Stack of documents with a paperweight on a leather desk pad, How to Start an LLC in Nevada

How to Start an LLC in Nevada

Last verified: November 5, 2026

Forming a Nevada LLC costs $425 in state fees on day one ($75 for the Articles of Organization, $150 for the Initial List and $200 for the State Business License) and $350 every year after. That is worth paying if you live or operate in Nevada, or you have a specific reason to want Nevada law. If your only reason is a tax story you read online, check your own state's rules first: Nevada does not replace the filing and fees your home state may still ask for. Below is the filing order, what each fee is for, and the mistakes that cost money after the LLC exists.

What It Costs to Form a Nevada LLC

These are the state fees. A registered agent service, an attorney or a county fictitious firm name filing are extra.

ItemCostSource and notes
Articles of Organization$75NRS 86.561(1)(a). Same fee to register a foreign LLC.
Initial List of Managers or Managing Members$150NRS 86.263. Filed at the time of the Articles.
State Business License$200NRS 76.100. $500 for a corporation, not an LLC.
Due at formation$425$75 + $150 + $200
Name reservation (optional)$25Holds a name for 90 days (NRS 86.176 and 86.561(1)(f)).
Expedited service (optional)Capped at $125, $500 or $1,000Statutory ceilings for 24-hour, 2-hour and 1-hour service (NRS 225.140(2)(d)). The Secretary of State sets the actual charge.
Every year after$350$150 annual list + $200 license renewal

For the comparison with a corporation, see Nevada LLC vs corporation. For every other startup cost, see how much it costs to start a business in Nevada.

When a Nevada LLC Is Not the Right Fit

Step-by-Step: How to Form an LLC in Nevada

Step 1: Choose Your Name and Check It

The name must contain "Limited-Liability Company," "Limited Liability Company," "Limited Company" or "Limited," or an abbreviation such as LLC, L.L.C., L.C. or LC. It must also be distinguishable on the Secretary of State's records from every filed or reserved name. If it is not, the Secretary of State returns your Articles unfiled unless the other name's holder consents in writing (NRS 86.171). Search first with the Nevada business entity search. If you are not filing today, reserve the name with the Secretary of State for $25 and 90 days. Our name search guide covers the details.

Step 2: Appoint a Registered Agent

Every Nevada LLC needs a registered agent with a street address in Nevada. A rural route box number is accepted; a P.O. box is not (NRS 77.300). That address becomes the company's registered office (NRS 86.231), and the agent must sign a certificate of acceptance that goes in with the appointment (NRS 77.310). The filing names either a commercial registered agent or a noncommercial one, such as you or another person with a Nevada address. A person or company serving 10 or more entities must register as a commercial registered agent (NRS 77.320).

A commercial agent keeps the agent address off your paperwork, but it does not hide you completely. The list in Step 3 shows an address for each manager or managing member, either residence or business (NRS 86.263(1)(d)). If privacy is the goal, list a business address there. Compare prices and renewal terms in Nevada registered agent services compared; the legal duties are in Nevada registered agent requirements.

Step 3: File the Articles, Initial List and State Business License

Nevada's online filing portal is ORION; the old SilverFlume address now redirects to it. Paper versions of the Articles of Organization and the Initial List are on the Secretary of State's all business forms page. The statutes put all three at the same moment: the Initial List is due at the time the Articles are filed unless the Secretary of State has allowed an alternative due date (NRS 86.263(1)), and an entity that files a list must get its license when it files that list (NRS 76.100(1)(a)). The $75 Articles fee alone does not finish formation.

Your LLC exists when the Articles are filed and the fees are paid (NRS 86.201), and it may not do business or take on debt before then. Nevada does not publish a guaranteed standard turnaround. If you need the LLC by a date, ask the Secretary of State what it charges for expedited service; the law caps the fee at $125 for 24 hours (NRS 225.140(2)(d)). If you would rather hand the whole filing to someone else, compare LLC formation services in Nevada first.

Step 4: Check the Initial List Before You Move On

Fix mistakes in the Initial List quickly. An amended list of managers or managing members filed within 60 days after the Initial List carries no filing fee (NRS 86.263(5)). After that, a manager who resigns without being reflected on the next list costs the LLC $75 to file the resignation (NRS 86.263(6)).

Step 5: Get an EIN From the IRS

Apply directly with the IRS online EIN application. It is free, and the IRS warns that you never have to pay a fee for an EIN. The online tool asks for the responsible party's Social Security number or ITIN, and it issues one EIN per responsible party per day. Our Nevada EIN guide walks through it.

Step 6: Write an Operating Agreement

Nevada does not require one: an LLC "may, but is not required to, adopt an operating agreement," and it can be adopted before, at or after filing (NRS 86.286). Nothing is filed with the state. Our reasoning for writing one anyway: with two or more members, it is the only place your ownership split, voting rules and exit terms are set down before there is a dispute, and an amendment generally needs the unanimous consent of the members unless the agreement says otherwise (NRS 86.286). A licensed Nevada attorney should review it if the stakes are high.

Step 7: Open a Business Bank Account

Open the account once you have the filed Articles and your EIN, and keep business money out of your personal accounts. See best banks for small business in Nevada for options.

Step 8: Register for Sales Tax and Local Licenses

If you will sell taxable goods, register with the Nevada Department of Taxation. The sales tax permit is $15.00 per location, and the Department states a 6.85% base state rate; combined rates are higher by county, so use the Department's sales and use tax rate publications. Cities and counties may also require their own business license on top of the state license, so see our city business license guides and the Nevada business license guide.

If you will operate under a name other than the LLC's legal name, file a fictitious firm name certificate with the county clerk of each county where the business operates, not with the Secretary of State (NRS 602.010). The fee is set by each county. Clark County lists $25 for a new or renewal certificate (Clark County Clerk fee schedule); confirm yours with your county clerk. More in Nevada fictitious firm name registration.

Step 9: Put the Annual Filing on Your Calendar

The Annual List ($150) and the license renewal ($200) are due on or before the last day of the month in which the LLC's formation anniversary falls (NRS 86.263(2)), for $350 a year. The Secretary of State sends a reminder 90 days before the deadline, but missing the reminder does not excuse a late filing (NRS 86.263(7)). The full renewal process is in Nevada annual list and license renewal.

What Costs Owners Money After Filing

  • Budgeting only $75. The Initial List and State Business License are due with the Articles, so the real first payment is $425. The Secretary of State's state business license FAQ gives until the last day of the month after you file; confirm the current due date with the Secretary of State.
  • Filing the Annual List too early. A list received more than 90 days before its due date is treated as an amended list for the previous year, not as this year's filing (NRS 86.263(9)).
  • Missing the deadline. The LLC is in default and a $75 penalty is added to the fee (NRS 86.272). The Secretary of State's State Business License FAQ also lists a $100 penalty for a late license renewal (Wayback Machine snapshot of October 14, 2026).
  • Letting a default run. On the first day of the first anniversary of the month after the missed filing was due, the charter is revoked and the right to transact business is forfeited (NRS 86.274). By our reading, a list due in March leaves the charter open to revocation from April 1 of the following year. Reinstatement costs $300 plus every missed list fee and penalty (NRS 86.276). Default notices go to your registered agent, so keep the agent's contact details current.
  • Using a P.O. box as the agent address. Nevada requires a street address or rural route box number.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Nevada filing fees, forms, and requirements can change, and your specific situation, including your industry, revenue, and where you do business within Nevada, may affect which steps and costs apply to you. Consult a licensed attorney or CPA before making formation decisions, and confirm current fees directly with the Nevada Secretary of State and the Nevada Department of Taxation before filing.

Sources

Keep exploring: related Nevada guides