MicroschoolLaunchKit
Nevada · updated 2026-09-17

What actually gates a microschool in Nevada: the state private school licence

Nevada is different from most states on this site. The step that decides whether you can open is not a scholarship approval, it is a licence to operate: with limited exceptions, a private school cannot legally run without one. The application is document-heavy (a bond, a two-year budget, fire and health clearances, insurance, background checks, a calendar and a catalog) and ends with an on-site review and a State Board decision. The Opportunity Scholarship comes after that, is need-based, and is paid through scholarship organizations rather than the state.

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The gate: A private school licence from the Nevada Department of Education, approved by the State Board of Education after an on-site review, plus NDE registration if you want Opportunity Scholarship students

What the rules actually say

“With limited exceptions, it is unlawful to operate a private school without a license issued by the Nevada Department of Education (NDE).”

— Nevada Department of Education — Private Schools

“Applicants for an initial private school license or for renewal of a private school license shall submit a proposed budget showing estimated revenues and expenditures for each of the 2 years of operation authorized by the private school license to establish reasonable financial stability.”

— Nevada Administrative Code, Chapter 394 (private schools)

“A private school with an enrollment of at least 30 pupils but not more than 150 pupils shall have a certified public accountant or public accountant compile the statement.”

— Nevada Administrative Code, Chapter 394 (private schools)

The NDE new-school application asks for a surety bond or certificate of deposit of at least $5,000 payable to the State of Nevada, and proof of at least $1,000,000 of liability coverage per occurrence. (NDE — Application for New Private School (PDF))

“The maximum scholarship amount per-student for the 2026 - 2027 school year is $10,367.00.”

— Nevada Department of Education — Educational Choice (Opportunity) Scholarship

“The Nevada Department of Education does not send or accept scholarship applications.”

— Nevada Department of Education — Educational Choice (Opportunity) Scholarship

The sequence, in order

1. Check whether you are exempt. Some institutions are exempt under NRS 394.211 and file an NDE declaration of exemption (NAC 394.0195) instead of applying for a licence. Read NRS 394.211 to see whether that covers you. If you are not clearly exempt, plan on the full licence.
2. Form the entity and disclose ownership. The application requires you to disclose every owner, director, officer and anyone with a financial interest. A corporation also submits its Secretary of State authorization, articles and bylaws. A nonprofit submits its IRS tax-exempt letter.
3. Build the two-year budget and financial statement. Every applicant submits a budget for both years of the licence and a financial statement. At 30 to 150 pupils an accountant must compile the statement; above 150 a CPA must review and sign it.
4. Post the $5,000 bond. A surety bond or certificate of deposit of at least $5,000, payable to the State of Nevada. Arrange this early; it is a hard requirement of the application.
5. Clear fire and health for your building. A fire inspection certificate from your local fire authority, health and sanitation approval from the local health department, and written procedures for monthly fire drills. Inspections run on the inspector's calendar, not yours, so book them first.
6. Bind insurance. At least $1,000,000 of liability coverage per occurrence, plus coverage for the building and equipment, with a summary of the insurance program.
7. Staff paperwork and background checks. An organizational chart, how you will evaluate teaching staff, and the NDE background assurance form covering FBI background checks. Background checks are audited during the on-site visit.
8. Calendar and catalog. Two years of calendars showing at least 180 school days, and a catalog or brochure covering your philosophy, charges, schedule and refund policy, plus how it reaches families before they enrol.
9. Submit, pass the on-site review, and get State Board approval. This is the gate. NDE schedules a visit before it sends your file to the State Board of Education for approval or denial. This is the gate: you cannot legally open until it is granted.
10. If you want funded students: register for the Opportunity Scholarship. This is the gate. File the NDE School Registration Form. Families apply to the scholarship organizations directly, and the award is need-based, for households up to 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

Where founders actually stall

Founders underestimate how long the paperwork takes to assemble, and book the fire and health inspections last. Those inspections, the bond and a compiled financial statement all depend on other people's schedules. Start them first, before you sign families up for a start date, because the licence has to be granted before you can legally open.

What we have not verified

How long licensing takes from submission to State Board approval. NDE does not publish a timeline in the materials we read. Ask the Private School desk before you set an opening date.

How many Opportunity Scholarships are available statewide. The program is funded by a capped business tax credit, and we could not reach the Department of Taxation page to confirm the current cap.

Whether a very small program serving homeschooling families can operate without a licence. The law allows "limited exceptions" and we have not confirmed which apply to that model, so do not rely on it without asking NDE.

We would rather say this than guess. Everything above that is stated as fact carries a link to the primary source, so you can check us.

Sources

Get set up in Nevada

Get set up in Nevada

Nevada requires a state licence, approved by the State Board of Education after an on-site review, before you can legally open, so setup here takes more work than in most states. Both options are one-time. We never take a cut of your tuition.

Launch Kit · $1,450. Your Nevada playbook: every step in the right order, the document each one needs, and the operator tools (roster, attendance, tuition billing, evidence vault). You do the filing.

Get the Launch Kit · $1,450

Concierge · $2,950. Everything in the Launch Kit, plus we assemble your Nevada Department of Education licence application with you in a working session, component by component.

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Free: the Nevada starter checklist

Free: the Nevada microschool starter checklist

Where to begin, what your state requires, and how funding works. No fluff.

MicroschoolLaunchKit provides general educational guidance, not legal advice, and is not affiliated with any state agency or ESA program administrator. Requirements and dollar figures change and some details here are still being verified — always confirm with your state's official sources before acting.