Foreign Qualification by State

Foreign Qualification by State › Tennessee

Foreign qualification in Tennessee: the requirements

To qualify a foreign LLC in Tennessee, file SS-4233, Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company and pay the $300 fee, with a registered agent in the state.

Tennessee checklist

  • The application: SS-4233, Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company, filed with the Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations.
  • The fee: $300. It is the same however you file.
  • From your home state: Certificate of existence or good standing, no older than 60 days.
  • A local agent: A registered agent with a street address in Tennessee. Each service below supplies one for the first year.
  • Afterward: Annual report (Tennessee Secretary of State, priced per member), $300 (due: first day of the fourth month after fiscal year end (April 1 for a calendar year)).

Best 3 Foreign Registration Services in Tennessee (2026)

The three ways we would handle the Tennessee filing.

1. Mainstay Filing

$199 + $300 state fee = $499

Registered agent free for the first year, then $149 a year.

2. TN Registered Agent.org

$199 + $300 state fee = $499

Registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

3. Tennessee Registered Agent.co

$199 + $300 state fee = $499

Registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

Service prices read from each provider’s Tennessee page on October 28, 2026. The state fee is the official figure below and is paid to the Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations.

How Tennessee compares

Tennessee is 45th of 50 by fee (median $142.50). It is one of 36 states that want a home-state certificate: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Tennessee questions

What does Tennessee require for foreign qualification?

SS-4233, Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company, the $300 fee and a registered agent in Tennessee, plus a certificate from the LLC’s home state.

Is Tennessee stricter than other states?

It is 45th cheapest by fee, and one of the 36 states that want home-state paperwork.

Which service is best for Tennessee?

Mainstay Filing, at $199 plus the state fee.

Sources