If you want to start a business in Nevada, you’ll need a state business license from the secretary of state; nearly all Nevada businesses need one. You’ll also need to comply with any federal, city, or county licensing requirements, which are based on your chosen location, industry, and whether you plan to sell taxable goods or services.

Below, we’ll discuss how to get a business license in Nevada, how much it will cost, and how to renew it.

Key takeaways

• Nevada requires nearly all registered entities to have a state business license. Separate federal, city, and county licensing requirements might also be needed.

• Orion, the state’s online business portal, handles most of the state-level filings, including business formation, the state license application, and annual renewals.

• State license fees range from $200–$500, while local fees vary widely by county and city.

Why do you need a business license in Nevada?

To legally open a business in Nevada, you’ll need to obtain a business license from the secretary of state, and comply with state business licensing rules as detailed in the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Chapter 76. And depending on where your business will be operating from, you might also need to apply for some city or county permits and business licenses.

What types of business licenses and permits does Nevada require?

Your business might need to apply for various state, local, and occupational permits or licenses. A state business license is required for almost every registered entity, including limited liability companies (LLCs), corporations, partnerships, and most sole proprietorships that operate under trade names.

Your business might need to apply for these licenses and permits:

• City or county business license: Clark County, Washoe County, and most incorporated cities, including Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, and Sparks, also require their own business licenses. Your business likely will need a business license from the county and city that you will be operating from.

• Occupational licenses: Certain professions have to obtain specific licenses outside the general licensing process. If you are a contractor, for example, you’ll need to register with the Nevada State Contractors Board. Real estate agents need to apply through the Nevada Real Estate Division, cosmetologists and barbers need to register with the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, and food service businesses need to obtain health permits.

• Sales and use tax permit: If your business plans on selling tangible goods or certain taxable services, you’ll need to register with the Nevada Department of Taxation before your first sale.

• Federal licenses: If your business belongs to a regulated industry—such as gun sales, alcohol manufacturing, or interstate transportation—you’ll need to meet certain federal regulations.

How do you get a business license in Nevada?

Orion, the state’s online business portal, centralizes most of the licensing process. Here are the steps to obtain a license:

• Choose and register your business structure: Decide whether you’re forming an LLC, corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Then file your formation documents (e.g., articles of organization for an LLC) with the secretary of state through Orion. Sole proprietors who use their own legal names typically skip this step unless they’re filing trade names.

• Appoint a registered agent: Nevada requires LLCs and corporations to designate a registered agent with a physical address in the state; post office (PO) boxes are not accepted. This is where the state will send your legal and other official correspondence.

• Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN): You’ll need this to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file your state business license application. You can apply for an EIN on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website at no cost.

• Apply for the Nevada state business license: You can file an application through Orion along with your Annual List, which is a document that names your management team. Most new businesses submit this paperwork at the same time they file their formation documents.

If you’re selling taxable goods or services, you’ll need to register for a sales and use tax permit separately through My Nevada Tax—the state’s tax portal. Local and occupational licenses are handled separately. For local licenses, you’ll have to go through your county clerk’s office and, if you’ll be operating in an incorporated city, your city’s business license division. If your profession requires an occupational license, you must go through the relevant state board.

How much does a business license cost in Nevada?

Costs vary by business structure and location, and local fees change often enough that it’s worth confirming the actual amount with the relevant office before you file. Here’s a general range of costs to expect based on the most recent published fee schedules:

• State business license: This costs $500.00 for a corporation and $200.00 for an LLC, partnership, or sole proprietorship. It must be renewed every year. Some exemptions are available for home-based or low-revenue businesses.

• City or county business license: The cost ranges between $50.00–$500.00, depending on where your company operates and the business type. It must be renewed every year.

• Sales and use tax permit: There’s a one-time $15.00 registration fee, plus a remitted security deposit based on estimated tax filings.

• Occupational license: The cost ranges between $100.00–$800.00, depending on the profession. It must be renewed annually or biennially.

How do renewals work for a Nevada business license?

Nevada ties state business license renewal to your Annual List filing. It’s due every year by the last day of your entity’s formation month. The secretary of state sends email reminders if you’ve registered an address with Orion. But notices aren’t guaranteed to arrive, so you might want to track the deadline yourself.

You’ll need to complete the business license renewal online through Orion, where you’ll pay the state fee and the Annual List filing fee. If you miss the deadline, Nevada adds a late penalty and switches your business status to being in default. If the fee is not paid within a year, the license will be revoked, which can affect your ability to open business bank accounts or sign contracts under that business name.

Counties and cities set their own renewal dates so you could be renewing your state license one month and your county license in a completely different one.

How do Nevada business license rules differ from other states?

Some business license requirements in Nevada differ from other states. For example, all companies must pay the state business license fee, even those expecting modest revenue. Nevada offers an exemption for certain sole proprietorships and home-based businesses under specific revenue thresholds, but you have to apply for it through Orion; it isn’t automatically applied.

Entrepreneurs looking to open a home-based business in the cities of Las Vegas and Henderson will need to apply for a home-occupation permit in addition to a state business license because some residential zones restrict commercial activity. This is true even for remote businesses or those expecting little traffic.

In addition, Clark County and Las Vegas have their own permit caps and zoning restrictions for short-term rental businesses, which are separate from general business licensing regulations.

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FAQs about business licenses in Nevada