Start a Nevada LLC

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Start Your LLC in Nevada

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How to Start an LLC in Nevada

If you are considering starting your own Nevada business, congratulations! That said, the legal paperwork for registering your small business can be daunting. Don’t worry, we’re here to help. For many new companies, forming a Nevada limited liability company (LLC) is a great way to start.

LLC requirements vary state by state so it’s important that you are well-versed in Nevada laws before proceeding. Generally, it comes down to these steps:

Starting a Nevada LLC

LLCs represent a popular business structure among small business owners. We specialize in making Nevada LLC formation simple. This guide will outline the steps to form an LLC in the Silver State. We’ll also explore how our products, tools, and services (such as registered agent services) can help you start your business on the right foot. Keep reading to learn how to create an LLC in Las Vegas or any other part of Nevada.

To form an LLC in Nevada, you need to file Articles of Organization with the Nevada Secretary of State. This act establishes your business entity in the eyes of the state and sets up a public record of your forthcoming Nevada business. All correspondence from the state will come to you through the LLC at that point.

1. Name your Nevada LLC

The first thing you will need when registering a Nevada limited liability company is a name. You can make sure that you’re navigating away from names already taken by doing a search on name availability with the Nevada Secretary of State. For an easy-to-follow guide on how to use this search tool, take a look at our Nevada name availability guide.

Required Entity Type Designators

Nevada requires a proper designator showcasing that your company is an LLC. The Nevada Secretary of State online business portal will prompt you to select one of the following official LLC designators:

  • Limited Liability Company
  • Limited Company
  • Limited
  • Ltd.
  • L.L.C.
  • LLC
  • LC

The word “company” may also be abbreviated. The state imposes limitation statutes on certain words in names when forming an LLC in Nevada. These words include “bank,” “engineer,” “HOA,” etc. You can find the Restricted Word List on the Nevada Secretary of State website. Use the list to double-check that you are not utilizing any restricted words within your preferred business name. Keep in mind, your name must be distinguishable from any other Nevada business. The Secretary of State’s Office offers a full list of naming guidelines.

Business Name Reservation

If you are not planning to file your Nevada LLC Articles of Organization immediately, you can file a name reservation request with the Nevada Secretary of State. This allows your chosen name to be held for 90 days. We can reserve your business name on your behalf until you are ready to begin the formation process and then conduct business.

File for a Fictitious Firm Name in Nevada

Some business owners may wish to create a DBA (“doing business as”) name, also known in Nevada as a “fictitious firm name.” Having a DBA is not required, but if at some point your official LLC name doesn’t reflect the nature of your business, it can be an easy way to rebrand. It’s important to remember that DBAs, once established, require renewal every five years.

Find a Matching Domain Name

Another component of choosing the right name for your LLC rests on the availability of website domains. Thinking about this before choosing a name. It will save you the headache of going through the business naming and registration process only to find out too late that there are no web domain names that incorporate your chosen business name in a meaningful or sensible way.

Do a preliminary domain name search with our name checker tool, and secure the online name that will best serve your limited liability company with our domain name registration service. You may also consider setting up a business phone service for your LLC. This may be helpful if your business expects a large number of calls, and it will help increase credibility to your potential customers.

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2. Appoint a registered agent in Nevada

The state requires that a limited liability company appoint and maintain a registered agent throughout the life of the business. A registered agent refers to an individual or business entity elected to receive service of process and other important legal documents on behalf of your LLC.

All registered agents should be residents of Nevada or entities authorized to do business in Nevada. The registered agent must have a physical address in Nevada; a P.O. box is not allowed. Business owners can utilize a registered agent service or nominate an individual within their company, including themselves.

Why You Shouldn’t Be Your Own Registered Agent

While a business owner can be his or her own registered agent, this setup is not ideal. Registered agents have to be available to receive official documentation at the provided street address during regular business hours. This can be a problem for founders who need to travel for work. It can also cause awkward scenarios when receiving legal paperwork like a service of process in front of customers. Many business owners rely on a registered agent service to help with situations like these.

ZenBusiness can provide your registered agent

At ZenBusiness, you can take advantage of our Nevada registered agent service, and one of our in-state partners can meet these requirements for you. We make Nevada LLC formation a breeze from start to finish.

3. File Nevada LLC Articles of Organization

Forming an LLC in Nevada requires the submission of the Articles of Organization to the Nevada Secretary of State. This is the government document that makes your business legal and recognized in the eyes of the state. You can submit Nevada Articles of Organization online or by mail.

Within this filing should be your LLC’s chosen name, the name and address of the registered agent you have selected, the date you plan to start (if not immediately), and the state filing fee. Also, Nevada mandates that you state whether your LLC will be member-managed or manager-managed. This delineates between companies that will be run by owners (members) and those run by a manager or managers appointed by the members. Filing your Articles of Organization is an important step in the LLC process in Nevada since it makes your business legal in the eyes of the state.

File an Initial List of Members for a Nevada LLC

One important thing to remember is that all Nevada LLCs must file an initial list of its members. The form you must file is called an “Initial/Annual List of Managers or Managing Members and State Business License Application.” This list includes officers, directors, registered agents and functions as your first annual report. The initial list must be submitted on or before the last day of the first month after your Articles of Organization were filed. The initial list also functions as a business license application for the state, which is also required, so you can kill two birds with one stone. The filing fee for this is $150.

We can submit your Nevada initial list for you, making it easier to receive your first annual report and Nevada state business license. All domestic and foreign LLC business structures are required to file an initial list of members in Nevada.

How fast can I form my Nevada LLC? 

If you’re ready to launch and don’t want to wait weeks for your paperwork to get processed, we can help. You can form your LLC in Nevada in as little as one day with our rush filing services. With our rush filing service, we prioritize your formation paperwork so you can get it filed with the Nevada Secretary of State within 1-3 business days for just $100 + state fees.

Let Professionals Handle the Filing

Filing official documents like Articles of Organization with the Nevada Secretary of State can be intimidating for many people. This is why we are here to help. With our business formation plans, our professionals handle the filing for you to make sure your Nevada LLC formation is done correctly the first time. If you have us handle filing your Articles of Organization, once the Nevada Secretary of State approves your LLC, your paperwork will be available from your ZenBusiness dashboard, where you can keep it and other important paperwork digitally organized.

Keep Your Nevada LLC Paperwork Digitally Organized

Another way we can help you organize your LLC’s affairs is through our business kits. Once you get your physical paperwork back from the state approving your Nevada LLC, you’ll want to keep it in a safe location along with your other important documents, such as your operating agreement, member certificates, contracts, compliance checklists, transfer ledger, etc. Our customized kits are a perfect way to keep your LLC’s formation documents organized and professional.

4. Create an Operating Agreement

Another vital step in the creation of an LLC in Nevada is creating an operating agreement. This step is not technically required by Nevada law. An LLC operating agreement is a document that outlines the rules and procedures for running your business. A Nevada operating agreement can help you protect your business assets, assign proper ownership of various components of the business, and plan out a course of action if one of the LLC owners leaves or dies. Otherwise, your Nevada LLC defaults to state law, which might not suit your needs best.

You do not have to file this document with the Secretary of State for it to be binding and valid.

✓ If you’re unsure as to how to start creating an operating agreement for your LLC, then check out this guide. Otherwise, if you decide to form your LLC with ZenBusiness, all our plans include a customizable operating agreement template to save you time researching and crafting the agreement yourself.

5. Apply for an EIN

If your Nevada LLC will have more than one member or if you plan to hire employees, your business will be required to obtain an IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN). This number identifies your business to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in much the way that a Social Security number identifies an individual.

Obtaining an EIN for your company requires applying on the IRS website. If you don’t want to deal with this or don’t know how to, we can get it for you. Our EIN service is quick and eliminates the hassle.

✓ Our LLC formation service includes obtaining an EIN for your LLC but we can also help you get an EIN for an existing company

Open a Business Bank Account for your Nevada LLC

Once you’ve secured an EIN, you’ll be able to open a business bank account. Having separate accounts for your business and your personal banking is critical for taxes, but can also reduce personal liability. Commingling business and personal funds is not a good idea. It can not only make your taxes more difficult but could also be used against you if someone sues you.

If you need a business bank account, we offer a discounted bank account for new businesses. This allows for unlimited transactions, online banking, a debit card, and more. When you want to authorize others in your business to use the account, use our banking resolution template.

Check Out ZenBusiness Money

For further help managing your new business’s finances and help with Nevada business taxes, take a look at ZenBusiness Money. It can help you create invoices, receive payments, transfer money, and manage clients all in one place.

Let us Help!

Ready to get started? We can help walk you through the steps of creating an LLC and then provide resources to help your company grow. We are proud to support small businesses through a variety of different tools and services. Whether you need a registered agent service, want to reserve a business name, or looking to register a domain, our goal is to help you stay on the road to success. Check out our services, and contact us today to see how we can help you grow your company.

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Nevada LLC FAQs

    • Besides benefits common for all LLCs, such as personal asset protection, tax advantages and liability protection, there are a host of positive points that come out of forming an LLC in Nevada. When you begin considering the details that will go into the formation of your company, it’s a good idea to understand the specific Nevada LLC benefits that will come just from setting up your business entity in this state.

      The benefits of forming a Nevada LLC include:

      • No corporate income tax, franchise tax, or taxes on corporate shares
      • No personal income tax
      • No inheritance or gift tax
      • No franchise tax on income
      • No unitary tax or estate tax
      • Very low annual fees
      • Sales and property taxes are competitively low
      • Nominal employer payroll tax of 0.7% of gross wages with deductions for employer-paid health insurance
      • Commercial litigation risk is low, as the Nevada Business Court offers active judicial participation in settlements, early and responsible case management, hearing priority given to offset business disruption, and high predictability of commercial legal decisions.

      Nevada’s Digital operating agreement system is another hidden gem of starting your LLC there. The Nevada Secretary of State has become part of cutting-edge legislation that aims to completely take business formation into the digital realm, with all itinerant protections and governance.

  • There is a wide variety of business taxes that your Nevada LLC will need to pay. One of the great selling points of forming an LLC in Nevada is the favorable tax structure offered by the state.

    By default, LLCs are treated as “pass-through” entities for the purposes of paying federal income taxes, meaning that individual LLC members are responsible for paying federal income taxes on their portion of the LLC’s distributions. This is unlike most corporations, in which profits are taxed twice, first at the business level and again at the individual shareholder level.

    While single-member LLCs default to a sole proprietorship designation and multi-member LLCs to a partnership designation, LLCs can also file paperwork and elect to be taxed as a corporation. The reason for doing so usually has to do with the particular business and location, as sometimes a corporate tax structure actually benefits an LLC.

    There is also no personal income tax and no corporate income tax in the state. This means that, even if you have set your LLC up to be taxed as a corporation, no state income taxes will be due. It also means that LLC members typically owe no state tax on any income they make from their Nevada LLC.

    Your tax ID number will determine what federal employment taxes your LLC will owe to the IRS. Some Nevada employers will owe state taxes on top of the federal employment taxes. Nevada participates in a “modified business tax” (MBT) structure that is paid directly to the Nevada Department of Taxation (DOT) quarterly based on payroll. Within any calendar quarter that your LLC pays over a certain amount in taxable wages, your corporation will owe the MBT tax.

    Will your LLC be selling goods to customers in Nevada? If so, sales tax will be due. You can register online with the Nevada DOT or download the paper form to mail. Once you have successfully registered, each business location owned where your LLC’s goods are sold will receive a sales tax permit. The DOT will exact a “combined sales and use tax” periodically throughout the calendar year, and this tax can be paid online through the DOT system.

    One other type of Nevada LLC tax to consider is the commerce tax. This is a tax placed on the privilege of doing business within the state of Nevada and applies to any Nevada LLC whose gross annual taxable revenue exceeds a certain amount. If your LLC owes a commerce tax, it will be paid directly to the Nevada DOT.

  • Most filings are available via Nevada’s online business portal, SilverFlume, and will be processed the same day they are filed for no additional charge. You do have the option to pay more for expedited processing.

    If you’re in a hurry to form your LLC and don’t want to deal with the state’s expedited filing processes, we can handle it for you with our faster filing speeds service.

  • The amount you spend on LLC formation in Nevada depends on your specific circumstances. For basic formation, you can expect to spend from $100 to $200, depending on whether you need expedited filing services or want to register your name ahead of time. Nevada’s website has a complete forms and fees schedule to give you a full rundown of what filing each form costs.

  • An operating agreement is not considered part of the mandatory paperwork necessary for forming an LLC. However, there are various benefits to having an operating agreement, including It is the only written proof binding the members of your LLC to agreed-upon rules and regulations regarding the operation of your business. Other benefits are that it further protects your business, it clarifies verbal agreements, and offers transparency.

  • Nevada LLCs can be formed under several possible tax structures. Many new business owners opt to set up under the default status because this allows profits to pass through the LLC directly to the members without first being taxed at the business level. Under a structure like this, you would only pay income taxes on your own personal tax return. Nevada is one of several states that does not currently levy a personal income tax, so this is beneficial.

  • From a state business license to industry-specific licenses and permits, you may need several different types of licenses. For example, all entities conducting commercial business in Nevada will need to obtain a state business license. Depending on your business, different professional licenses might be required by both the city and county where you do business. There’s also federal licensing to consider.

    Special permit requirements are in place for businesses working in medical supply or practice, health care, cosmetology, liquor sales, and gaming. Check jurisdictional requirements in your area to learn the specifics of what your LLC will need in terms of licensing.

    You’ll need to make sure your LLC has all the licenses and permits it’s required to have by Nevada law. Unfortunately, because licensing varies by industry and location and can occur on the federal, state, and local levels, there’s no central place to check to see if you have all the licenses and permits you need. You’ll have to do some research.

    If you don’t have the time or inclination to do all this research, or if you just want the peace of mind to know that your business has all the licenses and permits it’s legally required to have, our business license report service can do the work for you.

  • It’s important to establish and consider dissolution before you start the dissolution process. Additionally, before starting the dissolution process, the members of an LLC should vote to dissolve it. For the subsequent steps on how to dissolve your Nevada LLC, please refer to our Nevada business dissolution guide.

  • The steps to create a PLLC in Nevada are similar to the steps to create a standard LLC. PLLC’s are used for registered, licensed, or otherwise legally authorized professionals in the state of Nevada. In fact, a professional license is required for one. For step-by-step directions and specific information, visit our Nevada PLLC page.

  • All LLCs organized outside the state must register with the Nevada Secretary of State and appoint a registered agent service that’s located in the state of Nevada.

  • Nebraska businesses are required to give public notice when they first form or amend their Certificate of Organization, merge, or dissolve. This requirement is met by posting an advertisement in a local newspaper for three consecutive weeks.

  • Instead of registering a new LLC you will need to file for a Certificate of Authority with the Nevada Secretary of State in order to form a foreign LLC. Once you obtain the Certificate, your foreign LLC is authorized to conduct business in Nevada.

Nevada Business Resources

Start an LLC in Your State

When it comes to compliance, costs, and other factors, these are popular states for forming an LLC.

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