Foreign registration charge
$300
According to sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com, as of October 2026
Foreign LLC guide · Tennessee
Registering an Out-of-State LLC in Tennessee (2026): Fees and the 3 Best Services
If you are registering a foreign LLC for Tennessee this year (2026), begin with TN Registered Agent.org ($199), Tennessee Registered Agent.co ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), working down the list. Bringing a foreign LLC into Tennessee means paying $300 first and $300 on each yearly report; the state is 46th of 50 on this measure.
The Tennessee fee sheet
46th
of fifty for the state side of registering
The smaller the number, the less the state charges. Every state compared
Report, per cycle
$300
Annual report
Home-state certificate
60 days
It must be this recent
State charges, years one to three
$900
Opening filing followed by years two and three
Our Tennessee shortlist
The methodology explains the order. Three-year service fees count 34%, the filings a price covers count 26%, and renewal price, fit with Tennessee rules and fee labeling make up the rest.
1. TN Registered Agent.org: best for adding only Tennessee
$199 plus fees; $99 yearly later
First on the list is TN Registered Agent.org, since $199 over the state fee to register, then $99 yearly.
It comes in under Mainstay Filing on three-year service fees. Cost counts for 34% of the score.
What the price buys
- The registration is filed for you
- A year of agent service
In its favor
- First-year agent duty is on the house
- A $199 service fee
- The agent renews at $99
Against it
- A different agent has to cover the home state
2. Tennessee Registered Agent.co: best for registering with Tennessee alone
$199 plus fees; $99 yearly later
Our second pick, Tennessee Registered Agent.co, earns its place since $199 over the state fee to register, then $99 yearly.
Its published prices match TN Registered Agent.org's exactly, so the two sit side by side.
What the price buys
- The registration is filed for you
- A year of agent service
In its favor
- The agent renews at $99
- First-year agent duty is on the house
- A $199 service fee
Against it
- A different agent has to cover the home state
3. Mainstay Filing: best for an identical price in every state
$199 plus fees; $149 yearly later
Number 3 is Mainstay Filing: the Tennessee registration is filed for $199 beyond the state's charge, with the first agent year included.
TN Registered Agent.org costs $100 less in three-year service fees.
Once the first year is over, the agent costs $149 per year.
What the price buys
- Your registration is prepared and filed
- No charge for the registered agent in the first year
- Same service fee in every state
In its favor
- A service fee of $199
- Works for your next state too
- Twelve months of agent service cost nothing
Against it
- A renewal $50 higher than TN Registered Agent.org's
The picks in numbers
| No. | Service | First-year fee | From year two | Service charges, three years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TN Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit TN Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Tennessee Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit Tennessee Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Prices come from each company's own pages and were copied on November 12, 2026. Add the $300 state fee to each row.
Registration cost calculator
The registration fee is $300, with the $300 report from year two; the service's prices are added to it.
Tennessee next to the states ranked around it
| Place | State | Three-year foreign LLC fees |
|---|---|---|
| 44th | Oregon | $825 |
| 45th | South Dakota | $860 |
| 46th | Tennessee | $900 |
| 47th | Delaware | $1,000 |
| 48th | Rhode Island | $1,450 |
Foreign LLC fees by state lists every state, least expensive first.
Tennessee foreign LLC registration fee and form (official)
Foreign LLCs register on the Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company (SS-4233), which is submitted to the Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations with $300. Attach certificate of existence or good standing, issued within 60 days.
After that the company files the annual report ($300), first day of the fourth month after fiscal year end (April 1 for a calendar year).
What to gather first
- Certificate of existence or good standing, issued within 60 days.
- The home-state legal name and the date of formation.
- A registered agent within the state (included with every pick).
- Funds to cover the $300 official fee.
Consequences of staying unregistered
An LLC that wants to sue in the state has to register first (Tenn. Code Ann. 48-249-913(a)). Contracts it has already signed still stand (Tenn. Code Ann. 48-249-913(f)).
The reasoning behind the order
TN Registered Agent.org moved ahead of Tennessee Registered Agent.co on three-year service charge, a criterion weighted 34%.
At $397 for three years, $100 less than Mainstay Filing, TN Registered Agent.org wins on cost.
Tennessee foreign registration service questions answered
What fee does a foreign LLC pay to register with Tennessee?
$300 for the filing. The services here charge $199 extra.
Which form does Tennessee use to register a foreign LLC?
Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company (SS-4233), submitted to the Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations.
Does the home state have to issue a certificate?
Yes. certificate of existence or good standing; it has to be dated within 60 days of the filing.
Does a foreign LLC owe anything every year?
Yes, the annual report, at $300.
What are the consequences of operating there without registering?
An LLC that wants to sue in the state has to register first (Tenn. Code Ann. 48-249-913(a)). Contracts it has already signed still stand (Tenn. Code Ann. 48-249-913(f)).
Does Tennessee require a registered agent of a foreign LLC?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who should register my foreign LLC?
We would pick TN Registered Agent.org (registration for $199 plus state fees, with the agent covered in year one), followed by Tennessee Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing.
Sources for this chapter
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services: tnbear.tn.gov, with the page last opened August 2026.
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services: sos.tn.gov, with the page last opened August 2026.
- Tennessee yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source: sos.tn.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Tennessee report due date: law.justia.com, with the page last opened August 2026.
- Tennessee formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sos.tn.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Tennessee registered agent statute: sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Form SS-4233, Certificate of Authority for a foreign: sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Form SS-4241, withdrawal or cancellation: sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Tennessee Revised LLC Act, Public Chapter 286: publications.tnsosfiles.com, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Tennessee Revised Limited Liability Company Act, foreign LLC: capitol.tn.gov, with the page last opened November 2026.
- Oregon Secretary of State, foreign LLC forms: sos.oregon.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Application for Authority, form instructions: sos.oregon.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Business Registry fee schedule: sos.oregon.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Registered agents and service of process: sos.oregon.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Oregon Revised Statutes, chapter 63: oregonlegislature.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- South Dakota Secretary of State, business services: sdsos.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Filing fee schedule: sdsos.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Foreign LLC application for Certificate of Authority: sdsos.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- SDCL 47-34A-1003, transacting business: sdlegislature.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- SDCL 47-34A-1008, effect of not registering: sdlegislature.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Foreign LLC registration form: corpfiles.delaware.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Delaware Code Title 6, chapter 18, subchapter IX: delcode.delaware.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Delaware Code Title 6, chapter 18, subchapter XI: delcode.delaware.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Division of Corporations fee schedule, August 2026: corpfiles.delaware.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Alternative entity annual tax instructions: corp.delaware.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Form 450, Application for Registration: docs.sos.ri.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Business Services fee schedule: docs.sos.ri.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- R.I: webserver.rilegislature.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- R.I: webserver.rilegislature.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Form 452, Certificate of Cancellation: docs.sos.ri.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- Rhode Island other cost: tax.ri.gov, with the page last opened October 2026.
- TN Registered Agent.org, pricing page: copied from the company site November 12, 2026
- Tennessee Registered Agent.co, pricing page: copied from the company site November 12, 2026
- Mainstay Filing, Tennessee service page: copied from the company site November 12, 2026