Tennessee
On this page
Tennessee at a glance
- Who runs it
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Business Services Division
- Business Entity Search (TNCaB)
- Cost to search
- Free
- Searching is free. A Certificate of Existence is $20 and needs tax clearance from the Department of Revenue.
- Account needed
- No
- Search without signing up
- Search by
- Business name ("Starts With", "Contains" or "Exact"), "Active Entities Only" filter
State fees
- Form an LLC$300$50 per member on the filing date, $300 minimum, $3,000 maximum.Articles of Organization (Form SS-4270)Official source
- Annual Report$300$300 minimum, plus $50 per member over 6, up to $3,000.On or before the 1st day of the 4th month after the LLC's fiscal year ends. If no fiscal year end month is chosen, the state uses December, so the report is due April 1.Official source
- Certificate of Existence$20Request form SS-4461. Tax clearance from the Department of Revenue is required.Proof the business is currentOfficial source
- Change registered agent$20Statement of Change of Registered Agent/Office (Form SS-4534).Every LLC must have oneOfficial source
Tennessee LLC lookup: how to use the Business Entity Search (TNCaB)
An LLC lookup in Tennessee is the same search as a business search. The Business Entity Search (TNCaB), kept by the Tennessee Secretary of State, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by business name or "Active Entities Only" filter. It's free, and you don't need an account.
- Open the Business Entity Search in TNCaB. No login is needed to search.
- Type the business name and choose "Starts With", "Contains" or "Exact". Tick "Active Entities Only" to hide inactive records.
- Click "Search" and find the business in the results grid. Note its Control No.
- Open the record and click "filing history" to see its filings and status changes.
- Check the "Other Names Used" column for assumed names the entity has registered.
Good to know in Tennessee: Tennessee charges LLCs by the member. Articles of Organization and every annual report cost $50 per member, with a $300 minimum and a $3,000 maximum, so most small LLCs pay $300 a year. Tennessee also doesn't recognize "DBAs": an LLC registers an "Assumed Name", which shows in the "Other Names Used" column.
What the search shows you
- Control No.
- Name and Other Names Used
- Entity Type
- Status
- City and Formed In (state)
- Registration Date
- Filing history on the entity record
What the status words mean
Tennessee uses its own words for a company's status, and they don't always mean the same thing as in other states. Here's what you'll see on the Business Entity Search (TNCaB), in the state's own wording.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Active | On record with the Secretary of State. The search has an "Active Entities Only" filter. |
| Inactive | An entity that failed to file its annual report on time may be administratively dissolved and placed in inactive status. Check the record's filing history for details. |
| Administrative dissolution | Happens for failing to file an annual report, being without a registered agent, a foreign entity losing its assumed name over a name conflict, or a payment returned by a bank. The help pages don't list every status label the search can show. |
For how these compare across states, see what business entity status means.
Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners
Registered Agent
Every entity except a general partnership must keep a registered agent and office in Tennessee at all times. The registered office must be a physical Tennessee address, not a post office box.
Filing history
Each record has a filing history. The Secretary of State points people to it to see why an entity shows inactive.
Owners, managers and officers
The LLC filing fee is based on the number of members, but the Secretary of State's help pages don't say whether member names are published. If the state record doesn't name anyone, our guide on how to find the owner of an LLC covers where else to look.
Finding a Tennessee Secretary of State Control Number (Control No.)
Tennessee gives every business on its register a Secretary of State Control Number (Control No.). It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.
- What it looks like
- Nine digits with leading zeros, for example 000217213.
- Where to find yours
- In the Control No. column of the Business Entity Search results and on the entity record.
It's easy to mix it up with these, which come from other offices:
- Franchise and excise tax registration (Tennessee Department of Revenue). A separate registration every LLC must make for franchise and excise taxes. It is not the Secretary of State control number.
Your federal EIN is a different number again. See which business number a form is asking for.
Checking whether a business name is available in Tennessee
- Search the name with "Contains" before filing. A name that isn't distinguishable from another entity on file is a common reason filings are rejected.
- A name reservation (Form SS-9425) costs $20.
- Check the "Other Names Used" column, since assumed names also appear in the search.
A clear result on the state search isn't a trademark clearance. If the name matters to you, also search the USPTO trademark database and check the domain. More in our business name search guide.
DBA and UCC search in Tennessee
DBAs and assumed names
- What it's called
- Assumed Name
- Where they're filed
- An LLC registers an assumed name with the Secretary of State. Tennessee doesn't recognize "DBAs" or fictitious names. Registered assumed names appear in the "Other Names Used" column of the Business Entity Search.
- State fee
- $20. Application for Registration of Assumed Name (Form SS-4402). Renewal is also $20.
- How long it lasts
- Five years, and it can be renewed.
UCC liens
Lenders file UCC financing statements with the Tennessee Secretary of State, UCC Section. The online search is free. Our Tennessee UCC search guide has the steps and fees.
Tennessee fees and deadlines
These are the state's own fees, before any service charges. Each row links to the official page we took it from.
Form an LLC
$300- Articles of Organization (Form SS-4270).
- File online in TNCaB (an account is required) or mail the paper form with a check or money order to skip the online convenience fee.
Annual Report
$300- Due: On or before the 1st day of the 4th month after the LLC's fiscal year ends. If no fiscal year end month is chosen, the state uses December, so the report is due April 1.
- If you're late: Not filing on time can lead to administrative dissolution and inactive status.
- LLCs registered with the Secretary of State must also register for and pay franchise and excise taxes with the Department of Revenue. The minimum franchise tax is $100, owed even if the company is inactive.
Change your registered agent
$20- Every Tennessee LLC must have one.
- Statement of Change of Registered Agent/Office (Form SS-4534).
Certificate of Existence
$20- Proof the company exists and is current, from the Tennessee Secretary of State.
- Request form SS-4461. Tax clearance from the Department of Revenue is required.
90,299 new business applications were filed in Tennessee from January to September 2026, up 16.9% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.
Starting a business in Tennessee?
A lot of people search the Business Entity Search (TNCaB) to see if a name is taken before they file. If that's you, here's the order to do things in.
- 1Check the name is free in TennesseeTakes two minutes, steps on this page
- 2File your LLC with the stateArticles of Organization, $300 state fee
- 3Or let a service file it for youCompared on what you pay in year two
Step 3 goes to our comparison page, which has sponsored links. We earn a commission if you buy, and it doesn't change our rankings. How that works.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look up an LLC in Tennessee?
Search the Business Entity Search (TNCaB), the official database kept by the Tennessee Secretary of State. You can search by business name or "Active Entities Only" filter. It's free, and you don't need an account. Open the matching record to see the LLC's status, registered agent and filing history.
Is the Tennessee Secretary of State business search free?
Yes. The Business Entity Search is free and doesn't need a login. Filing, and viewing documents in TNCaB, requires an account.
Why does a Tennessee business show as inactive?
Usually because it didn't file its annual report on time and was administratively dissolved. Other causes are having no registered agent or a returned payment.
How much is the Tennessee LLC annual report?
$300 minimum, plus $50 for each member over 6, up to $3,000. It's due by the 1st day of the 4th month after the fiscal year ends.
Does Tennessee register DBAs?
No. Tennessee doesn't recognize DBAs or fictitious names. An LLC files an Application for Registration of Assumed Name for $20, good for 5 years.
Sources
We take every fee, deadline and rule on this page from these pages and nowhere else. Rules change, so open the source before you pay anything.
- 1.Business Entity Search (TNCaB)Checked November 8, 2026
- 2.TNCaB portalChecked November 8, 2026
- 3.Secretary of State: Frequently Asked Questions for BusinessesChecked November 8, 2026
- 4.Secretary of State: Frequently Asked Questions, UCC sectionChecked November 8, 2026
- 5.Secretary of State: Business Forms & FeesChecked November 8, 2026
- 6.Form SS-4270, Articles of Organization (PDF, fee and annual report rule)Checked November 8, 2026
- 7.UCC Database Search (Unofficial)Checked November 8, 2026
- 8.Department of Revenue: Franchise & Excise TaxChecked November 8, 2026
See something out of date? Report it and we'll look into it.