Lesson 3 · Tennessee
Foreign LLC Registration in Tennessee (2026): a 5-Step Lesson and the 3 Best Services
Before you begin
Lesson goals
- When registration is required
- The form and the fee
- What comes after registering
- Our graded picks and the reasoning
If you would like help with the filing
1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies adding a state
We would start a new founder with Mainstay Filing: a $199 fee for the work plus Tennessee's own fee, then $149 a year for the agent.
You pay $100 more than at Tennessee Registered Agent.co over three years and do less of the paperwork yourself.
After year one, the agent costs $149 a year.
What the price covers
- Registration prepared and submitted
- The registered agent costs nothing in year one
- All fifty states
Marks in its favor
- $199 plus the state fee
- No agent fee in year one
- One price anywhere
Where it loses points
- You pay $50 extra a year for the agent
2. Tennessee Registered Agent.co: best for adding only Tennessee
Tennessee Registered Agent.co lands in second place, and the reason is clear: registering costs $199 plus state fees, and year one of the agent is covered.
What the price covers
- The registration filing
- One year of agent service
Marks in its favor
- A free first agent year
- $199 and the state fee
- Then $99 a year
Where it loses points
- No help in other states
3. TN Registered Agent.org: best for a local filer
TN Registered Agent.org lands in third place, and the reason is clear: registering costs $199 plus state fees, and year one of the agent is covered.
On price it is level with Tennessee Registered Agent.co.
What the price covers
- The registration filing
- One year of agent service
Marks in its favor
- A free first agent year
- $199 and the state fee
- Then $99 a year
Where it loses points
- No help in other states
Prices in one table
| # | Service | First year | From year two | Three-year total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Tennessee Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit Tennessee Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | TN Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit TN Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
The lesson, step by step
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Step
1Find out whether your LLC must register with Tennessee
Out-of-state LLCs that transact business in Tennessee file a foreign registration. Here is what happens if you skip it: Its own claims cannot go to court in Tennessee until the registration is made (Tenn. Code Ann. 48-249-913(a)). What the company signed can still be enforced (Tenn. Code Ann. 48-249-913(f)).
Where this comes from: Look it up at publications.tnsosfiles.com; last checked October 2026
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Step
2Order the document from your home state
Attach certificate of existence or good standing, no older than 60 days.
Do this step right before you file.
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Step
3Appoint a registered agent in Tennessee
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a Tennessee street address, with the county. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
Our graded picks all serve as the registered agent.
Where this comes from: Look it up at sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com; last checked October 2026
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Step
4Fill out and file the Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company
Pay $300 when you deliver the form to the Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations.
Where this comes from: Look it up at sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com; last checked October 2026
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Step
5Stay registered
A registered foreign LLC files the annual report ($300), first day of the fourth month after fiscal year end (April 1 for a calendar year).
What you will pay
| What | Paid to | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Registering the LLC | State | $300 |
| Annual report | State | $300 |
| Optional service | Your service | $199 in the first year |
| State total over three years | State | $900 |
How the grade worked out
won on homework the price handles (33% of the grade), with right behind.
With the LLC active in two states, coverage settled the order.
Questions students ask
What will the state charge to register a foreign LLC with Tennessee?
$300 in state fees. Our picks add $199.
Which form do I file to register?
Look for the Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company (SS-4233); you deliver it to the Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations.
Do I need a certificate from my home state?
Yes: certificate of existence or good standing, issued within 60 days of filing.
What if the LLC does business there without registering?
Its own claims cannot go to court in Tennessee until the registration is made (Tenn. Code Ann. 48-249-913(a)). What the company signed can still be enforced (Tenn. Code Ann. 48-249-913(f)).
What is due after registering?
Step 5 covers it: the annual report for $300.
Which service should handle the registration?
Mainstay Filing: you pay $199 plus state fees to register, and the first year with a registered agent is free. Then come Tennessee Registered Agent.co and TN Registered Agent.org.
Class references
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services is covered in the official page at tnbear.tn.gov; our notes follow it as of August 2026.
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services is covered in the official page at sos.tn.gov; our notes follow it as of August 2026.
- Tennessee yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source is covered in the official page at sos.tn.gov; our notes follow it as of October 2026.
- Tennessee report due date is covered in the official page at law.justia.com; our notes follow it as of August 2026.
- Tennessee formation fee: Filing fee, official source is covered in the official page at sos.tn.gov; our notes follow it as of October 2026.
- Tennessee registered agent statute is covered in the official page at sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com; our notes follow it as of October 2026.
- Form SS-4233, Certificate of Authority for a foreign is covered in the official page at sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com; our notes follow it as of October 2026.
- Form SS-4241, withdrawal or cancellation is covered in the official page at sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com; our notes follow it as of October 2026.
- Tennessee Revised LLC Act, Public Chapter 286 is covered in the official page at publications.tnsosfiles.com; our notes follow it as of October 2026.
- Tennessee Revised Limited Liability Company Act, foreign LLC is covered in the official page at capitol.tn.gov; our notes follow it as of November 2026.
- On November 13, 2026 we read the Tennessee service page of Mainstay Filing
- On November 13, 2026 we read the pricing page of Tennessee Registered Agent.co
- On November 13, 2026 we read the pricing page of TN Registered Agent.org