Help - Start a Business

Start Your Business 

Every business is unique. SilverFlume guides you through the process of setting up your business in Nevada with our online wizard technology, which follows a path based on your answer to the last question. A checklist of requirements is provided to direct you to State agency and local registration information.

What is a state business license, and who is required to file?

State law requires that every person or entity doing business in the state of Nevada obtain a business license annually. A business that meets the criteria shall not do business in the state of Nevada without a state business license. Certain business may be exempt from the state business license requirement.

What does it mean to conduct business in Nevada?

Pursuant to Title 7 of the Nevada Revised Statutes and for the purposes of the state business license, “business” means any person who performs a service or engagements in a trade for profit and is required to file a “Schedule C (Form 1040) Profit or Loss from Business” form or a “Schedule F (Form 1040) Profit or Loss from Farming” form with the Internal Revenue Service; or any entity formed pursuant to Title 7 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, including – without limitation – those entities required to file with the Secretary of State.

Reserve an entity name

Not ready to start your business but would like to reserve a name? Complete your name reservation.

What are “articles of organization”?

The “articles of organization” is the basic document required to set up a limited-liability company in Nevada. It is the only formation document required to be filed with the Secretary of State’s office to establish the existence of an LLC in Nevada. The “articles of organization” sets forth basic information about the new business, such as entity name, registered agent’s name and address, an indication if the entity is a  “series” or “restricted” LLC, whether the business will be managed by managers or members, and once declared, the name(s) and address(es) of the manager(s) or member(s).

What is an “initial list of managers or members”?

The “initial list of managers or members” lists the name(s) and address(es) of the manager(s), if it is a manager-managed LLC, or the name(s) and address(es) of the member(s), if it is a member-managed LLC. The “initial list of officers” is required to be filed by the last day of the month following the month when the “articles of organization” was filed. An “annual list of managers or members” is required to be filed every year by the end of the “articles of organization” anniversary month.

What is a name reservation?

The name of a corporation or LLC must be distinguishable on the records of the state government. If the name is not unique, the state will reject the articles of incorporation or articles of organization, and if you apply for the name reservation online the name is automatically checked for uniqueness. You can apply to reserve a company name for a period of 90 days.

You must successfully check out and pay for this name before it is reserved. If you are starting a business today, you may go directly to Start a Business to automatically reserve the name when you start your business, so that you do not need to go through the separate step to reserve a name.

Note: Name Reservations do NOT apply to Sole Proprietorship or General Partnership businesses.

What is “common business registration”?

“Common business registration” is basic information about yourself and your company that nearly every governmental agency in Nevada requires. By providing this information through SilverFlume, participating state and local agencies are able to access your "common business registration” data as needed so that they can better serve you. This integrated service will save you valuable time when interacting with different agencies. Future services within SilverFlume will allow you to process licenses from municipal to state governmental agencies throughout Nevada.

What is a "digital operating agreement"?

An operating agreement is a good way to make sure all partners of an LLC understand their rights and responsibilities. Nevada Digital Operating Agreement can streamline the process of creating and maintaining an operating agreement across LLC members in different locations.

A six-minute video explaining the use of Digital Operating Agreements, produced by Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Law and Society, focuses on Nevada’s use of the software and can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7OwxAVkYlo&feature=youtu.be.

How can I research the steps to start a business?

The New Business Checklist is design to identify the steps you'll need to start your Nevada business by asking you five (5) simple questions to display a checklist of steps designed specifically for your business.