Knowledge Base

All City of Reno forms necessary in applying for a business license may be obtained at the business license office (City Hall, 1 East First Street, 2nd Floor), by phone 775-334-2090 or from this website.

All fees will be collected when the application is submitted. All accounts with the City must be kept current. Delinquent City accounts can lead to revocation of your business license.

If you are applying for a business license and your operation handles food, please check with the Industrial Waste Section 775-334-3115 to find out if the building meets Reno Municipal Code requirements. This applies to new business license applications, a transfer of an existing business license to a new location, and when you are taking over an existing business.

Before your City of Reno business license is issued, the following clearances and approvals are required. Items 1 through 3 MUST accompany your application. Items 4 through 10 MUST be obtained before you commence business and the license is issued.

  1. Proof of Fictitious Name Registration . Located at 75 Court Street, Reno , Nevada . Filing is available online or in person. If you are using a business name other than your first and last name, you must file that name with the Washoe County Clerk's Office. This is not necessary if your business is a Corporation, LLC, Limited Partnership, etc. and has been registered with the Secretary of State. If you are going to use a business name other than your Corporate name, or a DBA (Doing Business As) that must also be filed as a fictitious firm name. For additional information, call 775.328.3270.
  2. Proof of State Business License . Located at 202 N. Carson St. , Carson City , Nevada . Filing is available online or in person. For additional information, call 775-684-5708.
  3. Proof of appropriate industrial insurance. Call the Industrial Insurance Regulation Section at 775-684-7270.
  4. Zoning approval by the City Planning Department.
  5. Inspection and approval by the Fire Department. (All commercial locations must be inspected. Inspection fees will be billed to you.)
  6. Permit from the Department of Building & Safety may be required for signage. Please be aware that approvals cannot start until all outstanding building permits are completed and closed. Call 775-334-2063 for information.
  7. Washoe County Health Department for those establishments offering any food or drink products to be sold for human consumption. Call 775-328-2400 for information.
  8. A State Certificate is required for employment agencies and banking/lending companies requiring State registration. Call 775-687-4850 for information.
  9. Police Department and City Council approval on regulatory-privilege licenses.
  10. Bonds are required for Carnivals, Circuses, Escort Bureaus, Outcall Service, Pawnbrokers and Second Hand Merchandise.

Note: Planning Department and Fire Department approvals are coordinated by the business license staff, however the applicant is responsible for obtaining all necessary approvals .

Upon receipt of required approvals, the business license staff will then issue the business license. A minimum of four weeks for a non-regulatory license should be allowed. A minimum of sixty days should be allowed for regulatory-privilege businesses requiring police and City Council approval.

Applications must comply with all pertinent codes, ordinances, laws and regulations prior to application approval. For more information, please see Nevada Revised Statutes and Reno Municipal Code websites.