Best Registered Agent Services in Tennessee

Tennessee publishes your registered agent's full name and physical address on the Secretary of State's online business search. Since Tennessee does not offer anonymous LLCs, your registered agent address is one of the few fields you can control to limit personal exposure in public records.

The annual report deadline is tied to your LLC's fiscal year, not the calendar year. It is due on or before the first day of the fourth month following your fiscal year end. For calendar-year LLCs, that means April 1. Miss it, and the Secretary of State can begin administrative dissolution proceedings after a two-month grace period.

Tennessee requires a separate county filing of your Articles of Organization with the Register of Deeds in the county where your principal office is located. This step costs $5 to $20 depending on the county, and a good registered agent service will remind you to complete it right after formation.

If you already have a Tennessee LLC and just need to replace your current registered agent, a standalone service like Northwest ($125/yr) or Harbor Compliance ($99/yr) is the most direct option. Both let you file a change-of-agent form with the Secretary of State at no extra charge. Northwest is the better pick if privacy matters to you, while Harbor Compliance is stronger if you operate in multiple states.

If you are forming a new LLC, Bizee and ZenBusiness both include a free first year of registered agent service when you buy their formation packages. That sounds appealing, but check the renewal price. Bizee jumps to $119/yr and ZenBusiness to $199/yr after year one. Factor the total cost over two to three years before committing. Tennessee's $300 filing fee and $300 annual report fee already make this one of the more expensive states, so every dollar counts.

For a full comparison of formation packages and pricing, see our guide to the best LLC formation services in Tennessee.

• Tennessee's $300 annual report fee - This is one of the highest in the country, and it is separate from any registered agent fee. Some formation services do not mention this upfront.
• County recording fee ($5 to $20) - You must file a copy of your Articles of Organization with your county Register of Deeds. This is a required step that some RA services do not handle for you.
• Franchise and excise taxes - Tennessee charges a minimum $100 franchise tax plus 6.5% excise tax on net earnings annually. These are not optional and are separate from your annual report.
• Renewal price jumps - Bizee and ZenBusiness offer a free first year of RA service with LLC formation, but renew at $119/yr and $199/yr respectively. Northwest charges $125/yr from day one with no price increase.

1. File your Articles of Organization with the county Register of Deeds where your LLC's principal office is located. The recording fee ranges from $5 to $20 depending on the county, and this should be done at the time of formation.
2. Apply for an EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the IRS. This is free and can be done online in about 10 minutes at irs.gov.
3. Open a business bank account using your EIN and filed Articles of Organization. Tennessee banks will typically ask for both documents.
4. Register for Tennessee franchise and excise taxes through the Tennessee Department of Revenue. The minimum franchise tax is $100 per year, and the excise tax is 6.5% of net earnings.
5. Set a calendar reminder for your annual report deadline. For calendar-year LLCs, the report and $300 fee are due by April 1 each year. Confirm your registered agent service sends advance reminders.
6. If your LLC will sell goods or taxable services, register for a Tennessee sales tax permit. The state sales tax rate is 7%, and local rates apply on top of that.