How to Form an LLC in Nebraska in 7 Steps
Forming a Nebraska limited liability company (LLC) involves many steps including naming your LLC, choosing a registered agent, filing a certificate of organization, publishing a notice of organization, applying for an EIN, and setting up business and tax accounts.
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Are you interested in forming a Nebraska limited liability company? A limited liability company (LLC) is a business entity that many small business owners favor for liability protection and pass-through taxation. Here is a step-by-step guide to setting up your Nebraska business as an LLC.
Steps to Form an LLC in Nebraska
Name Your LLC
Nebraska has a few requirements for naming your LLC under Neb. Rev. Stat. §21-108. The name must be different from any other business name operating in Nebraska and have the ending “limited liability company” or an abbreviation such as:
- Limited Company
- L.L.C.
- LLC
- LC
- Ltd. Co.
The LLC name cannot use any variation of the word “corporation.” It cannot use obscene language or claim a profession or business affiliation that does not exist.
Check the Secretary of State’s Name Database. First, search the Secretary of State business entity search page to make sure that your chosen name isn’t already in use by an existing company. This search is just a preliminary step to the state filing. You still need to go through the registration process to get your name approved by the state.
Reserve Your Business Name. Under Nev. Rev. Stat. §21-109, Nebraska allows you to reserve a business name for 120 days during your LLC formation process. Reserving a name is not a guarantee that your name will be approved, but it keeps anyone else from using it for that time. The name reservation fee is $30.
Protect Your Business Name. Next, make sure that no one else can use your business name. You can do this by reserving a domain name and/or trademarking your name.
- Domain Name. Do a name search on the internet to determine that your internet domain name is available. Registering the business domain name to protect your name is worth the nominal fee.
- Trademark. If you want to protect your trade name or brand, trademark the name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Although it may take time and money, it will keep others from infringing on your brand. Once you receive your federal trademark, you can register it as a Nebraska trademark or service mark. You can also apply for a trademark or service mark directly with the Nebraska Secretary of State. You do not need a federal trademark.
Get a Registered Agent
Under Neb. Rev. Stat. §21-113 the State of Nebraska requires an LLC to have a registered agent for service of process before formally filing with the state. A registered agent receives process (legal documents) on behalf of the LLC.
A Nebraska registered agent must be an individual or a company with a physical Nebraska street address. A registered office can’t use a P.O. Box.
Because the registered agent must personally receive service at that registered address during business hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, some business owners pay a registered agent service company to serve as the registered agent.
File Your Certificate of Organization
The Nebraska Secretary of State has an e-Delivery online business services portal. The portal allows you to download, complete and sign a certificate of organization for your LLC. You upload the certificate and pay the filing fees with a credit card. You can create a Nebraska.gov subscriber account if you think you will process more than one transaction. The cost to file a certificate of organization online is $100. If submitted in person, the fee is $110. There is a $2 convenience fee if using a credit card.
To start an LLC, per Neb. Rev. Stat, §21-117, your certificate of organization must contain the following:
- LLC company name and mailing address
- Members of the company
- Name and street address of the registered agent
- If it is a professional LLC (PLLC), list the type of profession and the licensed members
- The effective date of the LLC
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Note, once you register your LLC there is a publication requirement in Nebraska. In Nebraska, all new LLCs must:
- Publish a notice of organization in a newspaper of general circulation near the company’s principal place of business.
- Run the notice for a minimum of three consecutive weeks, after which the newspaper will send you a Proof of Publication.
- File the Proof of Publication with the Secretary of State.
Draft an Operating Agreement
An LLC operating agreement is similar to bylaws for a corporation. It sets forth the business structure and rules of how the LLC will operate. Nebraska does not require proof of an operating agreement; however, you may want to draft one for other reasons.
When opening a business bank account or taking out a loan, the bank may want to see your operating agreement and certificate of organization. Additionally, if you’re going to attract new members or sell the LLC, you will need an operating agreement.
An operating agreement can be relatively simple and set forth:
- Members’ names and their percentage of ownership
- Voting rights and when meetings occur
- Powers and duties of members and managers
- Profits and loss distribution methods
- Procedures for holding meetings
- How interest in the LLC is transferred (i.e., buyout, buy-sell agreements, transfer on death)
Get an EIN (Employer Identification Number)
You may or may not need to apply for a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) with the Internal Revenue Service. An EIN is a taxpayer identification number for your business similar to a Social Security number for a person. However, if you have employees, or the LLC has more than one member, the LLC must have its own EIN. You apply for the EIN on the IRS website.
Set Up Business and Tax Accounts
Any new business has state and federal obligations for registering the business and paying taxes. A Nebraska LLC is no different. However, in addition to the business registrations and tax accounts, Nebraska has two unique requirements:
- Publication Requirement. As mentioned above, all newly formed LLCs publish a notice of organization in a newspaper for three consecutive weeks. After the newspaper sends you the Proof of Publication, you file it with the Secretary of State.
- Biennial Reports. Nebraska LLCs must file a biennial report with the Secretary of State in odd-numbered years to remain in good standing. The biennial reports are due on the odd-numbered years following your date of organization.
Check for Additional Federal or State Requirements
Check state and federal websites to determine if there are any specific rules for your business. For example, some LLCs may have to file a Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR) with FinCEN. Under current law, LLCs created in the United States are “domestic reporting companies” and are exempt from the BOIR requirement.
However, laws may change, so stay up to date with state and federal requirements.
Business and Tax Requirements in Nebraska
When you start a business and hire employees you must pay taxes and withholdings. Additionally, depending on your business you need business licenses and permits.
State Business Tax
When you start a business in Nebraska, you may need to register your new business online with the Nebraska Department of Revenue. Your state taxes depend on how you structure your L.L.C. Single-member LLCs treated as “disregarded entities” for federal tax purposes have profits and losses reported on individual tax returns. This pass-through taxation is true as well for multi-member LLCs. If you elect your LLC to be a C-Corp, you pay a state corporate tax on LLC profits.
State Employer Tax
You must establish an employer account if you plan to have employees in your LLC. You can register online with the Nebraska Department of Labor. As an employer, you must:
- Withhold taxes – set up an income tax withholding account
- Pay unemployment insurance – set up an unemployment insurance tax account
- Carry workers’ compensation insurance
Sales and Use Taxes
A sales tax applies if your company sells anything. The Nebraska sales tax is 5.5%. The purchaser pays the tax, and you, as the seller collect and remit the tax to the state. Register your business and set up a Nebraska sales and use tax account with the Department of Revenue.
Business License and Permits
Depending on the type of business, you may need to apply for specific business licenses or permits. Check the Nebraska business licensing website and your town and county offices to determine your requirements.
Registration in Other States
If you want to operate your LLC in another state, you must register your LLC to do business in that state as a foreign LLC and pay their state fees. You may also have to set up tax and employer accounts in that state.
Biennial Requirements in Nebraska
To keep your Nebraska LLC in good standing, file the biennial reports. Nebraska LLCs must file a biennial report with the Secretary of State in odd-numbered years from the formation date of your LLC to remain in good standing. So, for example, if you formed your LLC in 2022, the next biennial report is due in 2023. If you created your LLC in 2023 or 2024, your next biennial report is due in 2025.
File the report anytime from January 2nd to April 1st of the biennial year. Missing the reporting deadline will jeopardize your LLC, causing it to lapse.
FAQs About Nebraska LLC Formation
The fee for an LLC filing is $110 if you file at the Secretary of State’s office. If filing online, the fee is $100.
Nebraska LLCs must file a biennial report with the Secretary of State in odd-numbered years to remain in good standing. If you make any changes to your LLC, for example, changing your registered agent or registered office address, you will file an amendment which is $25 if filed online and $30 if in writing.
Single-member LLC. A single-member LLC (SMLLC) is owned by one member. The procedure for filing an SMLLC is the same as a multi-member LLC.
Multi-member LLC. A multi-member LLC has more than one owner or "members." A manager-member can be one person or a group operating the LLC.
Professional LLC. A professional LLC (PLLC) comprises licensed professionals running the business. To set up a PLLC, the members get a certificate of registration from the state licensing agency for their profession. The professionals submit the certificate of registration with the LLC certificate of organization.
A certificate of organization proves you created your LLC according to Nebraska state law and confirms the date of formation. A bank may request one to open business bank accounts or set up merchant accounts for credit card transactions. You can request a copy of your certificate of organization from the Nebraska Secretary of State. The cost is $0.45/page.
A certificate of good standing certifies your LLC complies with Nebraska’s reporting and tax obligations. This certificate is a step up from merely confirming you have a Nebraska LLC. If you are registering your LLC to do business in another state or attracting members to join your LLC, you will need a certificate of good standing. Banks may want to see it if loaning money or giving you a line of credit.
Order the certificate of good standing from the Nebraska Secretary of State for a $6.50 fee if online. It is $10 if you want a paper certificate mailed in 2-3 business days.
To set up a Nebraska LLC, you need:
- A business name for your LLC
- A registered agent
- A registered office
- Payment of a $100 filing fee
- To publish in Nebraska newspaper for three consecutive weeks
LLC is a business structure that is favored by many entrepreneurs because:
- Members’ personal assets are shielded from business debts and claims
- LLCs have fewer reporting and recordkeeping requirements than corporations
- LLCs can be used as pass-through entities, avoiding double-taxation on the corporate and individual level
Nebraska requires you to file a biennial report every odd year after your LLC’s formation date. Stay up to date with the biennial filing, or you may lose your status as an LLC.
The certificate of organization (called the articles of organization in other states) is the document filed with the Secretary of State’s office establishing your LLC. An operating agreement provides a structure for members and managers to run the business. Nebraska does not require an operating agreement as part of LLC formation, but it is helpful to have and may be requested by banks and other companies. Keep a copy of your operating agreement with your LLC formation documents.
Yes. If you are going to do business under a fictitious name or trade name—that is, a "doing business as" or DBA—you must register that name with the Secretary of State. There is a $100 fee to file online. If you submit the registration in the office, the filing fee is $110.
Check with your state and local city or county for specific licenses or permits required to operate your business. For example, if you are opening a restaurant, you may need licenses to serve food and sell it to the public.
Yes. Nebraska offers an e-Delivery business service portal on its website. You can file the certificate of organization with a credit card. The filing fee is $100, with a $2 credit card convenience fee.
However, since Nebraska has some additional LLC formation requirements, some busy business owners use a business formation services company to handle the filings, registrations, and publication requirements.
The mailing address for the Nebraska Secretary of State is:
Nebraska Secretary of State
PO Box 94608
Lincoln, NE 68509-4608
The physical address is:
1201 N. Street, Suite 120
Lincoln, NE 68508
Registered agent service companies not only handle LLC formation services, but they can keep your LLC compliant with the Nebraska Secretary of State. Many business owners use professional service companies for the following reasons:
- Keeping your business activities private. The registered agent’s office address is the point of contact, so any lawsuits or service of process go to them, not your business address.
- Maintaining compliance with state law. Registered agents notify and remind you of important filing deadlines, such as the biennial report. Missed deadlines are expensive and can risk your LLC’s good standing with the state.
- Helping with administrative tasks. The registered agents can obtain the business documents you need, such as a copy of your certificate of organization or certificate of good standing.
A domestic LLC in Nebraska is an LLC formed in Nebraska. When you file a certificate of organization, and the Secretary of State’s office accepts it, you have a domestic LLC.
If you want to do business in another state, you register your Nebraska LLC name as a foreign LLC in that state. You may need to prove your business complies with Nebraska state obligations by showing a certificate of good standing. You can order this certificate of good standing online with the Nebraska Secretary of State for a $6.50 fee if online and $10 if you want a paper certificate mailed to you in 2-3 business days.
Suppose you have an LLC in another state and want to do business in Nebraska. In that case, you should file an Application for Certificate of Authority Foreign Limited Liability Company if filing in person. The filing fee is $110. You can also use the corporate document eDelivery site to qualify a foreign entity. The online filing fee is $100.
If you no longer want to operate your LLC in Nebraska, you should follow the procedures outlined in your operating agreement. Close your business tax account and file a Statement of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State. The fee for online/eDelivery is $25. The in-person fee is $30.
An anonymous LLC does not disclose LLC members’ names in the articles of organization. Only Delaware, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming offer true anonymous LLC formation. However, some entrepreneurs with privacy concerns use professional registered agent services for their registered agent office address.
Disclaimer: The information presented here does not constitute legal advice or representation. It is general and educational in nature, may not reflect all recent legal developments, and may not apply to your unique facts and circumstances. Consider consulting with a qualified business attorney if you have legal questions.
How to Start an LLC in Other U.S. States
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