The filing
To form an LLC in Tennessee, file the Articles of Organization Limited Liability Company (Form SS-4270) with the Tennessee Secretary of State and pay the $300 state fee[2]. A registered agent in Tennessee is named on the filing.
To have it handled in Tennessee, Mainstay Filing charges $199 a year plus the $300 state fee at cost[1].
- State filing fee
- $300
- Form
- Form SS-4270
- Filed with
- Tennessee Secretary of State
- Registered Agent required
- Yes
- Periodic report
- Yearly, $300
- Other states’ fees
- 46 lower, 2 higher
Updated October 29, 2026. State fees from official sources.
6 steps, in order
Tennessee asks for one formation filing. Everything else on this list is either done before that filing or follows from it.
- Check the name. Search the Tennessee Secretary of State business records for the name you want[3]. The name needs a designator such as "LLC" or "Limited Liability Company."
- Line up the registered agent. The filing lists who receives legal papers for the company. Tennessee allows A Tennessee resident, or a business entity formed in Tennessee or authorized there with an office at the registered office street address.[2]
- Submit Form SS-4270 and pay $300. The Tennessee Secretary of State reviews the filing; the LLC exists once it is accepted[2].
- Draft the operating agreement. This internal document covers ownership, voting and what happens if a member leaves. It is kept with the company, not filed.
- Request an EIN. This federal tax number comes from the IRS, not from Tennessee, and most banks ask for it before opening an account.
- Calendar the first Annual Report. It is filed every year with the Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services for $300[4]. It is due on or before the first day of the fourth month following the close of the LLC's fiscal year[5].
New business filings in Tennessee
Tennessee logged 103,220 business applications in 2025 by the Census Bureau's count, 14.11 for every 1,000 residents. From January through Sep 2026 there were 90,299, against 77,225 in the same months of 2025.
An application is a request for an EIN, not a state LLC filing. The Census series counts every legal form, so it measures start-up activity rather than Tennessee LLC formations.
Who can submit the filing
Mainstay Filing files Tennessee LLCs for $199 a year, with the $300 state fee added at cost[1]. Included: the registered agent for the year, the EIN application, and the Annual Report whenever it falls due.
Anyone can also file the Form SS-4270 directly with the Tennessee Secretary of State; the state charges the same $300 either way.
The Form SS-4270 filing
Tennessee calls its formation filing the Articles of Organization Limited Liability Company, numbered SS-4270. The Tennessee Secretary of State accepts it[2].
The governing text:
The filing fee for Articles of Organization is $50.00 per member in existence on the date of the filing, with a minimum fee of $300.00 and a maximum fee of $3,000.00.
Tenn. Code Ann. § 48-249-202 (articles of organization, Tennessee Revised Limited Liability Company Act)[2].
Acceptance puts the company on the Tennessee register. Anything listed on the filing, such as the registered agent's address, becomes part of the public record.
Tennessee formation costs
Tennessee's $300 filing fee is above the 50-state median of $100: 46 states charge less and 2 charge more.
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | $300 | [2] sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Annual Report | $300 every year | [4] tnbear.tn.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Filing service, Mainstay Filing | $199 a year plus state fees | [1] Mainstay Filing, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Registered agent service (if hired) | $149 a year at Mainstay Filing; $89 to $596 first year elsewhere | 7 other services' published prices, updated October 29, 2026 |
Only the state fee is required. Naming yourself or another qualified person as registered agent costs nothing in state fees.
| State | LLC filing fee | Periodic report |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $236 | None |
| Arkansas | $45 | $150 yearly |
| Georgia | $110 | $60 yearly |
| Kentucky | $40 | $15 yearly |
| Mississippi | $50 | $0 yearly |
| Missouri | $50 | None |
Same source set as above, one statute or fee schedule per state, verified August 12, 2026.
Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Tennessee?
The state fee is $300 for the Articles of Organization Limited Liability Company (Form SS-4270)[2]. After that, the Annual Report costs $300 every year.
Do I need a registered agent to form an LLC in Tennessee?
Yes. The formation filing names one. Owners who live in Tennessee qualify as individuals and can take the registered agent role themselves.
Can someone else handle the Tennessee filing?
Yes. Mainstay Filing prepares and files Tennessee LLCs for $199 a year plus the $300 state fee[1]. That also covers its registered agent service, the EIN application and the Annual Report, at the same price each year.
Who files the formation document in Tennessee?
The Tennessee Secretary of State. Its website: sos.tn.gov/.
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 48-249-202 (articles of organization, Tennessee Revised Limited Liability Company Act); fees at Tenn. Code Ann. § 48-249-1007. sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/SS-4270%20LLC_0.pdf. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Tennessee Secretary of State. sos.tn.gov/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services: Annual Report rules and fee. tnbear.tn.gov/Ecommerce/AnnualReportInstr.aspx. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 48-249-1017 (LLC annual report content and filing under the TN Revised Limited Liability Company Act); Tenn. Code Ann. § 48-249-604 (administrative dissolution). law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-48/chapter-249/part-10/section-48-249-1017/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (state annual and monthly series). www.census.gov/econ/bfs/index.html. Updated October 29, 2026.