Stacked folders and a desk lamp on an executive desk, Storey County Business License: Fees, Forms and TRIC

Storey County Business License: Fees, Forms and TRIC

Last verified: November 5, 2026

Storey County issues its own business license, and you need it in addition to the Nevada state business license. Most applications go to Storey County Community Development at its Virginia City office; the Storey County Sheriff's Office takes a short list of categories such as alcohol, childcare and gaming. The county's fee page does not list fees and tells applicants to call, so the only published figures we found are on an undated fee worksheet, shown below with that caveat. If your business sits at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRIC), nothing changes: you license with the county, not a city.

Who Needs the Storey County License and Who Issues It

The county's own FAQ pages say a license is required for each person, partnership, corporation or firm engaging in any trade, service, profession or business venture in Storey County, whether or not you have an office there. Each business location needs a separate license, and you must also hold a license in the jurisdiction where your business is located.

  • Most businesses: Community Development, 110 Toll Road (Gold Hill Divide), Virginia City, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Email [email protected] or call 775-847-0966.
  • Sheriff's Office categories: alarms, brothels, businesses needing a liquor or gaming license, childcare, door to door, escort, establishments that serve alcohol, and utilities. The Sheriff also runs a TRI Substation at 1705 Peru Drive, McCarran, in the McCarran area where TRIC sits (Sheriff page).
  • Not transferable: a license does not move to another person; it does transfer with a change of ownership, location or trade name.

What the County License Costs

The county's Licenses and Fees page says to contact Community Development for fees and that more details are coming. The numbers below come from the county's fee worksheet, which carries no date, so treat them as a guide and confirm the amount before you pay. Fees add up by category: the worksheet says multiple categories may apply.

ItemCostNotes
Application fee$100Printed on the worksheet for every application
General license$75Business in a commercial building, or at home with foot traffic
Home occupation$100Business run from a residence with no foot traffic
Out of County license$75Business whose actual operations are not in Storey County
Non-profit$0Proof of 501(c) status required
Employees$25 (1 to 5), $40 (6 to 10), $75 (11 to 25), $125 (26 to 50)Larger headcounts: Storey County Code 5.04.220 and 5.04.230
Square footage$15 (0 to 1,999), $31 (2,000 to 2,999), $63 (3,000 to 4,999), $94 (5,000 to 7,499)Larger space: same code sections

Two rules on the worksheet matter for timing. An application submitted between April 1 and December 30 pays the yearly fee plus one quarter of proration, in every category including square footage and employees. Gaming, liquor, massage and other special categories have their own, much higher fees on the same sheet. As an illustration of our own arithmetic, not a county quote: a general license for a 3,000 square foot unit with five employees would add up to $100 + $75 + $25 + $63 = $263 before proration.

The worksheet also shows how the county thinks about renewals: most fees are annual, with some categories billed quarterly. It does not state a renewal date for an ordinary license, so ask Community Development when yours falls due.

Contractors and Vendors Serving TRIC Tenants

If you work inside Storey County but your office is elsewhere, the county's rule is that the license applies whether or not you have an office there, and the worksheet has a separate Out of County class at $75. Our reading, not a county statement: a trade contractor, installer or delivery business that works on a TRIC site but is based in Reno or Sparks should expect to need this license, and should ask the county before the first job instead of after. A contractor may also need a Nevada contractor license; see our guide to the Nevada contractor license guide.

Step-by-Step: Getting Licensed in Storey County

Step 1: Form Your Entity and Get the State License

The state business license is not a separate Department of Taxation filing. Under NRS 76.100 you obtain it when you file the initial or annual list with the Secretary of State, which is why the Nevada filing package for an LLC is articles of organization, initial list and license together. The county will ask for your Nevada Tax ID/Business License number or proof of exemption, so this step comes first. File through the Nevada Secretary of State ORION portal (the SilverFlume address now redirects there).

ItemLLCCorporation
Articles filing fee$75 (NRS 86.561)$75 if authorized shares total $75,000 or less, higher tiers above that (NRS 78.760)
Initial list$150$150
State business license$200$500
Year one total at the lowest tier$425$725
Yearly renewal (annual list plus license)$350$650 at the lowest tier; the list fee rises with authorized shares, up to $11,125

The list and license are due by the last day of the month after you file your articles, and renew by the last day of your anniversary month; the Secretary of State FAQ (Wayback snapshot, October 14, 2026) puts a $100 penalty on a late license. Name reservation is optional: $25 for 90 days (Secretary of State, Wayback snapshot of September 26, 2026). Expedited filing costs more: Nevada law caps the Secretary of State's special-service charge at $125 within 24 hours, $500 within 2 hours and $1,000 within 1 hour (NRS 225.140), but those are ceilings, and we could not read the Secretary of State's actual schedule from here, so check it before you pay.

Compare the options in our LLC services comparison if you would rather not file yourself.

Step 2: Register for Taxes You Actually Owe

  • EIN: free from the IRS EIN page. Paid look-alike sites only resell it.
  • Sales tax permit: if you sell taxable goods, the Department of Taxation charges $15.00 per location (Nevada Department of Taxation). The state's base rate is 6.85%; local add-ons raise it, and the published rate sheets are dated, so confirm your rate with the Department.
  • Modified Business Tax: employers file quarterly. The general rate is 1.17% of wages above $50,000 a quarter (Department of Taxation).
  • Commerce Tax: only if Nevada gross revenue exceeds $4,000,000 in a fiscal year (Department of Taxation).

Step 3: File a Fictitious Firm Name if You Use One

If you do business under a name different from your legal name, you file a certificate with the county clerk of each county where you operate (NRS 602.010). The statute sets no fee, so the clerk sets it; confirm the cost with the Storey County Clerk. This is separate from the business license and the clerk does not issue it.

Step 4: Apply to Storey County

Per the county's FAQ, bring or send:

  • the signed and dated business license application (application and fee worksheet PDF)
  • a copy of your Nevada Tax ID/Business License, or proof of exemption
  • proof of any other federal or state license your business type needs
  • county approvals and sign-offs if you run a storefront or a non-home business from a property
  • the fees for your categories

The application warns that you are not authorized to do business in Storey County until every requirement is met, and its office-use section tracks building, fire and health approvals and county commission readings. Do not assume same-day approval for anything with a physical location; a home-based or out-of-county service business has fewer sign-offs to wait for. The license is mailed to the business address on the application.

Step 5: Display It and Report Changes

Display the license where the public can see it. The county requires written notice of any change in business name, ownership, location, number of employees or equipment. Because fees scale with headcount and square footage, an expansion can change what you owe.

Check Your Premises Before You Sign a Lease

The license is a registration, not a zoning approval. Community Development also handles building permits and inspections, and its FAQ shows how strict the county is about use of land and storage under Storey County Code. Before you lease at TRIC or anywhere in the county, ask Community Development whether your use is allowed on that parcel. Check the lease for insurance or operating conditions as well; those are contract terms, not licensing rules.

Where This Guide Stops

  • We could not verify current county fees; the worksheet is undated and the fee page defers to the office.
  • We found no published renewal deadline for an ordinary license.
  • We did not verify a local sales tax rate for Storey County.
  • For legal or tax questions beyond filing, ask a Nevada attorney or CPA.

Sources

Disclaimer

This guide is informational only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. Fees and requirements change; confirm them with the agencies named above before you file.

Keep exploring: related Nevada guides