How to Start an LLC in Nebraska

Nebraska is ranked high consistently as one of the top states for business due to its friendly business environment and low cost of doing business. Starting an LLC in Nebraska is a straightforward process and this guide will help provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to get your business up and running as quickly as possible.

What are the benefits of an LLC?

• LLCs provide liability protection for business owners, meaning that the owners’ assets will not be at risk.
• Easy to set up and manage
• One person may form an LLC

When do you need to form an LLC?

If you are exploring starting a business or perhaps you are already in business as a sole proprietor it is a good idea to form an LLC. If you are operating a business without an LLC you could be placing yourself and your personal assets at risk. 

While it is not required to form an LLC before starting a business the benefits include accounting and tax standardization, limited liability risk right away, and it will be easier to stay organized since all of your business-related expenses will be tied to one business bank account.

Step 1: Choose your company name

The first step in starting an LLC is to select a business name. It is essential to choose a business name that is unique from existing entities.

Perform a Nebraska business name search

The Nebraska Secretary of State maintains a database of business entities registered in Nebraska that is free for the public to search.

Naming considerations

Your Nebraska LLC must contain the words Limited Liability Company or include the abbreviation L.L.C. or LLC. Prefixes, suffixes, and plural versions of an existing entity name do not make it unique.

If you are struggling to come up with a Nebraska LLC name one option is to use a business name generator, which can help come up with hundreds of name suggestions in seconds.

Perform a trademark search

Perform a trademark search before selecting your Nebraska business name. To protect yourself, avoid using a trademarked or similar name to an existing business.

Find out if your proposed business name is available by conducting a trademark search online at the US Patent & Trademark Office. 

If you want to use the same name as another Nebraska or country, check with that jurisdiction to make sure the name is available.

Determine if you want to use a DBA name

A DBA is a registered “Doing Business As” name and can be used instead of the legal LLC business entity name. 

A DBA allows you to have a name for your business that reflects what it does or who its customers are.  Business owners use their company’s DBA names on checks, orders, contracts, and correspondence when doing business.  

Some of the main benefits of a DBA:

• Flexibility: If you have your LLC established, you can use DBA names instead of creating separate entities for each new venture. 
• Branding: A DBA name is easier to brand and identify for customers.
• Expansion: It is easy to file DBAs in different geographical locations to target other customers and appear hyper-focused in your marketing.

You do not need to operate under a DBA if you use your Nebraska business name for all business purposes. However, using a DBA name will not affect your Nebraska LLC name registration.

Register the domain name

Once you decide on a business name, check to make sure that the domain name is available. Sites like Namechk can show you which domain extensions are available for your business name.

Although .com domain names are ideal, as the internet ages extensions like .net, .co, and .biz are becoming more commonplace

Register social media profiles

It is vital to have a solid social media presence in today’s business environment. Be sure to register for your business name on the different social media platforms ahead of time so that no one can sign up for them.

Reserve Nebraska business name

If you have your business name picked out but you need additional time to reserve your business name you can file a name reservation form with the Secretary of State. The name reservation will reserve the name for 120 days and it cost $30 to file. 

Step 2: Register Nebraska LLC

After choosing a name, start the registration process online at the Nebraska Secretary of State website.

Registering your LLC in Nebraska is a fairly straightforward and quick process:

Select a registered agent

A registered agent is an individual point of contact for Nebraska designated to receive official correspondence from the Nebraska Secretary of State.

A registered agent is required for a Nebraska LLC. If you are not personally going to be your Nebraska  LLC’s registered agent, find a substitute Nebraska resident or company to serve in this role. 

Be sure that the registered agent’s address is included in all your business documents and correspondence if you intend to use a different registered office.

What are Nebraska registered agent requirements?

A Nebraska registered agent:

• must be over the age of 18
• have a physical street address in Nebraska
• be available during normal business hours

How to register

Once you have selected a registered agent you can proceed to file your Nebraska LLC through the Nebraska Secretary of State website. 

You will need to download the Certificate of Organization form and fill it out and then file the LLC electronically

The LLC form is easy to fill out and requires the following information:

• Name of the LLC
• Address
• Registered Agent Information
• Purpose

Step 3: Next steps after filing Nebraska LLC

Apply for an EIN

The IRS requires each LLC to have its own unique employer identification number. The Internal Revenue Service website can generate a federal tax identification number.

Start a business bank account

A business bank account is required for LLCs to start conducting business. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you start a low-risk bank account such as Nebraska bank ) to start receiving income and paying any start-up expenses.

After the LLC has been established, your business bank account will be used for payroll, payment of bills, a deposit of earnings from your business, and any other financial transactions your business may have.

Back office tasks such as bookkeeping can also be performed on your start-up bank account to keep start-up costs low.

Apply for a business license and permits

If you are planning on selling goods or services in the Nebraska of Nebraska you will want to look into whether or not the city or industry requires a particular business license.

The best way to get more information on the different license requirements throughout the state is to visit Nebraska.gov.

Prepare an LLC operating agreement

An operating agreement is a contract between the LLC owners that lays out the financial and functional decisions of how a Nebraska LLC will be managed by its owners. An operating agreement is needed if there are multiple business owners of a Nebraska LLC.

An operating agreement can be as simple or in-depth as desired, but it is important to have one in writing before starting any significant operations within the business.

File annual report

Nebraska requires Domestic and Foreign LLCs to file annual reports in the even-numbered years by March 1.

How much does it cost to file a Nebraska LLC?

The Nebraska filing fee for a Domestic LLC in Nebraska is $110 in person or $100 online.  You can get a full list of fees for all of the business forms by visiting the forms and fees page on Nebraska.gov.

Recommended LLC formation services

• Northwest Registered Agent: Started as a registered agent service but expanded into business formations and offered additional professional services like mail forwarding and virtual business address services.

• ZenBusiness: Another recommended online business formation platform that can help set up an LLC in Arizona. They offer a full suite of services for new business owners, including operating agreements, business websites, domain names, and more.

• Bizee: A top online incorporation service provider in the market that offers various business filing services like LLC formation, Registered Agent, State Filings, and Compliance Filings.

Nebraska LLC FAQs