Nevada Secretary of State — Statutory Substituted Service of Process Desk
When a domestic Nevada corporation or LLC—or a foreign business entity registered or doing business in Nevada—fails to appoint or maintain a registered agent, when its registered agent has resigned under NRS 77.370, or when its registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the registered office address on file, Nevada Rule of Civil Procedure (NRCP) 4.2(c)(3) and Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 14.030 authorize Substituted Service of Process upon the Nevada Secretary of State in Carson City.
| Intake Details | Verified Building Information |
|---|---|
| State Agency | Nevada Secretary of State — Commercial Recordings Division (Service of Process Desk) |
| Physical Service Address | Paul Laxalt State Building, 401 North Carson Street (and Capitol Complex Annex / 101 N. Carson Street, Suite 3), Carson City, NV 89701 |
| County / Municipality | Carson City (Consolidated Municipality — State Capital) |
| Judicial District Venue | First Judicial District Court (or any Nevada District/Justice Court where the action is pending) |
| Governing Statutes | NRCP 4.2(c)(3), NRS 14.030 (Entities without reachable RA), NRS 14.070 (Nonresident motorists if applicable) |
| Service Rates | $75 Standard / $125 Rush / $175 Same-Day (plus statutory SOS counter fee) |
Need substituted service hand-delivered to the Nevada Secretary of State in Carson City? Order Secretary of State Service Online.
When Can You Serve the Nevada Secretary of State Under NRCP 4.2(c)(3) & NRS 14.030?
You cannot simply skip a company’s active registered agent and serve the Secretary of State out of convenience. Under NRCP 4.2(c)(3) and NRS 14.030(1), substituted service on the Nevada Secretary of State is legally authorized when:
- The Entity Failed to Appoint a Registered Agent or the Registered Agent’s Authority Was Revoked/Resigned: For example, when an LLC is in “Revoked” or “Default” status on SilverFlume and its commercial registered agent (such as CT Corp, CSC, InCorp, Northwest, or Registered Agents Inc.) filed a Statement of Resignation under NRS 77.370 more than 31 days ago; OR
- No Officer/Agent Can Be Found After Reasonable Diligence: When our licensed process server attempts service at the registered office street address listed on SilverFlume and discovers that the office is vacant, the non-commercial registered agent has moved away, or the address is an invalid/abandoned suite, and no officer, director, managing agent, or member can be located within Nevada.
(Note: If you first need a formal attempt at the defunct registered agent’s address in Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, or Carson City to establish your Affidavit of Due Diligence / Non-Service before serving the Secretary of State, our team handles both the initial field attempt and the follow-up Carson City Secretary of State counter filing!)
Exact Two-Part Procedure for Valid Service via the Nevada Secretary of State
To ensure your substituted service via the Nevada Secretary of State survives a motion to set aside default judgment, you must comply with both prongs of NRCP 4.2(c)(3)(A) and (B) and NRS 14.030:
Step 1: In-Person Delivery & Statutory Fee at the Paul Laxalt Building in Carson City (NRCP 4.2(c)(3)(A))
Our Carson City process server delivers a copy of the Summons and Complaint (along with the required Nevada Secretary of State Service of Process Transmittal Form and the statutory counter fee—typically $10.00 to $100.00 depending on whether the entity is a qualified domestic/foreign entity under NRS 14.030 or an unqualified foreign entity) directly to the Commercial Recordings Division at the Paul Laxalt Building, 401 North Carson Street (202 N. Carson St / 101 N. Carson St Capitol Complex), Carson City, NV 89701.
- Our server obtains the stamped receipt from the Secretary of State clerk and executes a sworn Declaration of Service (
NRS 53.045) documenting the exact counter delivery.
Step 2: Mandatory Registered or Certified Mail to the Entity (NRCP 4.2(c)(3)(B))
Under NRCP 4.2(c)(3)(B), in addition to serving the Secretary of State in Carson City, the plaintiff must:
- Send a copy of the Summons and Complaint by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the entity (or to any known officer, director, managing agent, or member of the entity) at its last known address as shown on the records of the Nevada Secretary of State and any other address known to the plaintiff; AND
- File proof of the Secretary of State delivery and the certified mailing with the court.
Extended 40-Day Answer Period Under NRS 14.030(3)
Be careful when calendaring your default! Under NRS 14.030(3), when service is made upon the Nevada Secretary of State, the defendant entity has 40 days (rather than the standard 21 days) after the date of delivery to the Secretary of State within which to appear and answer the complaint.
Ready to serve a revoked, defunct, or evasive corporate entity through the Nevada Secretary of State in Carson City? Submit Your Service Order Online Now or call (702) 583-9164.