Start an LLC in Tennessee
Start a Tennessee LLC by filing Articles of Organization with the Tennessee Secretary of State. The filing fee is $50 per member, with a $300 minimum.
You can use our free tool to fill out the paperwork right here yourself. Or hire Northwest to do it for you and we'll provide one year of registered agent service and a business identity—all for $39.
Fill Out Tennessee Articles of Organization
Want to do it yourself? Use our free tool to fill out your Articles of Organization right here. Submitting this form to the Tennessee Secretary of State officially creates your LLC. You can also hire us to submit your Articles for you.
How To Start An LLC in Tennessee
A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a permanent public record. Starting one requires sharing personal information with the government, banks, landlords, vendors, and of course, customers. We like to help our customers protect their privacy, so we give out a free domain name, website, phone line, email address, and brand protection services on day one. This helps you form a company without giving out your personal info to strangers.
Already have an LLC in another state? You can register it as a foreign LLC to do business in Tennessee, or move your LLC to Tennessee.
1. Name Your LLC
First, your LLC needs a name. Ideally, it’s one that helps customers find and remember you, and one that keeps you on the right side of Tennessee’s business naming laws.
Tennessee LLC Name Rules
Under T.C.A. § 48-249-106, your LLC name needs to:
- Include “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.”
- Be distinguishable from names already on file with the Tennessee Secretary of State (check the name availability search).
- Get state approval first if it uses certain words. Names with “bank,” “banking,” “credit union,” or “trust” need written approval from the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, and “insurance company” needs approval from the Department of Commerce & Insurance.
Reserve Your Business Name
Have the perfect name in mind but not ready to file your formation docs? You can reserve it for four months (120 days) by filing an Application for Name Reservation with the Tennessee Secretary of State. It costs $20.
File Online:
- Go to the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Charity & Business Filing System (TNCaB).
- Choose the Application for Name Reservation.
- Fill out the form and pay the $20 fee.
You can also file a paper Application for Name Reservation (Form SS-9425) by mail or in person.
Want to do business under a different name?
Tennessee calls DBAs “assumed names.” You can register one by filing an Application for Registration of Assumed Name for $20. An assumed name registration is good for five years and can be renewed.
2. Register Your Domain Name
The next step is securing a domain name for your website. This is important because just like you need a street address to help people find you on a map, you need a domain name to help people find you on the web.
A domain name gives potential clients a reliable way to find information about you online. Registering earlier is better for at least a couple reasons:
- Credibility: When you bother to establish a professional domain name, you’re letting customers know you take your work seriously.
- Consistency: A domain name that connects to your brand name makes it simpler for customers to remember you, which makes them more likely to seek you out.
If you’re looking for a specific domain name, you can run a domain name search through Northwest.
3. Appoint a Registered Agent
Every Tennessee LLC needs a registered agent: a person or company that receives legal and state mail for your business. You’ll list your agent on your Articles of Organization, so you’ll want to pick one before you file.
Tennessee Registered Agent Requirements
Your Tennessee registered agent must:
- Have a physical street address in Tennessee (no P.O. Boxes)
- Accept legal and state mail on your LLC’s behalf
Your Articles will also list your agent’s county and email address. You can be your own registered agent, but your name and address will go on the public record.
Hire Northwest as your registered agent in Tennessee, and we’ll list our address instead of yours to keep your info off the public record. You’ll also get access to business services that help you build a professional presence, online and off—a free business identity from day one.
4. File Tennessee Articles of Organization
An LLC in Tennessee isn’t legally formed until the Tennessee Secretary of State accepts your Articles of Organization. The filing fee is $50 per member at the time of filing, with a $300 minimum and a $3,000 maximum. That means LLCs with six or fewer members pay $300. See the full cost breakdown.
Here’s what you’ll include:
Business Name
Your name must include “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.” and be distinguishable from other businesses on file in Tennessee.
Addresses & Email
Provide a physical street address and county for your LLC’s principal office (no P.O. Boxes). You can add a separate mailing address, which can be a P.O. Box. You’ll also list a business email address, which is where the state sends reminders. If your address changes later, you can update it with the state.
Registered Agent Information
Your registered agent’s name, physical street address in Tennessee (no P.O. Boxes), county, and email address.
Management & Members
Choose whether your LLC is member-managed, manager-managed, or director-managed, and list how many members it has on the filing date. Your member count sets your filing fee. Members can change later. Here’s how to add a member to your Tennessee LLC or remove a member.
Fiscal Year & Business Activity
Enter the month your LLC’s fiscal year ends. If you leave it blank, the state uses December. This month sets your annual report due date. You’ll also list up to three NAICS codes that describe what your business does.
Effective Date (Optional)
If you want, you can choose a start date for your LLC up to 90 days after filing.
Designations & Other Provisions (Optional)
Check the right box if you’re forming a professional LLC (PLLC) or a series LLC, or registering as an Obligated Member Entity. You can also add any other provisions you want on the record. Need to change something after you file? You can amend your Articles of Organization.
How Do I File Tennessee Articles of Organization?
Filing just means submitting your information to the state, where it becomes part of the public record. Your organizer (the person filing) signs the Articles, and if you hire us, we’ll sign as your organizer. The filing fee is $50 per member ($300 minimum, $3,000 maximum), and you can file three ways.
File by Mail
Complete the Articles of Organization (Form SS-4270) and mail it with a check, cashier’s check, or money order payable to the Tennessee Secretary of State:
TN Secretary of State
ATTN: Corporate Filing
312 Rosa L. Parks Ave.
Nashville, TN 37243
File in Person
Drop off your Articles and fee at the Secretary of State Customer Service Counter. Cash is accepted in person.
3rd Floor, Snodgrass Tower
312 Rosa L. Parks Ave.
Nashville, TN 37243
File Online
File through the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Charity & Business Filing System (TNCaB) and pay by credit card, debit card, or e-check. The state adds a convenience fee for online payments.
5. Create an Operating Agreement
You don’t file an operating agreement with the state, but it’s still worth having one. It gives your business a user’s manual to look at when complications arise. Your operating agreement can include pretty much anything, but generally covers things like voting procedures, how to allocate profits, and how to resolve conflict.
Operating agreements might also be helpful when opening a business bank account, depending on the bank you’re using. Otherwise, they are internal documents—meaning you don’t need to share yours with anyone outside the business.
Tip: Our attorneys have drafted a simple Tennessee operating agreement you can use as a reference, tweak a little, or use as is. Use it for free.
6. Get an EIN
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is like your business’s Social Security number. You need an EIN to open a business bank account, apply for loans, and, most crucially, pay and file taxes.
Multi-member LLCs, LLCs taxed as corporations, and any LLC with employees must have an EIN. You can apply with the IRS for free. If you have a Social Security number, apply online and get your EIN right away. If you don’t, you’ll file Form SS-4 by mail or fax.
Rather not deal with the IRS? We get it. You can hire us to get your EIN for you.
7. File Your Annual Report
Every Tennessee LLC has to file a Tennessee Annual Report with the Secretary of State. The report keeps the state up to date on things like your business address, registered agent, and members.
Your annual report is due on the first day of the fourth month after your LLC’s fiscal year ends. So if your fiscal year ends December 31, your report is due April 1. Like your Articles, it costs $50 per member, with a $300 minimum and a $3,000 maximum.
If you don’t file, the state can administratively dissolve your LLC, and you’ll need to reinstate it to get back in good standing.
Worried you’ll forget? When you hire us to form your LLC or be your registered agent, we’ll enroll you in our Renewal Filing service. We’ll send you reminders before your annual report is due, then file it on your behalf for $100 plus the state fee. You’re only charged when we file. Prefer to handle it yourself? You can cancel anytime in your client portal.
Staying Compliant
After you form, beyond the annual report, a few more steps keep your Tennessee LLC in good standing:
- Open a business bank account.
- Get any licenses or permits your business needs.
- Register with the Tennessee Department of Revenue. LLCs are subject to Tennessee’s franchise and excise tax, with a $100 minimum franchise tax. If you sell taxable goods or services, you’ll also collect sales tax: 7% state, plus a local rate of up to 2.75%. Learn more about Tennessee LLC taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
It costs $50 per member to file your Tennessee Articles of Organization, with a $300 minimum and a $3,000 maximum. So if your LLC has six or fewer members, you’ll pay $300. The state also adds a convenience fee if you pay online.
Start Your Tennessee LLC
We'll get it done for $39 + state fees.