The $425 state fee, the paperwork, the registered agent requirement — here's exactly what it costs, how long it takes, and the fastest legitimate path to an approved LLC.
Nevada's formation fee is one of the highest in the country, and the yearly costs don't stop there. Get the order right and you're filed within a couple weeks, going in with eyes open on price.
Must include "LLC" or "L.L.C." — run it through the Nevada Secretary of State's free business name search first, since a taken name is the #1 reason filings bounce.
Required under Nevada law. Needs a real Nevada street address, staffed during business hours — no P.O. boxes.
Filed online or by mail with the Nevada Secretary of State, along with the $425 state fee — one of the priciest formation fees in the country. This is the step that makes it official.
Free straight from the IRS — you'll need it before a bank will let you open a business account.
Nevada's ongoing costs are steep: an Annual List of Managers/Members ($150) plus a State Business License ($200) — about $350/year combined — both due by the end of your anniversary month. Skip either and Nevada can revoke your LLC's good standing.
Northwest handles all five steps above and includes your Nevada registered agent free for year one.
Wrong entity designator, missing registered agent info, and surprise annual costs account for most bounced filings and unhappy year-two owners. Here's what changes with a formation service handling it — especially useful given Nevada's steep combined filing and annual costs.
| What matters | Filing it yourself | Using a formation service |
|---|---|---|
| Time spent | 3–5 hours of research + filing | ~10 minutes |
| Total cost | $425 state fee only | $425 state fee + service fee |
| Registered agent | Separate purchase, $100–$300/yr | Often included year one |
| Annual cost tracking | You track the ~$350/yr manually | Automated deadline alerts |
| Rejection risk | Common on first attempt | Reviewed before submission |
Northwest handles the filing, includes your registered agent for the first year, and keeps track of Nevada's two recurring annual costs — the List of Managers/Members and the State Business License — so nothing slips through.
Files your Articles of Organization directly with the Nevada Secretary of State, includes a Nevada-address registered agent for the first year at no extra cost, and flags Nevada's roughly $350/year in combined Annual List and Business License costs before they catch you off guard.
"Filed on a Tuesday, approved within the week. Didn't expect the registered agent to already be set up when the confirmation came through."
"I knew the $425 filing fee was steep, but nobody warned me about the annual List and Business License costs until I read the fine print. Glad the service flagged it upfront."
"No state income tax is nice, but the yearly List and Business License fees add up fast. Worth knowing before you file, not after."
Northwest Registered Agent, $39 plus your $425 state fee, no long-term contract.