Even if you don’t make business filings in Nevada, I encourage you to check out the Nevada Secretary of State’s business portal – SilverFlume. This is a truly innovative site with a high degree of cross-agency integration. SilverFlume has many features that I have not seen on any other Secretary of State’s website (if your state offers anything remotely similar, let me know). My description below does not do justice to the functionality and uniqueness of this B2G (business to government) site. Check it out!
Common Business Registration Data Collection
Those who use the site to start a business that will operate in Nevada will save time by entering basic business registration information only once rather than submitting it multiple times to individual state and local agencies. Currently, the site partners with nine state and local government agencies, with plans to add additional regulatory, employment and local agencies later.
Forming a Business
If you’re interested in forming a business, the site offers an “online wizard” which asks a number of questions and then provides you with a checklist and links for preparing and filing the necessary paperwork online. For example, if you are forming a corporation, you will be asked the questions necessary to complete a basic set of articles of incorporation. When you enter the name, the system checks the name availability automatically.
Managing a Business
SilverFlume also provides a variety of tools to manage an existing business. For example, you can file your annual list, order a good standing certificate, or even close a business online. The site also offers a digital operating agreement that is a free tool available to members of Nevada limited liability companies to help guide the process of creating an operating agreement. This tool allows members to collaborate in the process of establishing mutually agreeable terms online. See “Digital Collaboration In Entity Formation May Soon Come To Nevada“. Although operating agreements are not required to be filed with the Nevada Secretary of State, this tool electronically retains the agreement in your account for future retrieval and modification through the use of a collaborative decision-making feature. (Note the Secretary of State does not commit to maintaining your agreements indefinitely).
Dashboard
To use SilverFlume, you must register. There is no charge for registration (fees, of course, are imposed for filing and other transactions). After you register, the site provides you with a dashboard feature that furnishes information on your activity status with respect to the business entities that you are forming or managing through the site.
This isn’t the first technology innovation from the Nevada Secretary of State. Last June, I wrote this post on a free application that performs business entity searches on iPads and iPhones.
