Tennessee requires every LLC, corporation and other registered entity except general partnerships to keep a registered agent and registered office in Tennessee at all times. The registered office must be a physical Tennessee address, not a P.O. box. Changing your registered agent costs $20 with the Tennessee Secretary of State as of October 2026. We recommend Mainstay Filing at $149 a year, and TN Registered Agent.org is a lower-cost alternative.
Updated October 2026.
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Best Registered Agents in Tennessee (2026)
Comparing services for registered agent service in Tennessee? Start with this ranked shortlist; details for each pick follow the table.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Registered agent service with a flat renewal price | $149/year (renews at $149) | Registered agent service in all 50 states; switching from another agent included (state change fee at cost) |
| 2 | TN Registered Agent.org | Tennessee registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
| 3 | Tennessee Registered Agent.co | Tennessee registered agent service only | $99/year | in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Tennessee. It costs $149/year (renews at $149) and covers registered agent service in all 50 states; switching from another agent included (state change fee at cost). The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. TN Registered Agent.org
TN Registered Agent.org is a Tennessee registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
3. Tennessee Registered Agent.co
Tennessee Registered Agent.co is a Tennessee registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
Tennessee registered agent at a glance
| What you need to know | Tennessee (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Who needs a registered agent | All entities except general partnerships |
| Registered office | Physical Tennessee address; no P.O. box, route number or box number alone |
| Fee to change registered agent | $20 statutory fee |
| Change made on the annual report | Additional $20 on top of the report fee |
| LLC annual report fee | $300 minimum; $50 per member beyond six; $3,000 maximum |
| LLC annual report due | First day of the fourth month after the fiscal year ends (April 1 for calendar-year LLCs) |
| Change form | SS-4534, Statement of Change of Registered Agent by Entity |
| Risk of having no agent | Administrative dissolution |
| Online system | TNCaB |
Facts are from the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Business Services FAQ.
What is a registered agent in Tennessee?
The Tennessee Secretary of State defines a registered agent as a person or company that agrees to accept legal mail on behalf of your entity. That includes lawsuits (in Tennessee, the summons and complaint), subpoenas and official correspondence from the state.
The agent and the registered office go together. The office is the address on file; the agent is who is there to receive what arrives. Tennessee requires both to be in the state and both to be maintained continuously, which is why the Secretary of State treats an entity “without a registered agent” as grounds for administrative dissolution.
Tennessee’s registered agent requirements
Three rules cover most of what you need:
- Every entity except a general partnership needs one. LLCs, corporations, nonprofits, limited partnerships and registered foreign entities all must keep a registered agent and office in Tennessee at all times.
- The address must be physical. The Secretary of State rejects filings whose registered office is a post office box, a route number or a box number alone.
- The agent must have agreed. A registered agent is, by the Secretary of State’s own definition, someone who agrees to accept legal mail for you. Naming someone without their consent invites trouble.
What happens if the agent lapses Tennessee lists “being without a registered agent” next to “failure to file an annual report” as a reason for administrative dissolution. A dissolved company shows as inactive in the Business Entity Search, which can complicate contracts, bank accounts and licensing.
There is also a litigation risk. When a business has no registered agent, the Secretary of State can issue service of process on it under Tennessee’s long-arm statutes, for a $20 fee paid by the person suing. The case continues whether or not the notice ever reaches you.
Can you be your own registered agent in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee lets an owner act as the registered agent, provided the registered office is a physical Tennessee address where legal papers can be delivered.
Serving yourself makes sense when you have a staffed Tennessee location and do not mind that address appearing in the public record. It is a poor fit if you:
- Run the business from home and want to keep your residential address private
- Travel, work on job sites or keep irregular hours
- Live in another state (a common situation for owners near the Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky or Virginia lines)
- Expect to register in other states and want one provider for all of them
If you do hire a service, compare more than the first-year price. Check that the provider has its own staffed Tennessee address, that it scans documents to an online account the day they arrive rather than mailing them on later, and that the renewal price matches what you paid in year one. Also ask whether it will file the $20 change with the Secretary of State for you or leave that step to you.
How much does it cost to change a registered agent in Tennessee?
The Tennessee Secretary of State charges a $20 statutory fee to change a registered agent, according to its FAQ as of October 2026. If you make the change as part of your annual report instead, the Secretary of State requires an additional $20 on top of the annual report fee, and leaving it out is one of the most common reasons reports are rejected.
For a Tennessee LLC, that annual report fee starts at $300 and rises by $50 for each member beyond six, up to $3,000. Mainstay’s Tennessee LLC cost guide covers the full picture of state and service costs.
How to change your registered agent in Tennessee
- Arrange the new agent and confirm it has a physical Tennessee address.
- Sign in to TNCaB, the Secretary of State’s business portal. You need a TNCaB account, which the Secretary of State now requires for annual reports as well.
- Find your entity and file the registered agent change, entering the new agent’s name and Tennessee street address.
- Pay the $20 fee. If you are filing the annual report at the same moment, add the $20 change fee to the report payment.
- Check the Business Entity Search to confirm the new agent is on record.
For mail or in-person filing, use Form SS-4534, the Statement of Change of Registered Agent by Entity; the $20 fee is the same, and paying by mailed check avoids the card convenience fee. Whichever route you use, make sure the filing is signed and the fee is enclosed, since the Secretary of State lists missing fees and signatures among the most common reasons a filing is rejected.
More Tennessee guides from namechk
- How to start an LLC in Tennessee
- Tennessee business name search
- How to start a business in Tennessee
- Stuck on a name? Try the business name generator, then check domains and social handles on namechk
FAQs
Do I need a registered agent for a Tennessee LLC?
Yes. The Tennessee Secretary of State requires all entities except general partnerships, including LLCs and corporations, to maintain a registered agent and registered office in Tennessee at all times. The registered office must be a physical Tennessee address. Being without a registered agent is grounds for administrative dissolution.
How much does it cost to change a registered agent in Tennessee?
Changing a registered agent in Tennessee carries a $20 statutory filing fee, according to the Secretary of State as of October 2026. If you make the change on your annual report, you must include an additional $20 with the report fee. Changes can be filed online through TNCaB or on paper.
Can I be my own registered agent in Tennessee?
Yes, as long as you can be reached at a physical Tennessee address that serves as the registered office. Your name and that address appear in the public Business Entity Search. Owners who live out of state or work from home often hire a registered agent service instead.
Can a Tennessee registered office be a P.O. box?
No. The Tennessee Secretary of State says the registered office must be a physical Tennessee address and cannot be a post office box, route number or box number alone. Filings that list one are rejected. A separate mailing address can still be used for other business correspondence.
What happens if a Tennessee business has no registered agent?
The Secretary of State can administratively dissolve the business for being without a registered agent. In addition, anyone suing the company can have the Secretary of State issue service of process under Tennessee’s long-arm statutes for a $20 fee, so the lawsuit proceeds even if the owners never see it.
How much is the Tennessee LLC annual report?
The Tennessee LLC annual report costs a minimum of $300, plus $50 for each member over six, up to a $3,000 maximum, according to the Secretary of State as of October 2026. The report is due by the first day of the fourth month after the fiscal year ends, which is April 1 for calendar-year LLCs, and a registered agent change made on the report adds $20.
How much should I budget for a registered agent in Tennessee?
Plan for the provider’s yearly fee plus a one-time $20 state fee if you are switching. Mainstay Filing, the service we recommend first, is $149 per year and stays $149 at renewal, and it takes care of the switch. TN Registered Agent.org is $99 per year. If you change agents on your annual report instead, Tennessee requires the extra $20 there.
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