Start a Business in Reno

5 min readNov 27, 2019

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How to Get a Nevada Business License and Start Your Biz in Reno

You might know it by its common moniker, “The Biggest Little City in the World.” Yet, Reno, Nevada is quickly earning a new nickname: “The Biggest Little Startup Community.”

Though in years past, the town was associated primarily with gaming and the Burning Man Festival, today it’s a bustling town full of opportunity for myriad industry types. From technology to retail, if you want to make a name for yourself and grow a new business from the ground up, this is the spot to do it in.

Home to more than a dozen geothermal companies, top-tier manufacturers and the University of Nevada, there’s no shortage of learning, growth, and expansion going on in Reno. (More and more California entrepreneurs are making the move to Reno.)

Are you looking to cash in on this chance to put down business roots in a community that’s as high-tech and innovative as it is artsy and cultural? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re discussing how to get a Nevada business license. This is Step 1 of the process and once you’ve signed this valuable piece of paperwork, you’re well on your way to adding “Business Owner” beside your name.

Ready to learn more? Let’s get started. (Want to get in with the local small business community in Reno? Join our free Meetup group here.)

1. Create Your Business Plan

Before you get too deep into researching the licensing requirements, it’s important to have a solid business plan in place first. Many hopeful entrepreneurs have a great idea for a new company but aren’t sure how to execute it or what tools they’ll need to get started.

Then, once they go to begin the nitty-gritty process of getting off the ground, they find they’re already behind.

Thankfully, this doesn’t have to be you. Start by visiting the Nevada Business Resource Center online. Here, you’ll find free counseling and business planning resources to help turn your daydream into a reality.

From step-by-step guides to starting a business in the state to information on funding resources, interactive workshops and local networking events, this site is invaluable to both the up-and-coming and established business leader. If your business qualifies as a disadvantaged business, you’ll also be pointed toward resources that can help you find the business certifications and capital you need.

Use this information to craft a detailed business plan. At the very least, it should include a vision, mission, and timeline for your company as well as other details including the products and services you will provide, a market analysis, organizational details and more. View my guide to creating a business plan here.

2. Visit Silver Flume

Once you have your business plan in place and you’re ready to get started, the next few steps can be completed much more easily. Most of them revolve around a resource known as Silver Flume.

Developed by the Nevada Secretary of State, Silver Flume is the go-to resource for any prospective or current business owner who wishes to conduct business in the state of Nevada. Launched in 2012, it has since processed more than 1.8 million virtual business filings.

On this site, you’ll find comprehensive information around both starting and renewing your business license. You can also file your tax return, manage your trust account and find resources to help your company grow.

With its user-friendly wizards, Silver Flume makes registering your legal entity and applying for a state business license as simple as possible. Simply find the menu on the left side of the homepage, then click on “Start a Business.”

Here, you’ll find a few guides that will walk you through getting your license, reserving your entity name, creating an operating agreement and more. For now, you just need the license, so click “Get a State Business License.”

3. Follow the Nevada Business License Wizard

This is the quickest and most straightforward way to get a state of Nevada business license.

The wizard will walk you through a series of questions and answers regarding the business you plan to start. You’ll begin by stating the type of business you intend to create. You can choose from:

Sole Proprietorship
General Partnership
Not-for-Profit Business
A Non-Nevada Entity Doing Business in the State
Non-Qualified Foreign Corporation

After you’ve made your selection, the Silver Flume wizard will reveal a checklist of steps to complete to obtain your NV business license. If you’re local to the area, you can also complete this process in person by visiting the Nevada Secretary of State in Carson City.

In addition to your state business license, Silver Flume will also walk you through the steps to obtain your proof of tax registration and proof of industrial insurance. The former is mandated by the Nevada Department of Taxation. The latter demonstrates to the state that you’ve purchased the required amount of worker’s compensation insurance required for your business type.

Both of these files can be completed and obtained via the Silver Flume portal.

4. Register Proof of Fictitious Name

Here is where the process for doing work in Reno becomes location-specific. Steps 1–4 above are required regardless of where in the state of Nevada you plan to do business. Once you have these items under your belt, you can proceed to the city requirements, starting with establishing and registering your fictitious name.

Do you plan on using your first and last name as your business name? If so, you can move on to the next step.

If not, you’ll need to visit the Washoe County Clerk website to obtain your Doing Business As (DBA) forms. Though most of the other steps required to get a Nevada state business license can be completed entirely online, this is not one of them.

Rather, you’ll have to make a visit to the Clerk of Court’s office in Reno to complete the paperwork in person. The good news? There are several forms you can pre-fill online to shorten your wait time once you get there. You can also print the files and have them notarized at home.