Updated 2026-04-30 · Verified against Tennessee Secretary of State
Tenn. Code §48-208-101 establishes the registered agent requirement for entities formed or qualified in Tennessee. The agent’s address must be a physical street location inside Tennessee, staffed during normal business hours. The name and address are entered on the public record maintained by the Tennessee Secretary of State. The agent’s name and street address are filed with the Tennessee Secretary of State and become part of the public business record.
The registered agent is one component of a broader Tennessee compliance schedule that also includes the $300 Articles of Organization filing, an annual report of $300 annually by the first day of the fourth month after fiscal year end, and a $20 fee whenever the agent of record changes. Tennessee charges $50 per LLC member for both formation and annual reports, with a $300 minimum and $3,000 maximum — uniquely scaling with membership size.
| # | Service | Price/yr | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwest Registered Agent | $125 | privacy-focused customers |
| 2 | ZenBusiness | $199 | new businesses bundling formation |
| 3 | LegalZoom | $249 | customers wanting brand-name support |
| 4 | Mainstay Filing | $99 | balanced value |
Tennessee-specific option: Tennessee Registered Agent.co operates exclusively in Tennessee and specializes in same-state filings. Best for businesses that want a state-focused provider with local-only operations.
| Physical address required | Yes — must be a street address in Tennessee |
|---|---|
| P.O. box allowed | No |
| Business hours availability | Required during normal business hours |
| Resident requirement | Must be a Tennessee resident OR a business entity authorized to do business in Tennessee |
| Listed in public record | Yes — name and address are publicly searchable via Tennessee Secretary of State |
| Statute reference | Tenn. Code §48-208-101 |
| Filing Type | Fee | Renewal | Renewal Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLC formation (Articles of Organization) | $300 | annually by the first day of the fourth month after fiscal year end | $300 |
| DBA / Fictitious Name | $20 | Every 5 years | $20 |
| Registered Agent change | $20 | — | — |
| Annual Report | $300 | annually by the first day of the fourth month after fiscal year end | $300 |
Yes — if you are a Tennessee resident with a physical street address and are available during business hours.
Yes. Tennessee law requires every LLC to maintain a Tennessee-based registered agent regardless of where the owner lives.
The Tennessee Secretary of State can administratively dissolve your business after approximately 60 days of non-compliance.
Yes — file a Statement of Change of Registered Agent with the Tennessee Secretary of State for $20.
$50–$150 per year for commercial services; free if you self-serve.
Yes. The agent's name and address are searchable via the Tennessee Secretary of State business records.
Same-day with most commercial services; same-business-day filing if submitted online before the daily cutoff.
This page provides general information about Tennessee registered agent requirements, not legal advice. Filing fees and procedures may change; verify current details with the Tennessee Secretary of State before filing. We may receive compensation from services listed in our comparisons; this does not influence our editorial selections.