Tennessee Articles of Organization (Form SS-4270) — Filing Guide

Form SS-4270 is the official formation document for Tennessee LLCs. Filed with the Tennessee Secretary of State, it creates your LLC under the Tennessee Revised LLC Act . Fee: $300 per member (minimum $300). For the complete formation process, see our main guide.

Required Information on Form SS-4270

1. LLC name — Including LLC/L.L.C./Limited Liability Company designator
2. Registered agent name and address — Tennessee street address (or LLC itself as agent with registered office)
3. Principal office address — Can be in or outside Tennessee
4. Management structure — Member-managed or manager-managed
5. Duration — Perpetual or fixed term
6. Number of members — Determines filing fee ($300 each)
7. Names and addresses — At least one initial member or manager
8. Organizer — Person causing the filing

Tennessee's Unique Per-Member Fee

Unlike virtually every other state, Tennessee charges $300 PER MEMBER:

• 1 member: $300
• 2 members: $600
• 3 members: $900
• 5 members: $1,500
• 10 members: $3,000

This makes multi-member Tennessee LLCs significantly more expensive to form than in other states. The same per-member fee applies to foreign LLC registration.

Filing Methods

Method	Fee	Processing
Online (sos.tn.gov)	$300/member	5-7 business days
Mail (Form SS-4270)	$300/member	2-4 weeks

After Filing

• Articles become public record at sos.tn.gov
• LLC is searchable on TNBEAR
• First Annual Report due April 1 of the following year
• Register with TN DOR for franchise & excise tax

FAQ

Why does Tennessee charge per member?

Tennessee uses the per-member fee as a revenue mechanism, similar to how it uses the franchise & excise tax at the entity level. The state compensates by having zero personal income tax.

Are members listed on the public filing?

Yes — Tennessee requires at least one member or manager name on Form SS-4270. This is less private than Colorado or Indiana, which don't list members on formation documents.

What if I add members later?

Adding members doesn't trigger an additional per-member filing fee after initial formation. The per-member fee applies only at formation and for foreign LLC registration.