Nevada Business License in 2026: State License Fees, Annual List, Exemptions and Local Licenses

Nevada is one of the few states that requires almost every business, from a one-person LLC to a weekend swap-meet seller, to hold a state business license and renew it every year. On top of that, most businesses need a license from the city or county where they operate, and from September 14, 2026 everything at state level moved to a new online portal. This guide explains who needs the State Business License, what it costs, how it ties to the annual list, who is exempt, and how Las Vegas, Clark County and Reno licensing works. Figures were checked with the Secretary of State and local agencies in October 2026.

Quick answer

Nevada requires a State Business License from the Secretary of State for nearly every business. It costs $200 a year, or $500 for corporations, and LLCs and corporations renew it together with their annual list. Since September 14, 2026 you file in the new ORION portal, which replaced SilverFlume.

• A new Nevada LLC pays $75 articles + $150 initial list + $200 license = $425

• Late renewal adds a $100 penalty, plus $75 on a late annual list

• Exemptions exist for nonprofits, small home businesses and owners of four or fewer rentals

• City or county licenses are separate: Clark County charges a $45 application fee plus a category fee

• Commerce Tax applies only above $4 million of Nevada gross revenue

What the Nevada State Business License is

State law says no person may conduct business in Nevada until they have a state business license issued by the Secretary of State. "Business" is defined broadly. It covers every LLC, corporation, limited partnership and other entity formed or registered under Title 7 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, and every individual who reports business income to the IRS on Schedule C, Schedule E or Schedule F. In practice that means sole proprietors, freelancers, landlords with more than four units, partnerships and out-of-state companies working in Nevada all need one unless a specific exemption applies.

The license is not a regulatory permit. It does not say you are qualified to cut hair, build houses or sell alcohol. It is a registration and an annual fee that funds the state, and it gives your business a Nevada Business Identification Number (NVID) that other agencies use. Professional and trade licenses come from separate boards, such as the State Contractors Board, and local licenses come from your city or county.

The Secretary of State's Commercial Recordings Division handles the license. For Title 7 entities, the license application is built into the Initial List and Annual List of officers, managers or members, so you cannot file one without the other. Sole proprietors and general partnerships, which the office calls non-Title 7 or NT7 businesses, file a standalone license application.

How much a Nevada business license costs

The State Business License fee is $200 a year for LLCs, sole proprietors, partnerships, limited partnerships and every other business type except corporations, which pay $500. The corporate rate has applied since a 2015 law raised it from $200. The fee is in addition to whatever the Secretary of State charges for forming the entity and filing its list.

First-year Nevada state costs by business type

Business type	Formation	Initial list	State Business License	First-year total
Sole proprietor (NT7)	None	None	$200	$200
General partnership (NT7)	None	None	$200	$200
Nevada LLC	$75	$150	$200	$425
Nevada corporation (stock up to $75,000)	Based on authorized stock	From $150	$500	$650 plus articles fee

Sole proprietor (NT7)

Formation

None

Initial list

None

State Business License

$200

First-year total

$200

General partnership (NT7)

Formation

None

Initial list

None

State Business License

$200

First-year total

$200

Nevada LLC

Formation

$75

Initial list

$150

State Business License

$200

First-year total

$425

Nevada corporation (stock up to $75,000)

Formation

Based on authorized stock

Initial list

From $150

State Business License

$500

First-year total

$650 plus articles fee

For an LLC, the yearly cost after the first year is the $150 annual list plus the $200 license, or $350. For a corporation, the annual list fee is based on the value of authorized shares and starts at $150 for $75,000 or less of authorized stock, rising in steps from there. A corporation with $75,000 or less of authorized stock pays $650 a year in list and license fees. A sole proprietor pays only the $200 license each year.

Late filing is expensive relative to the fees. A business that misses its due date pays a $100 penalty on top of the license fee, and an LLC or corporation that files its annual list late also pays a $75 list late fee. An entity that stays in default for a year is revoked and must pay all back fees and penalties to reinstate; for an LLC the reinstatement fee alone is $300.

Annual list and renewal dates

For LLCs, corporations and other Title 7 entities, the State Business License fee is due with the Initial List, which must be filed by the last day of the month after the month you file your formation documents. If you form an LLC on March 10, your initial list and first license are due by April 30. After that, the annual list and license renewal are due by the last day of each anniversary month, so that LLC renews by March 31 every year.

You cannot file the list and license separately, and an amended list does not renew the license. An annual list submitted more than 90 days before its due date is treated as an amended list for the previous year, so do not file too early. If you need an urgent filing, an expedited annual list includes the business license at no extra expedite charge.

Sole proprietors and partnerships renew by the expiration date printed on their license, one year after it was issued. If you close an NT7 business, you must file an online cancellation at least 10 days before the license expires, or you may be charged the next year's fee and penalty. Entities close by filing dissolution or termination documents. The Secretary of State does not tell the Department of Taxation or your city when you close or go into default, so notify each agency yourself.

SilverFlume is gone: filing in ORION from September 2026

For more than a decade, Nevada business licenses were filed through SilverFlume. In winter 2023 the Secretary of State started Project ORION to replace it. The first phase, covering Uniform Commercial Code filings, launched in December 2025. The second phase brought business licensing, marks and notary services into the new ORION Business Portal, which went live on September 14, 2026, and the office says this completes the replacement of SilverFlume.

Three practical consequences follow. First, bookmarks, guides and filing-service instructions that point to SilverFlume are out of date; go to the Secretary of State's website and follow the ORION link. Second, ORION accepts only the new, rewritten forms, so a paper Initial List or license application downloaded before the launch will be rejected. Third, ORION adds simplified forms, bulk filing imports through an API for high-volume filers, a self-help chatbot and a Business Info Hub with a new-business checklist, so it is worth exploring before you call the office.

Online filing remains free of extra charges, and a license filed online takes effect immediately. You can also file by mail or in person at the Secretary of State's offices in Carson City and Las Vegas, paying by check, card or, in person, cash.

How to get a Nevada business license

1. 1

   Decide your structure and name

   Choose between sole proprietor, partnership, LLC or corporation. Sole proprietors license under their own legal name and file a DBA with the county or city clerk if they use a trade name.

   How to form an LLC
2. 2

   Get an EIN

   Apply free with the IRS. Nevada agencies use it alongside your NVID.

   EIN guide
3. 3

   File in the ORION Business Portal

   LLCs and corporations file articles plus the Initial List with the State Business License. Sole proprietors and partnerships file the standalone license application. Pay $200, or $500 for a corporation.

   Tip: Claiming an exemption? File the Declaration of Eligibility for Exemption instead of paying, or your entity may show as in default.

   Nevada Secretary of State
4. 4

   Register with the Department of Taxation

   Register for sales and use tax if you sell taxable goods, and for the Modified Business Tax if you have employees. Every business that buys goods for use in Nevada must check whether it needs a use tax account.

5. 5

   Get your city or county license

   Use the jurisdiction locator to confirm whether you are in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sparks or unincorporated county, and apply there.

6. 6

   Diary the renewal date

   Entities renew with the annual list by the end of the anniversary month; sole proprietors by the date on the license.

Exemptions from the State Business License

Nevada nonprofit corporations formed under NRS Chapter 82 and corporations sole under Chapter 84 are automatically outside the requirement. Everyone else who qualifies for an exemption must claim it: Title 7 entities cite it on their Initial or Annual List and file a Declaration of Eligibility for Exemption, and sole proprietors and partnerships claim it on the license application. NT7 exemptions must be renewed every year. Skipping the declaration can leave your entity listed as in default, which blocks other licenses and permits.

The statutory exemptions are for governmental entities; nonprofit religious, charitable, fraternal and similar organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code; a natural person whose only business is renting four or fewer dwelling units; businesses whose main purpose is producing motion pictures and that are registered with the state film office; certain licensed insurance companies; and a natural person running a business from home whose net earnings from it are not more than 66 2/3 percent of Nevada's average annual wage for the previous year.

The home-business exemption is narrower than it sounds. It applies only to an individual, or a married couple, operating from their own residence, where no part of the home is open to the general public in a way that would require posting a local business license. Meeting clients by appointment does not count as being open to the public. Real estate agents and brokers, and sellers at swap meets, are treated as working outside their homes and need a license. The earnings test changes every year with the average wage, so check the current figure before claiming it.

Before you file in ORION

0/7

• Legal name of the owner or entity, exactly as it will appear on the license
• Business address and mailing address in Nevada
• Names and addresses of officers, managers or members (entities)
• Formation date or anniversary month (entities)
• EIN or Social Security number
• Payment for the license, list and any late fees
• Exemption basis and declaration, if you qualify

Share Print

Local licenses: Las Vegas, Clark County and Reno

The State Business License does not replace city or county licenses. The location from which you run your business decides which local agency licenses you, and the rules and fees differ widely.

Clark County and the City of Las Vegas

The Las Vegas valley contains several licensing jurisdictions: Clark County for unincorporated areas, plus the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Boulder City and Mesquite. Clark County warns that a large part of the valley has a Las Vegas mailing address but sits in unincorporated Clark County, which includes most of the Strip and areas such as Paradise, Spring Valley and Enterprise. Use the county's jurisdiction locator map before you apply, because applying to the wrong office is one of the most common delays.

Clark County charges a one-time $45 application fee plus a license fee for each category of business, and some businesses need more than one license. General, heavy and specialty trade contractors pay $100 a year, handyman businesses not licensed by the State Contractors Board pay $150, and retail businesses pay a fee based on a percentage of gross revenue. After you apply, the county sends the application to Comprehensive Planning for zoning review within five working days and, except for home occupations, to the fire department and other agencies such as the Southern Nevada Health District. A DBA must be filed with the Clark County Clerk in the exact entity name shown on your state license.

The City of Las Vegas licenses businesses located inside city limits, which cover downtown and many of the northwest and western neighborhoods. Its business licensing office checks your address, zoning and category before issuing the license, and its online portal handles applications, renewals and license searches. Henderson and North Las Vegas run their own systems, so a contractor working across the valley may need licenses from several jurisdictions.

Reno and Washoe County

A City of Reno business license is required if your business address is inside city limits or if you physically carry out business activity in the city. Reno, Sparks and Washoe County share one regional online portal, onenv.us, for applications and renewals, and Reno does not accept applications by email.

Reno's annual license fee is based on gross receipts. For fiscal year 2026–27, a business with up to $20,000 a year pays $70, one with $20,001 to $100,000 pays $150, and one with $100,001 to $5 million pays $150 plus 0.085% of receipts over $100,000. A one-time application processing fee of $25 for home-based or $40 for commercial licenses applies, plus planning and building compliance reviews of $38 each for a home-based location or $90 each for a commercial one. Applicants also show proof of workers' compensation coverage, registration with the Department of Taxation, and any DBA filed with the Washoe County Clerk.

Add up your Nevada licensing costs

Registration, Legal & LicencesEquipment & Fit-outOpening InventoryLaunch MarketingMonthly Operating CostRunway Needed

One-Time Costs₹7,00,000.00

Working Capital Reserve₹10,80,000.00

Recommended Buffer (10%)₹1,78,000.00

Total Capital Required₹19,58,000.00

Open the full Startup Cost Calculator (PDF, save, compare)

Worked cost examples

A freelance web designer in Reno, working alone from home, with $60,000 a year of receipts. Her net earnings exceed the home-business exemption limit, so she needs the $200 state license. Reno's license is $150 a year, plus a $25 application fee and two $38 reviews. First-year government cost: about $451; later years about $350.

A two-member LLC opening a coffee cart business in unincorporated Clark County. State filings: $75 articles, $150 initial list and $200 license, total $425. County license: the $45 application fee plus the fee for its license category, and a health permit from the Southern Nevada Health District. Every year after: $350 to the state plus county renewal.

A Henderson remodeling company organized as a corporation with $75,000 of authorized stock pays $500 for its license and $150 for its annual list each year, plus its articles fee in year one. It also needs a State Contractors Board license and a City of Henderson business license, and if it takes jobs in unincorporated Clark County, the county may require its own contractor license at $100.

Commerce Tax and other state taxes

Nevada has no state corporate or personal income tax, but larger businesses pay the Commerce Tax. It applies to businesses whose Nevada gross revenue in a fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) exceeds $4 million, at rates that vary by industry and apply to revenue above the threshold. The return for fiscal year 2025–26 was due August 14, 2026, 45 days after the year ended, and a 30-day extension is available on request. Businesses below the threshold owe no Commerce Tax; check the Department of Taxation's filing-requirement FAQs for whether you still need to file.

Employers also pay the Modified Business Tax on wages, and Commerce Tax paid can be credited against part of it. Retailers register for sales and use tax with the Department of Taxation, and under NRS 372.220 any business buying goods for storage, use or consumption in Nevada must check whether it needs a use tax account. These registrations are separate from the State Business License, and the Secretary of State does not share your filings with the Department of Taxation.

Trade show and convention exhibitors from out of state are a special case. The operator of the exhibition facility pays the license fee for exhibitors who do not hold their own Nevada license, either as an annual $5,000 or $1.25 per business per event day.

Nevada licensing dates to know

Dec 2025

ORION phase 1 launches for UCC filings

Jul 1, 2026

Reno FY 2026–27 business license fees take effect

Aug 14, 2026

Commerce Tax return due for fiscal year 2025–26

Sep 14, 2026

ORION Business Portal replaces SilverFlume for licenses and lists

Last day of anniversary month

Entity annual list and State Business License renewal due

Common mistakes and how to fix them

The most common mistake now is following an old guide to SilverFlume. Since September 14, 2026, use ORION and the new forms only.

The second is licensing the DBA name instead of the owner. A sole proprietor's state license is issued in the owner's own name, with the trade name listed as an associated name. The DBA certificate from the county or city clerk must match the name on the state license exactly, or Clark County will reject the local application.

The third is assuming a home business is automatically exempt. The exemption depends on earnings, on the home not being open to the public, and on filing the declaration. Real estate agents and swap-meet sellers never qualify.

The fourth is letting an LLC slip into default. Missing the annual list means a $75 late fee plus the $100 license penalty, and after a year in default the entity is revoked. If that has happened, file the reinstatement with all back fees in ORION as soon as possible, because a revoked entity cannot renew local licenses.

The fifth is applying to the wrong local office. Check the address with Clark County's jurisdiction locator or the Washoe County regional portal before you apply.

Official Nevada links

• Nevada Secretary of State — ORION Business PortalFile licenses and annual lists
• State Business License FAQFees, due dates and exemptions
• Commercial Recordings forms and fees
• Department of Taxation — Commerce Tax
• Clark County — General business license guide
• City of Las Vegas — Business licenses
• City of Reno — New business license information

What to do next

Pick your structure with our LLC registration guide, get an EIN, and file your State Business License in ORION before you open. Then confirm your local jurisdiction and apply for the city or county license. Budget the fees with the startup cost calculator and check your name with the LLC name checker. For a state with a very different system, compare the Florida business license guide.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice — confirm on the official source or with a professional.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a Nevada business license in 2026?

The Nevada State Business License costs $200 a year for LLCs, sole proprietors, partnerships and most other businesses, and $500 a year for corporations. A new LLC also pays $75 for its articles and $150 for its initial list, so the first-year state total is $425. City or county licenses are extra.

Do I need a Nevada business license if I am a sole proprietor?

Yes, unless a specific exemption applies. Every sole proprietor doing business in Nevada must hold a State Business License, filed under the owner's own name rather than a DBA. One license covers all the sole proprietor's activities, but any LLC or corporation the person owns needs its own license.

Is SilverFlume still used for Nevada business licenses?

No. The Nevada Secretary of State launched the new ORION Business Portal on September 14, 2026, completing the replacement of SilverFlume. State business licenses, initial and annual lists, marks and notary services are now filed in ORION, and only the new ORION forms are accepted. Old SilverFlume-era forms are rejected.

When is the Nevada business license renewal due?

For LLCs, corporations and other entities, the license renews with the annual list on the last day of the anniversary month of formation. Sole proprietors and partnerships renew by the expiration date printed on their license. Paying late adds a $100 penalty to the license fee and a $75 late fee to the annual list.

Who is exempt from the Nevada State Business License?

Exemptions include governmental entities, 501(c) tax-exempt nonprofits, Nevada nonprofit corporations under NRS 82, people whose only business is renting four or fewer dwelling units, registered motion picture companies, certain insurers, and home-based sole proprietors whose net earnings are no more than two-thirds of Nevada's average annual wage. Most exempt businesses still file a declaration claiming the exemption.

Do I need a Las Vegas business license as well as the state license?

Usually, yes. The state license does not replace local licenses. A business in the City of Las Vegas needs a city license, while one in unincorporated Clark County, which includes much of the valley with a Las Vegas mailing address, needs a Clark County license with a $45 application fee plus a category fee.

Sources & verification

Figures on this page were checked against the sources below when it was last reviewed on 8 October 2026. Each rate and limit is stored once with its own official source and review date, and official update channels are monitored daily so changes are picked up. How we verify

1. 1.State Business License — FAQ — Nevada Secretary of State · accessed 8 October 2026
2. 2.Project ORION — Nevada Secretary of State · accessed 8 October 2026
3. 3.Limited-Liability Company Fee Schedule and Annual List Fee Schedule — Nevada Secretary of State · accessed 8 October 2026
4. 4.Form or Register a Limited-Liability Company — Nevada Secretary of State · accessed 8 October 2026
5. 5.Commerce Tax — Nevada Department of Taxation · accessed 8 October 2026
6. 6.General Business License Guide — Clark County Department of Business License · accessed 8 October 2026
7. 7.List of License Categories and Fees — Clark County Department of Business License · accessed 8 October 2026
8. 8.Business Licenses — City of Las Vegas · accessed 8 October 2026
9. 9.New Business License Information — City of Reno · accessed 8 October 2026
10. 10.Business Licensing Department — FY 2026/2027 Adopted Fees — City of Reno · accessed 8 October 2026