The first thing to do when it comes to creating your own business in Nevada is to choose a suitable business name. However, you can’t just select any name you want as there are a few criteria and rules business owners need to follow when registering their new business name.
Our article today will guide you through on what you can do to successfully register your business name in Nevada by running a Nevada LLC name search. .
Nevada Naming Guidelines
The first and most important step when registering your business is to come up with a name that meets the guidelines. Some of the naming requirements that Nevada businesses need to follow include:
- Company name must include the phrase “limited liability company” or one of its abbreviations (LLC or L.L.C.)
- Company name cannot include words that would confuse the LLC with a government agency such as the FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.
- Restricted words like Bank, Attorney, and University may require additional paperwork and a licensed individual, such as a licensed engineer, doctor or lawyer, to be part of your LLC.
Using Comma in LLC Name
Businesses are allowed to have their LLC name with or without a comma as both are acceptable by the state. For example, if you want your LLC name to be Red Engine Tractors, you can file it as any of the following:
- Red Engine Tractors LLC
- Red Engine Tractors, LLC
Nevada LLC Name Must Be Distinguishable
Your LLC name in Nevada must be distinguishable upon the records of the Secretary of State. This means that you cannot have the same name as other existing businesses registered in Nevada. One way to check if your desired LLC name is available is to run a Nevada Business Name Search discussed in the next section.
Nevada LLC Name Search
As mentioned above, you can use Nevada’s Business Entity Search to confirm the availability of your desired limited liability company name before filing. It’s recommended for you to conduct a thorough search before filing your application to avoid getting rejected by the State.
Fortunately, the Nevada Secretary of State’s database, known as SilverFlume, is relatively easy to navigate and offers users several methods to search for Nevada business entities. The search options include:
- Business Name
- Entity Number
- NV Business ID Number
- Officer Name
- Registered Agent Name
Each category even comes with search filter options like “Starts With,” “Contains,” and “Exact Match”.
Business name
Searching by name is the most obvious method for looking up Nevada Corporations and LLCs. Users can key in partial or full name to generate results. Below are the steps to perform a Nevada business name search:
- Enter the name of your desired limited liability company name.
- Click on “Search”
The website will populate the results list with all related entities including the following details:
- Business Name
- Status
- Filing Date
- Type
- NV Business ID
- Entity Number
The NVSOS database also will generate data across all different entity types in Nevada to make it easier for users to search through all entities with similar names.
Nevada Business ID number
Other than searching by LLC name, users can also search for businesses with their ID number by following
- Enter Nevada business ID number.
- Click on “Search”
The website will populate the results list with related for any Control Numbers entered.
Registered Agent or Officer Name
You can also perform a state business search by looking up Registered Agent or Officer Name. The process of running the search is similar to searching by an ID Number.
- Search by First or Last Name at the Registered Agent or Officer section
- Click on “Search”
The website will populate the results list with related information for any business entities registered by the agent or officer entered.
Trademark Search
Users can also search for Nevada businesses by their trademark name. The search options on the website are broken down by:
- Mark Number
- Classification
- Goods and Services
- Applicant Name
You only need to fill in one category to generate results for trademarks.
Advanced Search Options
Nevada’s website even has advanced search options available that can help you further narrow down your searches by:
- Business Type
- Business Status
Nevada Business Name Search Status
With so many different businesses being opened every day, it is understandable for business owners to find it difficult to come up with a unique LLC name that’s not already taken. One recommendation to get inspiration is to run a search through Nevada’s Business Entity database and look for company names that are already expired.
If you’re planning to open up a consulting firm, you could enter the word “Consulting” into the search bar and the website will generate a list of Nevada business names with the word “Consulting” in them.
From there, you can look through the list and see if there’s any expired name that’s suitable for your Nevada business. It’s recommended to give the Secretary of State a call to confirm that the expired entity name is truly available or you might run the risk of your application getting rejected.
Trademark Search
Running a Nevada business name search on the Nevada business entity database is not all. Even if your desired business name is available, the name might already have a registered trademark. Hence, it would be good if you could also run a trademark search through the Trademark Electronic Search System before filling your application. This is a simple step that can help you avoid costly litigation.
You should also run a trademark search on your business name, slogan, and logos through both Nevada Trademark Search and US Patent and Trademark Office’s electronic records to ensure you’re not infringing on any federally trademarked intellectual property rights.
One thing to keep in mind though, is that it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re not able to use a company name that’s already been trademarked. You’ll need to know who is using the name, the industry they’re in, and where they’re located.
Reserve Business Entity Name
Once you’ve decided on a suitable business name and have checked that it’s available, you can reserve your desired name with the Nevada Secretary of State’s Corporation Division for 90 days. You must file your name reservation application either online or by mail.
To reserve a business name, you must file an application online or by mail. To reserve a name online you’ll need to create a SilverFlume account. When reserving your name, you will have to pay a filing fee. Checks must be made out to the “Secretary of State.” You’ll also need to pay a filing fee of $25 for reserving your name and checks must be made out to the “ Secretary of State”.
Fee: $25
Mail to:
Secretary of State
202 North Carson Street
Carson City, Nevada 89701-4201
Other Considerations and What To Do Next?
After you’ve applied for your name reservation, you can continue to look into other important considerations before you officially file your LLC. Some of the things to check include a social media and domain name check for full, unrestricted use of your preferred business name across different online platforms.
Check Domain Name Availability
More and more businesses understand how maintaining a strong online presence is important for companies in this generation. This means that plenty of .com domain names have been taken up by various businesses as their own company website.
When it comes to the internet, you’re not only fighting for a domain name with businesses in Nevada, but you’ll also be facing competition with everyone else in the world who wants the perfect domain name for their website so that customers can find them easily. This is where your creativity will give you a hand of coming up with a unique domain name that’s available.
You can use Namechk and GoDaddy websites to help you out with the domain name availability. In the event where your preferred business name is already taken by someone else, these sites can come up with useful alternatives for you to consider.
While the .com domain extension is the most popular extension, it’s not the only one there is. There are many more domain extensions that you can use for your company website, such as .co, .net, and .io. Businesses are beginning to adopt other extensions since many .com domain names have been taken up.
Check Social Media Name Availability
After checking and confirming the availability of your desired domain name for your company website, the next thing to consider is whether your preferred social media handle is available. Websites are not the only important thing for a strong online presence, you also need to have social media to engage with existing and potential customers directly.
Here are a few tips you can keep in mind for your business entity social media page:
- You should maintain an active social media page even if you think your business is small. Social media is an incredibly important tool that lets businesses connect with their customers. A good social media page can help business owners boost organic presence online, attract potential customers, and even create awareness among the community.
- You should also check if your desired social media handle is available across different social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. This will be very helpful to avoid cases where other businesses use that name on another platform as it could cause confusion among your customers.
- You can either run a simple search of your desired business name on each major site to see if they’re still available or you can use Namechkr that will help you search through all the platforms at the same time. If you do find that your desired company name is available, it’s recommended for you to register an account with that name even if you don’t plan on setting up the page yet. This will prevent someone else using the name before you do.
Register Your Nevada Business Entity
After you’ve confirmed your desired business name is available in Nevada with no trademark associated, you can proceed to register your business entity with the state. You can either file your own LLC online or you can consider hiring companies to do it for you.
Filing an LLC will involve tons of paperwork that could easily become overwhelming. Fortunately, you can count on businesses like ZenBusiness, Incfile, and Northwest Registered Agent to help you get the job done.
Register Company Tax ID/EIN with the IRS
Just like how everyone has a social security number, every company will also have a unique six-digit tax ID that business owners need to register with the IRS for tax purposes. The EIN registration process is pretty straightforward and can be done by yourself online.
Designing a Company Logo
Company logos are very important for a business entity. A properly designed logo can accurately reflect your business values as well as deliver the right impression to your customers. This is why it is important that you get a memorable logo in addition to a unique company name.
Obviously, not everyone has the artistic skills nor the creativity to come up with their own design. This is where Fiverr becomes very helpful as business owners can get in touch with freelancers to get a logo done within 24 hours.
Write a Business Plan
A business plan is important for companies as it details out the business’ plans and future goals. This is an important document, especially if your business requires seeking investors to invest their money in you. A business plan will help you organize ideas and create a sense of accountability.
It’s recommended for businesses to have their operating agreement written by professionals to avoid any future misunderstanding, especially for companies that form partnerships with another.
Open a Business Bank Account
Last but not least, you’ll need to open up a business bank account for business transactions. While some smaller companies may just use their own personal account for business purposes, this is a highly discouraged practice.
It’s always better to separate personal and business finances. By doing so, you can also build business credibility with the banks which will prove useful when applying for business loans in the future.
Bottom Line
While it’s important for you to choose a suitable LLC businessname that not only reflects company values, but also meets Nevada naming requirements, there are also other important considerations like domain name, trademark, and social media handle.
You will then need to look into coming up with a company logo, business plan, and opening a bank account after formalizing your LLC.
Starting a business correctly doesn’t have to be difficult. With over 15 years of experience consulting new businesses and start ups, Matthew is probably the best person to help you set a strong foundation for your business.