Tennessee Business Entity Search

A Tennessee business entity search is done with the Business Information Search, part of Business Services Online from the Tennessee Secretary of State. The Business Services Division keeps the records for corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships and other registered entities. The search is free. You can see whether a company is active, who its registered agent is and what it has filed. This guide explains the search, the status words and the main steps to form an LLC in Tennessee.

How to search Tennessee business records

1. Go to Business Services Online from the Tennessee Secretary of State and open the Business Information Search.
2. Enter the business name. Start with one or two distinctive words and leave off LLC or Inc.
3. If you have the Tennessee control number, search with it instead. It points to one exact record.
4. Open the matching entity from the results list.
5. Select the filing history to see each document the business has filed.

The control number matters. Tennessee assigns one to every entity, and the office asks for it when you order copies. Write it down once you find the right business.

What a Tennessee business record shows

The record lists the legal name, control number, entity type, formation or registration date, registered agent, principal office and status. The filing history shows the original charter or articles, amendments, annual reports and any assumed names.

• Active means the entity exists and its filings are current.
• Inactive covers entities that have ended, including those the state has dissolved. A business that fails to file its annual report on time can be administratively dissolved and moved to inactive.
• Administratively dissolved can follow a missed annual report, no registered agent on file, an unresolved name conflict for a foreign entity or a payment the bank returned.

Check if a business name is available

Search the name in the Business Information Search and look for exact and close matches. The Secretary of State decides availability when it reviews your filing. You can also hold a name before you file with an application for reservation of name. The fee and hold period are on the official fee schedule.

Tennessee does not use the terms DBA or fictitious name. A business that wants to trade under a different name files an assumed name with the Secretary of State. An assumed name lasts five years and can be renewed. It shows up in the entity's filing history.

Order a certificate of existence or copies

Tennessee's good standing document is the Certificate of Existence. It confirms that an entity is active and in good standing. You can request it, pay for it and receive it online through Business Services Online. The business must be in good standing with the Tennessee Department of Revenue, because the office needs tax clearance before it issues the certificate.

For copies of filed documents, send a Request for Copy of Documents form by mail, in person or online. Include the control number, the exact legal name, the documents you want and where to send them. The fee is $20 per set. See the copies and certificates guide for details.

How to form an LLC in Tennessee

1. Choose an available name with an LLC term such as Limited Liability Company or LLC.
2. Name a registered agent with a street address in Tennessee.
3. File Articles of Organization (form SS-4270) with the Secretary of State, online or on paper. The fee depends on the number of members. Check the official fee schedule for the current amount.
4. Write an operating agreement for your members.
5. Register with the Tennessee Department of Revenue. Most LLCs owe state franchise and excise taxes there.

Annual report. Every Tennessee LLC files an annual report with the Secretary of State. The fee is based on members. It is $300 for up to six members, plus $50 for each member after that, with a cap of $3,000. Missing the report is one of the most common reasons an LLC ends up administratively dissolved.

For a full checklist, read how to start a business. Still choosing a name? Try our business name generator.

Common problems with a Tennessee business search

• Name not found. Try fewer words and drop punctuation. If you have the control number, search with it.
• Brand name does not match. The company may trade under an assumed name. Open likely entities and read the filing history for assumed name filings.
• Inactive status. Ask the owner whether the company was dissolved on purpose or by the state. An entity the state dissolved has to complete reinstatement before it is back in good standing.
• Certificate refused. The usual cause is a tax problem. The owner needs to clear it with the Department of Revenue first.
• Out of state company. It appears only if it registered to do business in Tennessee. Check its home state through our business entity search hub.