Nevada Business Entity Search

Nevada Business Entity Search makes it possible to lookup existing businesses in the state. Users can employ this service to check details on a business and see their public information and filings. Viewing the business filings is a useful feature for existing businesses as well.

Another great use for the business entity search is checking for name availability. If you’re setting up a new business in Nevada, use this search to check if the name is available. Some additional checks might be needed to look for confusingly similar names. However, the business entity search manages these requirements for the most part.

Accessing And Using Nevada Secretary Of State Business Search

In most states, including Nevada, it is the office of the Secretary of State that handles the business search and entity database. That’s why this feature is also called the Nevada secretary of state business search.

Practically, the search is handled through Nevada’s online business portal, SilverFlume. Nevada has a very detailed business search, so being familiar with the options is very helpful. And while the search page looks like it has countless options, users can keep it simple or detailed depending upon their preferences.

Nevada business lookup has the following search options:

Additionally, the page offers Nevada Marks search and Advanced Search. The latter is explained in the sections below.



Other than business entities, the Silverflume entity search also includes trademarks, trade names, service marks, reserved names, and business licenses. Many of these are covered under the “marks search”.

It is possible to use these sections individually, so the complexity isn’t anything to be worried about. Though the form shows all available options, it is up to the user to select what choice to use. For example, if you’re comfortable with name search, you don’t necessarily need to use advanced options, entity number, or other characteristics.

Nevada Business Name Search

Nevada business lookup using its name is often the most convenient option. It’s also the most useful choice for name availability search for your LLC or any other business entity. As noted, there are four available options for this search. We’ll explain them here.

  • Starts With: This is the most useful option when you know the starting of the business name you’re looking for. It doesn’t require the full name of the business and will deliver the most relevant results to the search query. However, the search query must match the beginning of the entity names for results to be displayed.
  • Contains: With this option, the search tool looks for the presence of the search term in the name of a business entity. Where the query appears is not important, as long as there are business entities that have it in their names.
  • Exact Match: As the name implies, this is an exact search. This requires entering the full name of a business entity. The search term must match the name of the entity for results to be displayed.
  • All Words: With this choice, the search tool shows results only if all words included in the query are found in the business entity name.

Using Other Business Entity Search Options

Apart from the name search, Nevada Business Entity Search also offers other search options that are listed above. Here’s how you can use these search options.

  • Entity Number: Conduct a search using the unique entity number of a business entity.
  • NV Business ID: This is very similar to the entity number search, except this time the user will enter the NV Business ID. This is an exact search and the result will include only the entity associated with the business ID.
  • Officer Name: Search for a business entity using the name of an officer in the business. This option may have multiple results as a person may act as an officer in several companies. Additionally, there may be more than one person with the same name.
  • Nevada Registered Agent: This option is the same as the officer name search. Except, in this case, the search query is the registered agent for the business entity.

Employing Advanced Search Option To Manage Results

SilverFlume includes advanced search options that make it easier to manage the results and make the search more streamlined. The options available here are:

  • All: Show search results across all categories.
  • Show Only Business Entity Information.
  • Show Only Mark Information.
  • Type: Limit the search to a specific entity type or to a specific mark type. For example, you could limit the search to only include domestic LLC, or foreign corporations, or trademarks, and so on.
  • Status: Limit results to a specific entity status. These include active, inactive, withdrawn, etc.

Working With Search Results

If your Nevada Business Entity Search has relevant results, they will be displayed in a tabular form. The information available on this page includes entity name, entity number, status, filing date, NV business ID, and an option to “manage this business”. If the search is related to marks, the Mark Number will be displayed instead of the entity number.

Clicking on the name of the entity will take you to a page with more details on the business entity. These include basic information like entity name, date, type, registered agent, and more.

You’ll also find information on entity officers, current shares, filing history, name history, and mergers/conversions.

Nevada LLC Name Search Through Entity Search

If you’re looking to confirm a name for your business entity, using entity search is the first step to take. Start with the names you’re considering for your new Nevada LLC. Enter the proposed name(s) for the business name search. 

This way, the results will show if the chosen name is already registered with a business entity, or if confusingly similar names exist. While entity search isn’t a foolproof way to find a name for your business, it’s an excellent first step in due diligence and eliminating any potential naming troubles.

How To Reserve A Business Name In Nevada

Nevada is a very popular state for forming a business. As such, a very large number of businesses are registered in the state and more are registered every day. Given that a business name is usually required to be unique and distinguishable, it can be troublesome to find a name that’s attractive, unique and not confusingly similar to other entities.

So, if you find a name that fits these categories, you may want to grab hold of the business name as soon as possible. Name reservation allows you to do just that, without having to go through setting up a business. This can be useful in several scenarios, including setting up logistics, administration, or any other requirement for your business.

Also, a name reservation doesn’t mean that you can do business with the reserved name. It is necessary to register the company before you can do business. 

Is It Mandatory To Reserve A Business Name In Nevada?

No, Nevada doesn’t mandate a business name reservation. This is entirely an optional exercise that can benefit entrepreneurs. In the same vein, if you’re not concerned about name availability, you don’t have to spend time and resources on name reservation.

How Long Does Name Reservation Last In NV And What Does It Cost?

Once the NV Secretary of State accepts the name reservation request, the name is reserved for 90 days. If necessary, you can renew your name reservation for as long as you want.

The filing fee for a name reservation request is $25. Renewals too cost $25.

Reserving A Business Name In Nevada

NV allows filing the name reservation form online or using a paper form.

Online filings can be completed using the state’s SilverFlume portal. Users need to create a free account for using this system. This is the preferred option since it’s faster and more convenient. Online filing also automatically checks the name for uniqueness while you enter it. This can potentially save a lot of time and money.

 Once you’ve registered on SilverFlume, look for the option to “Reserve Your Entity Name” and proceed with the reservation.

Paper filings require downloading and completing the Name Reservation Request. This form is available on the NV SOS website under the All Business Forms section. For paper forms, the $25 filing fee can be paid using a check made payable to “Secretary of State”. Those who prefer to pay using a Credit Card should also send the ePayment Checklist with relevant details added.

All paper filings must be accompanied by Customer Order Forms. Amongst others, these forms also include the option to choose expedited filing. Using expedited filing requires additional charges, but reduces the processing time. Currently, expedited service options cost $50 for 24-hour service, $500 for 2-hour service, and $1000 for one-hour service.

Nevada SOS website offers a complete packet including necessary forms for name reservation requests.

Once completed, you can mail or deliver regular service forms to:

202 North Carson Street,
Carson City,
NV 89701.

When filing for name reservation in Nevada, check that your chosen name meets all necessary requirements and restrictions for naming a business in NV. It’s also useful to do a Nevada Business Entity Search to make sure that the chosen name is unique and distinguishable.