Tennessee Registered Agents for Your LLC
The Tennessee Secretary of State requires every TN LLC to have a Registered Agent. Once you have assigned a Tennessee Registered Agent, they can receive official correspondence and documents on behalf of your TN business. Registered Agents can be individuals or other specialized Registered Agent service businesses.
You can appoint a Registered Agent when you first start your business. You can also replace your existing TN Registered Agent at a later date, provided there is a smooth transition between the old and new Registered Agent service.
Rules for Tennessee Registered Agents
There are certain rules that you must follow when you’re appointing a Tennessee Registered Agent service for your business. They are:
- If the Registered Agent is a person, they must reside in Tennessee.
- If the Registered Agent is a business, they must be able to conduct business in Tennessee.
- The Registered Agent must have a physical street address in Tennessee, not a P.O. Box.
- The Registered Agent must be available in person during normal business hours to sign for any correspondence.
Note that the Registered Agent address does not need to be the same as your Tennessee LLC business address.
What to Expect from a Tennessee Registered Agent Service
Your Tennessee Registered Agent carries out several valuable services for your business. They accept official communications and documents from the TN Secretary of State on your behalf. This may include:
- Correspondence from the Tennessee Secretary of State.
- Service of process documents (for example, if your Tennessee LLC has legal proceedings issued against it)
- Official Tennessee and federal government documents, form filings and requests for information (including taxes, permits and company filings)
The Incfile Registered Agent Service for Tennessee LLCs
If you have an LLC that’s incorporated in Tennessee and you need a Registered Agent, we can help. Incfile provides a complete Registered Agent service for any Tennessee business. We’ll even act as your Registered Agent free for your first year (normally a $119 annual cost).
We are authorized to conduct business in Tennessee and can legally act as your Registered Agent.
Here’s what the Incfile Tennessee Registered Agent service provides for your LLC::
- The Registered Agent will always be available to accept documents and letters on your behalf
- We automatically notify you whenever we receive correspondence for your business from the Tennessee Secretary of State or anyone else
- We scan your correspondence and upload it to a dashboard, so you can review it when convenient
- We forward all correspondence to an address you choose
How to Appoint a Tennessee Registered Agent for Your LLC
You can appoint a Registered Agent when you first incorporate your Tennessee LLC or at any point after that. Here’s how to go about it.
Assign Your Tennessee Registered Agent When You Form Your LLC
Your business needs to have a Tennessee Registered Agent Service as soon as it’s formed. You can achieve this through one of the following methods.
You will need to include details of your Registered Agent in your Certificate of Formation. This is the form that you file with the TN Secretary of State to formally create your business.
When you incorporate through us, we complete and file your Articles of Organization based on the information you've provided. Additionally, we give you a free Tennessee Resident Agent Service for the first year, and we'll include details of your Tennessee Resident Agent in the form that we file.
Registered Agent Service for the first year, and we’ll include details of your MS Registered Agent in the form that we file.
Incorporate Your Business Through Incfile.Change Your Tennessee Registered Agent After Your LLC Is Formed
You can also change your Registered Agent service after you’ve formed your LLC. There are a couple of ways to achieve this.
Once you’ve chosen a new Tennessee Registered Agent, you can complete a form. Once you’ve filled it out, send it to the secretary of state so they can update your records. The Tennessee SOS may charge a nominal fee to assign or change a Registered Agent, and we do pass that fee on to you.
When you choose to use our TN Registered Agent service, we take care of all the form filling and filing for you. We’ll collect important information about your business, complete the form on your behalf and send it to the Tennessee Secretary of State. We’ll let you know once we officially become your Registered Agent.
Tennessee Registered Agent Search
In some situations, you might want to know the name of the Registered Agent that represents another Tennessee LLC. If you do, you can search the business database of the Tennessee Secretary of State, as these will often provide details of a specific business’s Statutory Agent.
If the TN Registered Agent isn’t available from the searchable business registry, contact the Tennessee Secretary of State requesting the information.
What Happens If You Don’t Have an Tennessee Statutory Agent?
What happens if you choose not to assign or provide details of a Registered Agent to the Tennessee Secretary of State? There are several possible ramifications, including:
- Getting served or sued and not finding out about it: If your LLC is sued and you don’t know about it, you could lose to a default judgment in your absence.
- Falling out of good standing with the Tennessee Secretary of State: If you don’t respond to certain correspondence (like the request for your annual report), certain states may revoke your right to do business.
- Losing your status as a Tennessee LLC: A Registered Agent “proves” to the state that your business exists. Without it, you could lose your business entity protections and your LLC may be dissolved.
You Can Appoint Yourself as Your Own Tennessee Registered Agent
If you have an address in Tennessee, you can choose to be the Registered Agent for your LLC. We don’t recommend this approach as there can be some drawbacks:
- The Registered Agent must have a physical street address in Tennessee. If you’re forming an LLC outside Tennessee, you will need to use an in-state Registered Agent.
- You always need to have someone on hand during business hours at the Tennessee address to sign for important documents.
- The Registered Agent’s name and address are part of the public record and available through the Tennessee Secretary of State's website. If you prefer your name and address aren’t published, you should choose a Registered Agent service.
- If you change your Tennessee business address or move out of state, you would need to file additional documentation with the TN Secretary of State for the new address if you act as your own Registered Agent. This would not be the case if you use a Registered Agent service, making a move or address change much simpler.
FAQs About Tennessee Registered Agents
Yes. All TN LLCs are required to have a Registered Agent. This is mandated by the Tennessee Secretary of State.
You can either do it when you incorporate your Tennessee business through paperwork filed with the Tennessee Secretary of State or afterward by filing the correct form. If you form your business through Incfile, we will file all necessary forms on your behalf.
Yes, but we don’t recommend it for the reasons listed above. If you still want to be your own Registered Agent, you need to fill in the correct forms and pay a fee to the Tennessee Secretary of State.
Yes. Additionally, if they are a business providing Registered Agent services, they must be legally able to conduct business in your state.
Useful Resources for Tennessee Registered Agent Services
You might find these resources helpful:
