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How to Check If an LLC Name Is Available in Nevada

Last verified: November 2, 2026 · Sources are cited at the bottom of this page.

The short answer

Short answer: Nevada's official search is the Secretary of State's Business Entity Search, reached from nvsos.gov — historically through the SilverFlume portal, which the state has been replacing with its new ORION portal, so start at nvsos.gov and follow the current link. It is free. The trap: the Articles fee is only $75, but Nevada makes you pay $425 on day one — and $350 every year after — once the mandatory Initial List and State Business License are added.

The official search

The registry is run by the Nevada Secretary of State, Commercial Recordings Division.

The database covers corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and other entities formed, registered, or qualified with the Secretary of State, plus reserved names. It does not cover fictitious firm names — Nevada's version of a DBA — because those are filed with your county clerk, not the state.

There is no separate button that stamps your name "available" or "not available." You judge availability from the search results, and the Commercial Recordings Division makes the final distinguishability decision when your Articles of Organization are reviewed. If your name is not distinguishable, the state will return your Articles — unless you file the written, acknowledged consent of the company that already holds the name.

A results list shows the entity name, entity number, type, and status, such as Active, Default, or Revoked. A detail record adds the formation date, the Nevada Business ID, the registered agent, and — unusually — the managers or managing members. Nevada publishes those names because they come from the public Initial List and Annual List every LLC must file, not from the Articles themselves. If privacy is your reason for forming in Nevada, know that whoever you list as manager or managing member will be searchable.

Step by step

  1. Open the Business Entity Search from nvsos.gov and choose Entity Name as your search type.
  2. Enter your name without "LLC." Leaving the designator off catches corporations and other entity types using the same core name, which count against you in Nevada.
  3. Start with Starts With, then switch to Contains. Starts With is the usual default and misses names where your distinctive word appears in the middle. A Contains search on your most distinctive word is the pass that finds real conflicts.
  4. Try the All Words and Exact Match modes, and close variants. Check plurals, spacing, and hyphenated versions — Nevada does not treat distinctive lettering, a trademark, or a trade name alone as enough to make two names distinguishable.
  5. Search by officer or registered agent if you need to identify a known company. Nevada offers those modes as well as Entity Number and NV Business ID searches.
  6. If nothing conflicting appears, the name is probably available — but only the state's review of your actual filing is definitive.

Nevada's name rules

The rules are in NRS 86.171 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 86.

Designator. The name must contain "Limited-Liability Company," "Limited Liability Company," "Limited Company," or "Limited," or the abbreviations "Ltd.," "L.L.C.," "L.C.," "LLC," or "LC." The word "Company" may be shortened to "Co." Nevada's list is more permissive than most states — even just "Limited" or "LC" can qualify.

Distinguishable. The name must be distinguishable on the records of the Secretary of State from the names of all other artificial persons formed, organized, registered, or qualified in Nevada, and from all reserved names. That means corporations and partnerships count too, not just other LLCs.

Differences that do not count. A proposed name is not distinguishable solely because it uses distinctive lettering, a distinctive mark, a trademark, or a trade name. There is one useful flip side: the name of a company whose charter has been revoked, which merged out of existence, or which has otherwise terminated is available for someone else to use.

Restricted words. Some words need a regulator's sign-off before the Secretary of State will accept your filing. "Accountant," "accounting," "accountancy," "auditor," and "auditing" require certification from the Nevada State Board of Accountancy. "Bank" and "trust" are restricted to companies actually carrying on banking or trust business, with approval from the Commissioner of Financial Institutions. "Engineer," "engineering," and related terms require certification — or an exemption — from the State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, and architect and insurance wording have their own regulators. If your name touches a licensed profession or financial services, get that approval first.

Reserving a name. Nevada allows name reservations under NRS 86.176: $25 for 90 days. That is shorter than the 120 days many states give, and secondary sources report that a Nevada reservation cannot be renewed — if you need the name longer, be ready to file. A reservation is optional and does not create an LLC.

What the search can't tell you

If the name looks available

File Articles of Organization with the Commercial Recordings Division, online through the state's business portal or by mail or in person. Read the total carefully — Nevada bundles three mandatory charges:

Total to form: $425. Any guide that quotes you "$75 to form a Nevada LLC" is quoting only the first line.

Ongoing: the Annual List plus license renewal.

FAQ

Is the Nevada LLC name search free? Yes. The Secretary of State's Business Entity Search is free. Start from nvsos.gov, because the state has been replacing the old SilverFlume portal with ORION and old bookmarks may redirect.

How much does it really cost to form a Nevada LLC? $425 in state fees on day one: $75 for the Articles of Organization, $150 for the mandatory Initial List, and $200 for the State Business License.

Can I reserve a Nevada LLC name? Yes. A reservation costs $25 and holds the name for 90 days under NRS 86.176. It is optional, and it does not form your LLC.

When is the Nevada Annual List due? By the last day of your anniversary month, every year. It costs $150, and the $200 State Business License renews with it, for $350 total. Filing late adds $175 in penalties.

Are Nevada LLC owners public? Managers and managing members are. Their names and addresses appear on the Initial and Annual Lists, which are part of the searchable public record. Ordinary members of a manager-managed LLC are not listed.

Sources

Run the check now

Use the workflow tool below — it is pre-set to Nevada and builds your printable checklist with the official links.

Name-Check Workflow Tool

Pick your state, choose your entity type, and type the name you want. The tool builds your step-by-step checklist — the official search, the trademark check, the domain check, and your filing options. It runs entirely in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere.