Assumed-Name (DBA) Registration Requirements in Nevada
At a glance
| Governing law and scheme | NRS ch. 602 — county-by-county assumed/fictitious-name certificates; statewide rules with optional county renewal ordinance |
|---|---|
| Who must register | Every person using a name different from the legal name of each owner; registered limited partnerships under ch. 87A or 88 are exempt (§§ 602.010, 602.080) |
| Filing office | County clerk of every Nevada county where the business is conducted (§ 602.010(1)) |
| Filing deadline | No later than 1 month after starting business under the name; filing before starting is allowed (§§ 602.010(2), 602.030) |
| Publication requirement | None for the registrant. If a county adopts five-year expiration, the county clerk—not the business—publishes and mails notice of the new renewal requirement (§ 602.035(4)) |
| Filing fee | $20 base county-clerk fee, plus an optional county additional fee up to $5; total statutory range $20–$25 (§ 19.013(1)–(2)) |
| Term and renewal | County-specific: a county may make certificates expire after 5 years; if it does, renew by expiration and each renewal lasts 5 years. Without such an ordinance, ch. 602 sets no expiration (§ 602.035) |
| Name exclusivity | No general exclusivity or ownership grant; the clerk rejects names that imitate government or violate the natural-person-name rule (§ 602.017) |
| Penalty for noncompliance | Cannot start or maintain an action arising from the DBA business until the certificate is filed; doing business without compliance is also a misdemeanor (§§ 602.070, 602.090) |
Requirements one by one
File in every county where the business operates
Under § 602.010, every person using a business name that differs from the legal name of each owner must file a certificate. It goes to the county clerk in each county where the business is conducted, so one Nevada filing does not automatically cover operations in another county. Registered limited partnerships formed or registered under Chapters 87A or 88 are exempt under § 602.080.
The certificate must be signed and ordinarily notarized. Under § 602.020(2)(b), a county may adopt an ordinance allowing filing without notarization. The statewide deadline is one month after starting business under the name, although § 602.010 permits filing before the business opens.
Fee and renewal depend partly on the county
The base county-clerk charge under § 19.013(1) is $20. Under § 19.013(2), a county may add a fee of up to $5, and § 19.013(2)(c) applies that add-on to an assumed-name certificate or renewal. The statutory range is therefore $20 to $25.
Nevada does not impose one universal expiration date. Under § 602.035, a county commission may adopt an ordinance making certificates expire after five years. In a county that does so, the owner must renew by expiration and each renewal lasts another five years. In a county without that ordinance, Chapter 602 sets no expiration.
There is no filer publication requirement
The business does not have to publish the DBA in a newspaper. Section 602.035 does mention publication, but assigns it to the county clerk: when a county first adopts the optional five-year-expiration ordinance, the clerk publishes and mails notice to people with certificates already on file. It is not a four-week advertising step for a new registrant.
Name screening is not exclusive ownership
Chapter 602 does not grant ownership of the DBA. Under § 602.017, the county clerk rejects a name that imitates a government or improperly appears to be a natural person's name. A name that appears to be a person's name is allowed only if added words signal that it is not a natural person. The chapter creates no general uniqueness or trademark adjudication.
Noncompliance blocks suit and is a misdemeanor
Under § 602.070, a noncompliant business or its assignee cannot start or maintain an action on a contract, transaction, or claim arising from the DBA business until the required certificate is filed. Separately, § 602.090 makes doing business without compliance a misdemeanor.
What trips people up
- Each operating county needs its own certificate. Filing in Clark County does not satisfy § 602.010 for a separate operation conducted in Washoe County.
- The five-year term is optional by county ordinance. Do not assume a statewide renewal cycle. Check the filing county's current instructions.
- The notary rule can also vary locally. The default is notarization, but a county ordinance may allow an unnotarized certificate.
- The filing is not a legal name change. Under § 602.085, Chapter 602 does not authorize a natural person to change a personal legal name.
Common questions
Can I file before I start using the name?
Yes. Section 602.010 expressly permits filing before business begins. If you do not file early, § 602.030 sets the outside deadline at one month after starting.
Must I publish the DBA in a newspaper?
No. The only publication in Chapter 602 is notice published by the county clerk after the county adopts an optional five-year-expiration ordinance.
Does every Nevada DBA expire after five years?
No. A five-year term applies only if the county commission has adopted the ordinance authorized by § 602.035.
What if I operate in two counties?
File with both county clerks. Section 602.010 requires filing in each county in which the business is conducted.
Statutes and sources
- Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 602.010, 602.017, 602.020, and 602.030 — who files, every-county office, restricted names, certificate execution, notary option, advance filing, and one-month deadline. Official Chapter 602 (accessed 2026-08-17).
- Nev. Rev. Stat. § 602.035 — optional county five-year expiration, renewal, and clerk publication/mail notice. Official Chapter 602 (accessed 2026-08-17).
- Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 602.070, 602.080, 602.085, and 602.090 — court-access bar, limited-partnership exemption, legal-name-change boundary, and misdemeanor. Official Chapter 602 (accessed 2026-08-17).
- Nev. Rev. Stat. § 19.013 — $20 base clerk fee and optional additional fee up to $5. Official Chapter 19 (accessed 2026-08-17).
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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