Tennessee Registered Agent Service

Every LLC formed in Tennessee is required to have a registered agent. It's not optional — the Tennessee Secretary of State mandates it from the moment you file your formation documents, and the requirement stays in effect for as long as the LLC exists.

What a Registered Agent Does

A registered agent is the person or company designated to receive legal and official documents on behalf of your LLC. This includes:

• Service of process — if your LLC is sued, the lawsuit papers are delivered to your registered agent
• State correspondence — notices, compliance reminders, and administrative communications from the Tennessee Secretary of State
• Tax notices — state tax documents and filings directed to your LLC
• Annual report reminders — notifications about upcoming filing deadlines

The registered agent address goes on the public record with the Tennessee Secretary of State. Anyone can look it up.

Tennessee Registered Agent Requirements

Tennessee law sets specific rules for who can serve as a registered agent:

• Required; no PO boxes
• Normal business hours, Monday–Friday 9 AM–5 PM

Who qualifies: Individuals must have a Tennessee address and be 18+. Business entities must be registered/in good standing. Tennessee explicitly allows the entity to serve as its own registered agent

The registered agent address must be a physical street address in Tennessee — PO boxes alone typically don't qualify. The registered agent must be available at that address during normal business hours to accept delivery of documents.

Can You Be Your Own Registered Agent?

Tennessee lets you serve as your own registered agent, but there are real downsides. Your home or business address goes on the public record at the Tennessee Secretary of State. Process servers can show up at that address during business hours. You have to be available in person to accept documents during normal business hours — no vacations, no long meetings off-site. And if you ever miss a service of process because you weren't there, the lawsuit can proceed without your knowledge. A professional registered agent solves all of this.

Downsides of Self-Appointing

Even in states that allow self-appointment, acting as your own registered agent creates real problems:

1. Your home address becomes public record — anyone can find it through the Tennessee Secretary of State's business database
2. You must be physically present — during all normal business hours, at the registered address. No vacations, no extended lunches, no conferences.
3. Process servers visit in person — a stranger shows up at your address (potentially your home) to hand you papers
4. Missed service has consequences — if you're not available and service of process fails, the lawsuit can proceed without your knowledge
5. Junk mail and solicitations — your address on public record attracts marketers and scammers

Our Registered Agent Service

We provide professional registered agent service for Tennessee LLCs. Here's what that includes:

• Tennessee street address on your LLC filings — keeps your personal address off public record
• Same-day document scanning and forwarding — when legal documents arrive, we scan and send them to you immediately
• Compliance reminders — we notify you ahead of Tennessee filing deadlines so nothing slips
• Online document portal — access all your forwarded documents anytime
• Reliable availability — we're at the registered address during all required business hours, every business day

Pricing

Your first year of registered agent service is included when you form your LLC through us ($199 formation package). After the first year, ongoing registered agent service is $99/year.

If you already have a Tennessee LLC and just need registered agent service, you can sign up for $99/year directly.

Why This Matters

The registered agent requirement exists to ensure your LLC can always be reached for legal and official purposes. Using a professional service means:

• Your personal address stays private
• Documents get handled immediately — no delays, no missed deadlines
• You stay in compliance with the Tennessee Secretary of State without thinking about it
• If you're ever sued, you find out right away instead of when it's too late

Get Registered Agent Service