How To Start a Business in Nevada in 2025: 8-Step Guide

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Nevada has endeared itself to many entrepreneurs looking to start a business, thanks to its relatively low cost of living, growing population, and absence of personal and corporate income taxes. The Silver State’s online business portal, SilverFlume, along with supplemental resources from the Nevada Secretary of State’s office, help make starting a business quite simple. Here are eight steps to get you up and running with your new venture.

How to start a business in Nevada

Choose a business idea for Nevada's market
Name your Nevada business
Create a business plan for the Nevada market
Choose your business structure
Obtain Nevada business licenses and permits
Secure business insurance in Nevada
Set up Nevada business finances
Market your business in Nevada

1. Choose a business idea for Nevada’s market

Businesses that endure are built on solid business ideas. Your startup might thrive with an outside-the-box innovation, or it may improve on an existing concept. Regardless, your company will need to fulfill an existing requirement within Nevada and possibly beyond. As you explore business ideas, consider:

Conducting a competitive analysis: Browse websites of local businesses similar to yours. What are they doing well? Where are they falling short? Take notes on pricing, customer experience, and unique offerings to identify where your business could stand out.
Surveying prospective customers: Create a simple online survey using free tools like Google Forms or speak directly with potential customers. Ask what they’re looking for, what current pain points they have, and what they would pay for your solution.
Researching industry trends: Follow local business publications, join Nevada business groups on social media, and attend regional industry events. These connections will help you spot emerging opportunities unique to the Silver State.
Identifying gaps in local markets: Pay attention to what residents complain about or what tourists say they wish existed. Sometimes the best business ideas come from solving problems you’ve personally experienced in your community.

2. Name your Nevada business

Business names send messages to potential customers, offering clues about product offerings, prices, and quality. To secure a name for your Nevada business, you will need to:

Register your business name. You can only register a business name if another Nevada business hasn’t claimed it first. Conduct an online Nevada Business Search to confirm the availability of your preferred name. Once you find a great available name, create an account on Nevada’s SilverFlume online business portal and select the Reserve a Name option. You’ll pay $25 to formally reserve your name of choice.
Use required identifiers. Nevada LLCs must include the phrase “Limited Liability Company” or its abbreviations (“LLC” or “L.L.C.”) as part of their legal business names. Nevada corporation names must contain one of the following words: “Incorporated,” “Limited,” or “Corporation.” Alternatively, you can use the abbreviations “Inc.,” “Ltd.,” “Corp.,” or “Co.”
Register a DBA. DBA stands for “doing business as.” Companies use DBAs to interface with customers using a name other than the one they’ve registered with the state. For instance, a legal business entity named Hawthorne Bowler Enterprises LLC could use Silly Billy’s Tropical Smoothies as its DBA. In the state of Nevada, you register your DBA on a county level so you must contact the local county clerk’s office for instruction.
Reserve an online domain name and social media handles. The best online domain names and social media handles are those that naturally align with a company’s official business name or DBA. Try using a domain name generator and cross-check social media services for available handles for your Nevada business.

3. Create a business plan for the Nevada market

A business plan is a document, or set of documents, that companies use to chart organizational objectives, plan growth, lay out financial plans, and establish their metrics for success. First-time small business owners can benefit from a business plan template as well as some business plan examples. A comprehensive business plan for a Nevada business should include the following sections:

Executive summary: Highlight Nevada’s unique business advantages that make your business idea viable, like tax benefits or regional opportunities in Las Vegas, Reno, or rural areas.
Detailed company description: Explain how your business fits into Nevada’s economy and which local needs you’ll address. Mention if you’ll serve tourists, locals, other businesses, or all three.
Outline of organizational and managerial structure: Describe your leadership team, key roles, and reporting relationships. Consider highlighting any expertise or connections relevant to Nevada’s business landscape, whether through team members, advisers, or planned networking relationships.
List of products or services: Connect your offerings to specific Nevada market demands, like tourism-related products in Las Vegas or technology services in Reno.
Logistics and operations plan: Address Nevada-specific considerations like seasonal tourism fluctuations, distance between population centers, or supply chain connections to California and Arizona.
Market analysis specific to Nevada: Research the local competitive landscape by using free resources from the Nevada Small Business Development Center, which offers regional market reports and competitive analysis tools specific to Nevada counties and industries.
Customer segmentation report: Identify your ideal Nevada customers, whether they’re tourists, retirees, students, or business professionals in specific Nevada communities.
Marketing plan for the Nevada market: Outline strategies for reaching Nevada customers through local channels, regional events, and community partnerships relevant to your target area.

4. Choose your business structure

You will be responsible for choosing a business structure that aligns with your needs as an owner. Nevada entrepreneurs typically select one of three types of businesses: sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation. Each of these business structures comes with its own benefits, as well as its own operational and filing requirements, and taxation rules. Here is a summary of each structure:

Sole proprietorship

The sole proprietorship may meet the needs of a Nevada business owned by one person. Sole proprietors have no legal paperwork requirements and they keep all their business profits. However, they cannot access the tax benefits and personal asset protections of a limited liability company (LLC). Crucially, a sole proprietor can be personally liable for lawsuit judgments and debts related to their business. Nevada sole proprietorships traditionally appeal to small business owners who operate locally, don’t have employees, and work in a low-risk industry with little threat of a lawsuit or debt.

Limited liability company (LLC)

A limited liability company (LLC) is a business owned by individuals called LLC members. Consider the LLC business structure as a way to obtain personal liability protection while avoiding the double taxation of a corporation.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) treats LLCs as pass-through organizations, meaning company profits pass through to members, who report them on their personal tax returns. Nevada LLCs are relatively simple and affordable to maintain. You’ll need to file Articles of Organization ($75) via the Nevada Secretary of State’s SilverFlume online portal. You’ll also need to file an annual report (called an Annual List in Nevada), containing the most up-to-date information about your LLC; the filing costs $150.

Corporation

A corporation is a business entity that is owned by shareholders. Corporations do not mingle their assets with those of their individual shareholders. Corporations get taxed at a special corporate rate, which is different from the personal income tax rate. Nevada has neither personal nor corporate income tax, however, making the distinction less relevant. Corporations have a more complex legal structure and require significantly more accounting and organizational governance than LLCs or sole proprietorships.

Obtaining an EIN

If your Nevada business plans to hire employees, you must apply for a federal employer identification number (EIN) with the IRS. This applies whether you operate as a sole proprietorship, an LLC, or a corporation. An EIN is your business’s federal tax number and works much like a personal Social Security number (SSN). It also lets you set up a business bank account.

Incorporating in Nevada

Nevada requires new corporations to:

File Articles of Incorporation. Articles of Incorporation are filed using Nevada’s SilverFlume online portal. The corporation must assign directors—one, at least—and list their names and addresses in its articles. There are no residency or age requirements. The corporation does not need to name its corporate officers in its articles.
File supplemental forms. The Nevada Secretary of State’s office packages all required corporate formation documents into a single packet. You can access this packet on the Secretary’s website. In addition to the Articles of Incorporation, the packet includes the Initial List of Officers and Directors, and the State Business License. Filing fees start at $75 and progressively increase based on company income.
Designate a registered agent. Your corporation’s agent must have a physical address in the state of Nevada (a PO box does not count as a physical address). Your registered agent can be any person or a member of your organization; however, many companies hire a registered agent service to receive legal and tax correspondence on behalf of the business.

5. Obtain Nevada business licenses and permits

You need to obtain a Nevada state business license from the Secretary of State’s office. The initial application and annual renewals cost $200. This license is required regardless of your business structure and must be renewed annually to maintain good standing with the state. The state business license application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete through the SilverFlume portal as part of your business formation process.

County and city permits in Nevada

Beyond the state business license, most Nevada businesses will need local permits to operate legally. Requirements vary significantly by location:

Las Vegas/Clark County: Businesses in Las Vegas need both a city business license and a Clark County business license if operating in unincorporated areas.
Reno/Washoe County: Reno businesses need a city business license, with special permits for regulated industries. Washoe County has separate licensing for businesses in unincorporated areas.
Carson City: As an independent city-county, Carson City has a single business licensing process that combines city and county requirements.
Rural Counties: Many of Nevada’s rural counties have simplified licensing processes but may have specific requirements for natural resource industries.

The SilverFlume portal’s New Business Checklist can connect you to the required permits and certifications. The state’s Department of Business and Industry also provides links to local governments that may have their own licensing requirements.

You will also be required to have a sales tax permit in order to conduct retail transactions. This is obtainable via the SilverFlume portal. The base statewide sales tax is 6.85%, but combined state and local rates average 8.33%. All Nevada businesses—whether sole proprietorships, LLCs, or corporations—must collect sales tax and remit it to the state. The exception is nonprofit organizations, which can obtain a sales tax exemption certificate from the Secretary of State. If your company is split into two separate legal entities—one for-profit and one nonprofit—Nevada business law stipulates that only the nonprofit entity is exempt from collecting sales tax.

6. Secure business insurance in Nevada

The Nevada Department of Business & Industry lays out state insurance requirements and recommendations in its online FAQ page. The state requires any business (regardless of business structure) to purchase workers’ compensation insurance but not other insurance, such as liability. LLC owners benefit from carrying insurance policies that protect their company and assets.

Common Nevada business insurance policies include:

Workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation insurance provides benefits to employees who sustain a work-related injury. If your business has at least one employee, Nevada requires you to obtain and maintain a workers’ comp policy.
Commercial automobile insurance. If you use a vehicle for business, you must cover it with a commercial automobile insurance policy.
Professional liability insurance. Professional liability insurance—also referred to as errors and omissions insurance—protects your LLC against claims that your advice or services caused a customer financial harm.
Commercial general liability insurance. Commercial general liability insurance, or CGL, helps protect sole proprietors, LLCs, and corporations from financial claims involving injury, property damage, false advertising, libel, and slander. CGL coverage can also protect your business from the costs of fire and water damage, an on-site injury, damage to someone else’s property, or a lawsuit.
Commercial property insurance. Commercial property insurance policies reimburse businesses for the loss or destruction of property.

7. Set up Nevada business finances

Your Nevada business will need a business bank account at a commercial bank or credit union to deposit business income. You can also establish credit accounts, which back small business loans and credit cards. If your business plan involves processing credit cards and mobile wallet payments, you’ll enlist the services of a payment processor.

When choosing a Nevada bank for your business, consider:

Physical branch locations in your area of operation: Convenient access to in-person banking services is particularly important if you operate in specific Nevada regions like Las Vegas, Reno, or rural areas where branch availability varies significantly.
Fee structures and minimum balance requirements: Compare monthly maintenance fees and minimum balance thresholds carefully, as these can significantly impact early stage Nevada businesses with fluctuating cash flow.
Available business credit products: Look for banks offering Nevada-specific lending programs or those experienced with financing needs in your particular industry sector.
Integration with accounting and payment processing systems: Ensure the bank offers seamless connections with your financial software to simplify bookkeeping and Nevada tax compliance.
Mobile banking capabilities: With Nevada’s expansive geography and distinct business regions, robust mobile features allow you to manage finances remotely regardless of where you operate in the state.

Financing options for Nevada businesses

Business ownership comes with many startup costs. Nevada’s Department of Business & Industry hosts an online Business Resource Center that offers resources to help access capital, including information on potential grants, bond programs, and traditional financing options.

Nevada-specific financing options include:

Nevada State Development Corporation: Offers SBA 504 loans for real estate and equipment
Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED): Administers incentive programs for businesses in target sectors including technology, manufacturing, and logistics
Regional economic development authorities: Often provide access to local financing programs

The US Small Business Administration has two Nevada offices—one in Carson City and one in Las Vegas. You may also find value in a merchant support service—such as Shopify Capital—that connects small business owners to lenders and investors.

8. Market your business in Nevada

Building a brand and marketing it is one of the most gratifying parts of entrepreneurship. You can use distinct color schemes, fonts, logos, and slogans or taglines to attract potential customers. Once you’ve established your brand identity, you can explore other ways to market your business, including:

Awareness content (blog posts, videos, newsletters)
Pay-per-click web ads
Traditional TV and radio ads
Social media accounts
Influencer campaigns
Partnerships
Store displays

You can draw on Shopify’s small business marketing guide to help you conduct market research. It’s one of many marketing resources found on the Shopify platform.

Why start a business in Nevada

Nevada offers significant tax advantages that directly impact your bottom line and business growth. Here’s why these tax benefits matter for your business:

No state income tax: Keep more of your profits to reinvest in growing your business instead of paying state taxes on your earnings—a direct boost to your cash flow.
No corporate income tax: Unlike most states, Nevada doesn’t tax corporate profits, allowing your business to retain more earnings for expansion, hiring, or innovation.
No franchise tax on income: Many states charge businesses fees just for the privilege of doing business there—Nevada doesn’t, reducing your annual compliance costs.
No inventory taxes: Retail and wholesale businesses can maintain larger inventories without the tax penalties that exist in many other states, giving you more flexibility.
No inheritance or gift taxes: Makes succession planning easier and less costly if you’re building a family business or planning to transfer ownership in the future.
No unitary tax: If your business operates in multiple states, Nevada won’t tax income earned outside its borders, making it an excellent home base for expansion.
Low property taxes: Reduces overhead costs for businesses that own physical locations, improving long-term profitability.

Key industries and growth opportunities

While traditionally known for gaming and hospitality, Nevada’s economy has diversified in recent years, creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs:

Technology: Reno has emerged as a technology hub (nicknamed “the biggest little tech city”), attracting major companies like Tesla, Amazon, and Google. This growing tech ecosystem creates openings for startups in software development, specialized services, and support businesses.
Logistics and distribution: Nevada’s strategic location provides access to western markets with approximately 60 million consumers within a one-day drive. This positioning is ideal for ecommerce fulfillment centers, regional distribution operations, and transportation services.
Renewable energy: With abundant solar, geothermal, and wind resources, Nevada has become a center for clean energy development. This creates business opportunities in installation, maintenance, consulting, and green technology manufacturing.
Manufacturing: Advanced manufacturing has expanded significantly, especially in northern Nevada, creating supply chain opportunities for components, specialized services, and industrial support businesses.
Health care: Nevada’s strong population growth trends have increased demand for health care services across the state, from specialized medical practices to support services and health care technology companies.

Starting a business in Nevada FAQ

How much does it cost to start and maintain a business in Nevada?

The initial cost of establishing a business in Nevada is $425. This breaks down to: $75 to file Articles of Organization (or Articles of Incorporation), $150 for the first annual list, and $200 to establish your state business license.

What is required to start a business in Nevada?

To start a business in Nevada, you must file either Articles of Organization (for LLCs) or Articles of Incorporation (for corporations). This costs $75. Sole proprietors do not need to file organizing documents, as a sole proprietorship is an informal business structure not recognized by federal or state tax laws. Nevada businesses must submit an annual report called an Annual List. This costs $150 for the first year. You are also required to obtain a state business license for $200. If you’ll be hiring employees, you must obtain a free federal employer identification number (EIN).

Is Nevada a good state to start a business in?

Nevada’s appeal starts with the lack of corporate income tax and personal income tax. The state also boasts a growing population, particularly in the Las Vegas and Reno metropolitan areas, which offers an expanding customer base to small business owners. On the downside, Nevada offers fewer services and business grants than higher-tax neighbors like California. Additionally, its overall population remains small, with few people living outside the Las Vegas and Reno/Carson City metro areas.

Who is exempt from a business license in Nevada?

Nonprofit entities and certain home-based businesses are among the organizations in Nevada exempt from needing a business license. The Nevada Secretary of State’s office provides a comprehensive explanation of who may be eligible for a business license exemption.

How To Start a Business in Nevada in 2025: 8-Step Guide