SINCE 1974 
IncNow can help you get a Tennessee Foreign Qualification done correctly without the hassle. We handle the entire filing process, from verifying your company name to submitting your Application for Certificate of Authority to the Tennessee Secretary of State.
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Registering your business in Tennessee involves a few key steps. IncNow’s Incorporation Specialists can help you through the process and ensure your Foreign Qualification is done properly. Here’s a look at the process:
A Certificate of Good Standing, sometimes called a Certificate of Existence, is an official document from your business’s home state that proves your company is legally formed and compliant.
Note: To be accepted by the state, the Certificate of Good Standing must be dated within 2 months of the date on which you submit your Foreign Qualification.
Before you can register, your company’s legal name must be unique and available for use in Tennessee. If another registered business is already using your name, you will need to operate under an “Assumed Name” (also known as a DBA).
IncNow’s team will conduct a name availability search with the Tennessee Secretary of State. If your company’s name is taken, we will immediately notify you and assist with registering an Assumed Name.
Tennessee law requires you to appoint a Registered Agent with a physical street address in the state to receive official legal and tax documents.
If you live in Tennessee, you can serve as your own Registered Agent. You can also hire a commercial registered agent to represent you.
This is the official form that registers your out-of-state business in Tennessee. It must be filed with the Secretary of State and requires precise details about your company, the nature of the business, and your appointed Registered Agent.
The application requires the following details:
You need to pay a filing fee in order to submit the Tennessee Application for Certificate of Authority. The filing fee in Tennessee is $300 for foreign LLCs and $600 for foreign corporations. State filing fees are included in the price of IncNow’s Foreign Qualification Service.
After registering in Tennessee, you will need to keep up with ongoing compliance requirements in the state. The Tennessee Secretary of State will send official notices regarding these requirements to your Registered Agent in Tennessee.
Please Note: IncNow’s service covers the successful initial filing of your foreign qualification. Ongoing compliance management is not included for Tennessee.
If your LLC or corporation was formed in another state, like Delaware, but you are going to be doing business in Tennessee, you will need to properly register your business there first. This process is called Foreign Qualification and it involves obtaining a Certificate of Good Standing, appointing a Registered Agent and filing an Application for Certificate of Authority.
The definition of “doing business” is generally pretty broad. It can also be different in each state. But in general, you will likely need to register your company in Tennessee if you do any of the following:
If you’re not sure whether your company is considered to be doing business in Tennessee, the safest bet is to file a Foreign Qualification. States often charge large penalties and fines if businesses do not properly register themselves.
An Assumed Name is like a nickname for your business. It’s a name you use in Tennessee that’s different from your company’s official legal name. This is also commonly known as a “DBA” (short for “Doing Business As”).
The main reason you would need an Assumed Name is if your company’s official name is already taken by another business registered in Tennessee.
Because no two businesses can have the same name, Tennessee would require you to choose a different, “assumed” name to use while operating in the state. Our filing process includes a name search to check if your name is available, and we can help you understand the next steps if it’s already in use.