Increased Legal Vulnerability: An operating agreement strengthens the LLC's limited liability status, protecting your personal assets from business debts. Without it, there's a higher risk of personal liability for business obligations if the LLC is sued.
The first step in creating your operating agreement involves determining whether you'll draft it yourself or hire an attorney to do it for you. If you have a single-member LLC, you may decide to create it on your own using a template.
- Customization: An S Corporation operating agreement allows stakeholders to tailor the company's governance and decision-making procedures to suit their specific needs and objectives.
For detailed formation steps, see our Nevada LLC formation guide. Step 1 – Choose a name. Step 2 – Choose a registered agent. Step 3 – File Nevada Articles of Organization. Step 4 – Create an operating agreement. Step 5 – Apply for an EIN. Step 6 – Apply for S Corp status with IRS Form 2553.
Once you (and the other LLC Members, if applicable) sign the Operating Agreement, then it becomes a legal document. Can I write my own Operating Agreement? Yes, but we recommend using an Operating Agreement template. An Operating Agreement is a legal document.
Once the operating agreement is signed, put it in a secure location with your LLC's other legal documents. All the members should have access to it. You don't need to file it with any state agency, even in the states that require an operating agreement.
How to Write an Operating Agreement – Step by Step Step One: Determine Ownership Percentages. Step Two: Designate Rights, Responsibilities, and Compensation Details. Step Three: Define Terms of Joining or Leaving the LLC. Step Four: Create Dissolution Terms. Step Five: Insert a Severability Clause.
Even if your limited liability company is doing business where operating agreements are required, you don't need to file them with the state. However, it is important to distribute copies to your members, managers, and stakeholders.
Exceptions: It's worth noting that five states—California, Delaware, Missouri, New York, and Maine—require an LLC to have an operating agreement. However, this is not the norm for most states where you can set up and run an LLC without a formal agreement, but you are running a variety of risks by not having one.
Is an operating agreement required in Nevada? No, you are not required to have an operating agreement for your Nevada LLC. However, you will need an operating agreement for several important tasks, like opening a bank account or renting property. Both banks and landlords will ask to see your operating agreement.