Tennessee Certificate of Authority / Fees
The full Tennessee certificate of authority fee schedule
Tennessee charges an LLC $50 for each member, between $300 and $3,000, while a corporation, a nonprofit or a limited partnership pays a flat $600. Preparing and submitting the filing costs $199 from us, itemized separately from the state's fee at checkout.
Tennessee charges by kind of entity
| Entity | Application | Amend | Leave |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLC | $300 to $3,000 by members | $20 | $20 |
| Business corporation | $600 | $20 | $20 |
| Nonprofit corporation | $600 | $20 | $20 |
| Limited partnership | $600 | Quoted when you order | $20 |
| Limited liability partnership | Quoted when you order | Priced at order | Priced at checkout |
Both kinds of partnership file on paper.
LLC fee by headcount
| Members | Application | Annual report |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 6 | $300 | $300 |
| 7 | $350 | $350 |
| 10 | $500 | $500 |
| 60 or more | $3,000 | $3,000 |
Each member above 6 adds $50 to both columns.
Smaller Tennessee charges
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Corporation annual report | $20 |
| Report that also swaps agent or office | $20 more |
| Change of agent or office | $20 |
| Resignation of an agent | $20 |
| Assumed name | $20 |
| Consent to an indistinguishable name | $20 |
| Name reservation | $20 |
| Reinstatement after revocation | $70 |
| Cancellation after revocation | $100 |
| Certificate or certified copies | $20 |
Worked totals
| Case | State total | Made up of |
|---|---|---|
| LLC with up to six members files | $300 | $300 |
| The same LLC, first year with its report | $600 | filing $300, report $300 |
| Ten members, first year with the report | $1,000 | filing $500, report $500 |
| LLC that files, then swaps its agent | $320 | filing $300, agent change $20 |
| LLC that files and later leaves | $320 | filing $300, exit $20 |
| LLC registering after two years of trading | $2,100 | $1,800 of fines, then the $300 filing fee |
| Corporation, first year with the report | $620 | filing $600, report $20 |
| Corporation that files and leaves | $620 | filing $600, exit $20 |
| Delaware LLC, first year plus Delaware tax | $1,000 | filing $300, report $300, Delaware $400 |
| Wyoming LLC in year one, with its minimum | $660 | filing $300, report $300, Wyoming $60 |
Why the headcount deserves care
For an LLC the member count sets the filing fee, then sets the yearly fee again every year. A miscount means the wrong payment, and the state lists a missing or incorrect fee among its common reasons to reject a filing. Count on the day you file.
The charge that is not on the schedule
For an LLC that traded before it held a certificate, 3 times the filing fee is charged for each year or part-year, ahead of the state's filing. At the floor fee a year costs $900, so two years run $1,800 on top of the $300 application.
Nonprofits and partnerships
A nonprofit corporation pays $600 to apply and $20 to amend. A foreign limited partnership pays $600 on paper. The LLP registration fee is set out at order, on its own line.
Fees across the life of a certificate
Before filing: a name remedy if needed and the home certificate. At filing: the application. Each year: the report. When something changes: $20 for the agent or $20 for the certificate. At exit: $20.
When revocation is involved
To return after revocation, a company files Form SS-9410 and pays $70. To leave instead, it files Form SS-4254 at $100; reinstatement is not a prerequisite.
What the home state charges
The home certificate is billed by the home state: $50 in Delaware and $0 in Wyoming. It sits outside the Tennessee totals.
Fees the state adds to a report
A report that also swaps the agent or office costs $20 more for an LLC and $20 more for a corporation. Both are in addition to the report fee.
What our rate covers
Our charge, $199, covers the entity and headcount interview plus writing, certificate ordering and submission. Anyone filing independently can use the do-it-yourself page.
Registered agent: first year included, then $149 a year
$199 plus the state fee, including your first year of registered agent service; after that the agent service renews at $149 a year.
Fee questions
Is the Tennessee fee charged per member?
For an LLC, yes: $50 each, from $300 to $3,000.
What does a change of agent cost?
$20.
How do I see the state fee on its own?
Checkout shows it as a separate line.
What do corporations pay?
$600, then $20 a year.
What is the most an LLC can pay?
$3,000 to apply and the same for each report, reached at 60 members.
Pricing
Get your Tennessee certificate
$199
+ from $300 state filing fee
$300 is the LLC floor on a $50-a-member scale; other entity types pay their own state fee, shown on the fees page. $199 plus the state fee, including your first year of registered agent service; after that the agent service renews at $149 a year.
- An application written for your entity type from your replies
- The home certificate, requested to land inside the window
- A Tennessee agent for service from us, or one you choose
- The endorsed application returned to you as your certificate
- Renewal: after the first year, the agent service renews at $149 a year
Sources
- Tennessee Secretary of State, business forms and fees
- Tennessee Code Annotated 48-249-1007, LLC filing fees (General Assembly bill text restating the section)
- Tennessee Secretary of State, business FAQs
- Form SS-4431, application for certificate of authority, foreign for-profit corporation
- Tennessee Revised Limited Liability Company Act, foreign LLC provisions (Public Chapter 286)
- Form SS-4241, application for certificate of withdrawal or cancellation, foreign entity
- Tennessee Secretary of State, how do I file a foreign business in Tennessee
- Delaware Division of Corporations fee schedule (PDF)
- Delaware Division of Corporations, LLC/LP/GP annual tax
- Wyoming Secretary of State, Business Division fee schedule
Ready for your Tennessee certificate?
Name the entity type and headcount; we write the matching application.