How to Start an LLC in Tennessee (2026): 7 Steps and the 3 Best LLC Services
We would send a new founder in Tennessee to Tennessee Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and TN Registered Agent.org ($199) for starting an LLC in 2026, in that order. Whichever route you take, the state charges $300 to file; the 7 steps below show the rest.
Prices from each company's own site, read November 12, 2026. Add Tennessee's $300 fee to each row.
Starting an LLC in Tennessee, step by step
Step1
Step 1: Check your name is available
Before you file, look the name up in the business records at the Tennessee Secretary of State; a name already in use can send the filing back.
TipWrite down two backup names before you search.
Step2
Step 2: Pick your registered agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A Tennessee resident, or a business entity formed in Tennessee or authorized there with an office at the registered office street address.
The address has to be a Tennessee street address, with the county. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
TipEach pick above can serve as the registered agent.
Doing it yourself costs $300. Using one of our picks adds $199, and the agent comes with it.
Step4
Step 4: Submit the Articles of Organization Limited Liability Company
File the Articles of Organization Limited Liability Company (Form SS-4270) with the Tennessee Secretary of State; the fee is $300.
Official source: Source: sos.tn.gov, confirmed October 2026
Step5
Step 5: Get your EIN
Wait for the state's approval, then get the EIN from the IRS. You need it to open accounts in the LLC's name.
Step6
Step 6: Put an operating agreement in writing
An operating agreement is internal. Sign it, keep it with the records, and the state never needs a copy.
Step7
Step 7: Keep up with Tennessee's yearly filing
Keep the company in good standing with the annual report: $300 every year, due on or before the first day of the fourth month following the close of the LLC's fiscal year.
Official source: Source: sos.tn.gov, confirmed October 2026
What you will pay
Item
Who you pay
Cost
Filing fee
The state
$300
Annual report
The state
$300 every year
Filing service (optional)
Service
$199 year one
State total over three years
The state
$900
Official state fees, cited under References. Three-year state total = filing + reports in years two and three + any minimum tax.
Why this order
What decided it: three-year cost, 30% of our rubric.
Tennessee Registered Agent.co wins the cost grade: $397 for three years against $200 more with Mainstay Filing.
Questions students ask
What does it cost to form an LLC in Tennessee?
$300 to the state. Add $199 if a service files it.
Which form creates the LLC?
You submit the Articles of Organization Limited Liability Company (Form SS-4270) to the Tennessee Secretary of State.
Is a registered agent required?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What does Tennessee require each year?
The annual report: $300, every year, due on or before the first day of the fourth month following the close of the LLC's fiscal year.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
Yes, file it yourself ($300) and appoint a registered agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
In order: Tennessee Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing and TN Registered Agent.org. Tennessee Registered Agent.co comes first because $199 up front with a free first agent year, $99 yearly from year two.