada Business Search tool. Don’t forget that you also need to comply with other business entity name restrictions from the state of Nevada (find them all here). All good? Then check to see if your LLC name is available. If it is, let out a sigh of relief—you’re ready to reserve it.

The Nevada Secretary of State accepts name reservations online or by mail, email, or in-person. Online is the fastest method, so let’s start there.

We’ll be using SilverFlume, Nevada’s online filing system, and you’ll need an account to proceed. Click “Register” in the top left to create one. Then, on the homepage, choose “Start Your Business.” On the next page, select “Reserve Your Entity Name,” and follow the instructions to complete the process.

For all other submission options, you’ll need to download a “Name Reservation Request” form. After you’ve filled it out, here’s how you can send it:

• Mail: 202 North Carson Street Carson City, NV 89701

OR 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. North, Suite 400 (only for expedited requests)

• In-Person: Same as mail
• Email: newfilings@sos.nv.gov

Every document submitted to the Secretary of State’s office must be accompanied by a “Customer Order Form.” This is where you can designate an expedited service option if you’d like. 24-hour service is an extra $50, 2-hour service is $500, and 1-hour is $1,000.

You can pay the reservation’s $25 fee, as well as any applicable expedited fees, by check, money order, or credit/debit card. For online filings, you will be prompted to pay with a card. For paper filings, include a check or money order made out to “Secretary of State,” or an “ePayment Checklist” to pay via card.

Wrapping up and Choosing the Best Route

Your LLC name is an important part of the business. If you’re not ready to launch your business, but you’ve got a perfect name and you think someone else might claim it, consider reserving it.

However if your business is ready for takeoff, use our comprehensive guide to forming an LLC in Nevada to get started instead. This way, rather than paying an additional $25 for the name reservation application, you’ll only pay the one-time $75 Nevada LLC formation fee to claim your name and form the LLC at the same time. $25 isn’t a fortune by any means, but this will at least save you the hassle of reserving a name and registering an LLC separately.