Start an LLC in Nebraska
Use our free business tools below to complete your Nebraska LLC Certificate of Organization. This is the document you file directly with the Nebraska Secretary of State to form your LLC.
If you want more, hire us to form your LLC in Nebraska for just $39 + state fees. We’ll get your business stood up in minutes with a free domain, website, email, business phone, and more.
How to Start an LLC in Nebraska
A Nebraska limited liability company (LLC) offers legal separation between a business and its owners. It costs $100-$110 to file your Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State, which is the legal document that officially forms your LLC. You can tackle the paperwork yourself, or hire someone like Northwest to do it for you. Once the paperwork is submitted, you’ll need to do a few other things to secure your privacy and limited liability protection.
Here’s everything you need to do to get your Nebraska LLC up and running.
1. Name Your LLC
When you file formation paperwork with the state, you decide on your official LLC name. Before you settle on what to call the business, you’ll need to make sure it hits all the requirements of a Nebraska LLC name. These requirements are listed in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 21-108.
Essentially, your Nebraska LLC name needs to:
- Contain the words “limited liability company” or an abbreviation like LLC or Ltd. Co.
- Be unique among registered business names in Nebraska. This means your name can’t be the same as any other business registered in Nebraska.
Have a name in mind? You can do a Nebraska business name search to see if it’s available.
Tip: You can reserve a business name for 120 days if you file the Application for Reservation of a Limited Liability Company Name. It costs $30.
2. Register Your Domain Name
A good business name can help you choose a good domain name. A domain name, or a website address, usually matches or compliments your company’s legal name. This makes your website seem safe and professional. Registering your domain name early can give you peace of mind to build your virtual presence at your own pace.
Being in business means being in contact with the public—vendors, clients, and customers. Once you have a domain name, you can get a business email address. A professional email address makes your business seem trustworthy. Plus, it bolsters your privacy to not give out your personal email.
Tip: You get a domain name and business email address free for a year when we start your Nebraska LLC for you.
3. File Nebraska Certificate of Organization
The Certificate of Organization is the formation document you submit to the Nebraska Secretary of State to start your Nebraska LLC.
Nebraska is unusual in that they don’t offer a standard form to download and fill out. Instead, you have to create your own document or use a template (like the one we provide at the top of this page) that meets Nebraska’s requirements.
The Certificate of Organization costs $110 if you file in person or by mail. It costs $100 if you file online. All the information on your Certificate is part of the public record, meaning anyone can access it.
When filing your Nebraska LLC, you need to include your:
Remember, your business name needs to use a qualifier like LLC or Limited and be unique, which means no other registered business in Nebraska have the same name as you.
This is your Nebraska business address. You can put your physical office address, or you can put our address if we’re your registered agent. If your mailing address is different, add that, too.
Your initial agent is the person or company who accepts legal and state mail on your LLC’s behalf. Most states call this a registered agent.
Your Nebraska registered agent has to keep regular business hours at a local Nebraska address to accept legal mail on your behalf.
When you’re adding your initial agent’s information, you’ll need to include their:
- Full legal name (can be a business name if using a registered agent service)
- Nebraska street address
- Mailing address, if different from above
You can do this yourself, have a person at your company do it, or hire a Nebraska registered agent. It’s free to do it yourself, but then you run the risk of missing important mail (like a lawsuit) or—maybe worse—being served in front of customers or clients. Plus, you’ll have to put your personal information on a public-facing document, whereas with a service like Northwest, you can use ours instead.
If your LLC will offer a service that requires a state license, list the type of service here. You will need to have the proper licenses in order to conduct business as a PLLC. The organization in charge of your profession (called a regulatory body) will need to give you a Certificate of Registration for you to submit to the Secretary of State.
Sometimes called a company applicant, this is whoever signs and submits your Certificate of Organization. It can be you, a business partner, or even someone outside of your LLC. If you hire a formation service, it’d be them.
This is the bare minimum information you need to include on a Certificate of Organization in Nebraska. But you can add other items, including a delayed effective date. This will postpone the day your LLC starts.
How do you file Nebraska Certificate of Organization?
You can file your Certificate online (for $100) or by mail/in person (for $110). It takes 1-2 business days for your Certificate of Organization to be processed.
Online:
Nebraska’s eDelivery System
(You’ll need to upload a signed PDF).
Mail:
Nebraska Secretary of State
P.O. Box 94608
Lincoln, NE 68509
In Person:
Nebraska Secretary of State
Business Services
1201 N Street, Suite 120
Lincoln, NE 68509
4. Publish Your LLC
The Nebraska publishing requirement means all that information you put in your Certificate of Organization needs to be published in the paper so everyone may see it. This should be published in a local newspaper (as in, near your physical office space or designated office address) for three weeks.
After three weeks, the paper will send you an Affidavit of Publication. This is proof of publication, which you submit to the Nebraska Secretary of State.
How do I file my affidavit of publication?
Some newspapers will send you one automatically, some will file for you, and some will forget all about it. It’s important to follow up once your three weeks are up to make sure you’re on their radar.
Once you’ve got it, the process is easy. Just submit the affidavit to the Secretary of State online via PDF for $25 or send it through the mail with a money order for $30.
5. Adopt an Operating Agreement
Operating agreements are not required by law in Nebraska, though you might need one to open a business bank account. Nearly all businesses choose to adopt an operating agreement even though it’s not required, because it sets clear rules and processes. For example, an operating agreement can establish how to conduct voting, distributing losses, and even dissolving the business. Without an operating agreement, your business is vulnerable to legal trouble.
Tip: You don’t have to be a lawyer to write an operating agreement. That said, we know it helps. So we had our attorneys draft a Nebraska operating agreement for you to use.
6. Get an EIN & a Bank Account
Employer Identification Numbers (EIN) are assigned by the IRS and work like a Social Security Number for the business. Without one, you’ll have to put your own SSN on things like vendor documents and loan applications.
To get an EIN, just file Form SS-4 with the IRS. Alternatively, give us a shout and we’ll get your EIN for you.
EINs are legally required if you are a multi-member LLC, have employees, or are taxed as a corporation. Plus, you need an EIN to open a business bank account.
Not opening a business bank account can result in losing your limited liability status, which risks losing personal assets if your business gets sued. To open a bank account, you’ll need your:
- EIN
- Operating Agreement
- Nebraska LLC Certificate of Formation (a copy is fine)
- LLC Resolution to Open a Bank Account (if your LLC has multiple members)
Tip: If you don’t have a Social Security Number, you can call the IRS and file a paper application to get an EIN.
7. File Biennial Report
Every other year, Nebraska LLCs need to file a biennial report. This report tells the state who owns your LLC and how to get in touch with your business. It only costs $10 to file.
Biennial reports are due by April 1st and are considered delinquent on June 2nd. That means if you forget to file before June 2nd, your business will be administratively dissolved. Big yikes! If you’re worried about remembering, you can hire us to file your Nebraska Biennial Report for you.
8. File Your BOI Report
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) asks most LLCs, including those in Nebraska, to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report within 90 days of forming their business. The BOI Report tells the federal government who owns and influences the business. It’s free to file, and you only need to file amendments if the information reported changes, like if you get a new owner. File online, or you can hire us to file the BOI report for you.
*This is informational commentary, not advice. This information is intended strictly for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel. This information is not intended to create, nor does your receipt, viewing, or use of it constitute, an attorney-client relationship. More information is available in our Terms of Service.
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