Registered agents in Tennessee provide a legal business mailing address. The address must be a civic address and not a P.O. Box. The Tennessee registered agent service must also be available during normal business hours, from Monday to Friday (9 am to 5 pm). Types of mail handled by a commercial registered agent include; legal forms, government documents, and even correspondence from the Tennessee Secretary of State. Here’s what you need to know about the best registered agents in Tennessee.
N.W. Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent is the best overall due to its numerous pros and a minimal number of cons. Perfect for all sorts of registered agent work.
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is the ideal choice if you're interested in starting and growing your business with all sorts of registered agent services right at your fingertips.
Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance is the best registered agent in Tennessee for monitoring compliance. All documents are processed the same day; perfect if you're in a rush.
Inc Authority
Inc Authority provides highly efficient registered agent services while being very affordable for all sorts of businesses and entrepreneurs.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom is an excellent choice for entrepreneurs who want to do all of their legal correspondence themselves with certain helpful features.
What Is the Best Registered Agent Service in Tennessee?
Around 486,000 businesses reside in the state of Tennessee. According to the Tennessee Secretary of State, the annual growth rate is a whopping 37.5%. With so much growth in the Tennessee business sector, it’s no surprise so many companies are seeking a Tennessee registered agent service.
Some Tennessee business owners choose to be their own registered agent. This is allowed as long as you are available during normal business hours and have a civic address. Others use a commercial registered agent.
If you’re among the many business leaders seeking a Tennessee registered agent service, you’re in luck. Here is our list of the top registered agent services in the state.
1. Northwest Registered Agent
Best Registered Agent Service in Tennessee Overall ($125/year)
Northwest Registered Agent leads the way in Tennessee for registered agent services overall. The company offers high-quality service, affordable prices, and add-ons for extra business benefits.
All Northwest Registered Agent clients receive standard mail services, including:
- Scanning
- Uploading
- Organizing
- Forwarding
Digital mail copies are viewed through a bespoke customer portal. Mail that requires further management, is forwarded for signatures and storage.
All uploaded documents are ready within 24 hours and available 24/7 for long-term storage and access. For only $125/year, Northwest Registered Agent provides consistent services and advanced privacy.
Pros
- Security: The agency has a Privacy by Default® guarantee. This is a proprietary agreement ensuring data is never shared, lost, or sold.
- Local guide: Northwest Registered Agent customers have access to a Tennessee business guide.
- 5 free forwards: Take advantage of 5 free mail forwards when you sign on with Northwest Registered Agent.
- More add-ons: Northwest Registered Agent has a wide range of add-on services, including 60 days of free phone service for newcomers.
Cons
- LLC startup charge: Companies that start an LLC through Northwest Registered Agent are charged $100 and state filing fees.
- Paid forwards: After your initial 5 free forwards, you must pay to forward mail. You can choose a monthly service option for this.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($125/year):
Northwest Registered Agent offers a mid-range price point for Tennessee business owners. This is a competitive annual charge of $125 per year. Other prices you may encounter, include:
- $499: Trademarking
- $9: Monthly for legal advice
- $20/month: Premium mail forwarding services
2. Zen Business
Best Registered Agent in Tennessee for Startups and Small Businesses ($0-$299/year)
Zen Business is an ace in the pocket for new LLC business owners in Tennessee. The company offers all the basic registered agent services, along with some useful business-specific services.
Some of the extra features you can expect from Zen Business include:
- EIN registration (Employee Identification Number/Federal Tax ID)
- Business bank registration
- Website domain name and design
Zen Business offers Tennessee registered agent service customers a 100% accuracy guarantee. All mail is received promptly, processed, and uploaded within 24 hours of receipt. Your online account is accessible 24/7.
Pros
- Three price plans: Choose from three unique price points and service packages.
- Website development: Zen Business helps with domain name creation and web design.
Cons
- Paid alerts: Alerts for compliance and filing cost extra with Zen Business.
- Overpriced: Zen Business is on the higher end of the Tennessee registered agent pricing. The highest-priced package is $299/year.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($0 to $299/year): There are three options to choose from with Zen Business. The free, pro, and premium packages include different features and come at different prices.
- Free: Slowest filing speeds
- Pro ($199/year): Fast filing speeds and an included user operating agreement.
- Premium ($299/year): Fastest speeds and web domain and site building services.
3. Harbor Compliance
Best Registered Agent in Tennessee for Compliance Monitoring ($99/year)
Harbor Compliance is all about keeping businesses out of compliance trouble. If you’re looking for someone to keep the i’s dotted and t’s crossed, Harbor Compliance can help.
Each state has its laws regarding business compliance and annual filing practices. In Tennessee, Harbor Compliance is best at keeping your business in line.
On top of compliance-related services, Harbor Compliance provides standard Tennessee registered agent services. All your mail is received, sorted, scanned, and uploaded. Sensitive documents are forwarded as necessary, and junk mail is skimmed out to reduce your workload when sorting through your mail.
All uploaded documents are kept on file for 24/7 browsing and recall.
Pros
- Pre-filled documents: Forget filling in your Tennessee registered agent information on every form you sign. Harbor Compliance pre-fills documents so it’s done for you.
- Compliance alerts: Free compliance alerts keep you aware and in compliance with local business laws.
Cons
- No money back: No refunds. Whether you’re satisfied with Harbor Compliance services or not.
- Filing fees: Harbor Compliance will help with business filing, but it costs extra.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($99/year): Harbor Compliance offers its services for $99 annually, reduce your rate with a multi-year contract and save 5% to 10%.
4. Inc Authority
Best Registered Agent in Tennessee for Affordability ($99/year)
For United States-based business support, Inc Authority is top. This brand focuses on high-quality customer service and ensures the whole team is familiar with local business laws.
For Tennessee registered agent services, Inc Authority offers fast uploads and additional business services. They’ll even help you form your LLC from the ground up.
Get access to a digital customer profile, where you can view all uploaded mail quickly and easily. From government documents to correspondence with the Tennessee Secretary of State, everything is private and secure.
Pros
- 24-hour uploads: Read your mail the same day it arrives at Inc Authority with a 24-hour upload guarantee.
- U.S. support: Tennessee business owners benefit from a local support team.
Cons
- Must form LLC: Only businesses that form an LLC through Inc Authority can access Tennessee registered agent services.
- No reporting: The focus is on customer service but not compliance reporting. No alerts, apart from mail delivery notices.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($99/year): The first year of registered agent services with Inc Authority is free. You’ll pay $99 per year after this.
5. Legal Zoom
Best Registered Agent for DIY Entrepreneurs ($0 to $279/year)
Like Rocket Lawyer, Legal Zoom puts an extra-legal touch in its registered agent service. The business has a strong focus on business law and compliance in Tennessee. While Legal Zoom has one of the highest-priced registered agent services in the state, they also offer three options for enhanced affordability.
Choose from the free, package with basic registered agent services, the mid-level package with a few extra bells and whistles, or the most advanced package with:
- “Ask an Attorney”
- Unlimited Cloud storage
- Compliance and tax alerts
- Intellectual property trademarking
Some additional features come at an extra cost.
Pros
- Chat support
- Business document storage
- Tracking important deadlines
- Renewing licenses
- Compliance alerts
Cons
- Can be expensive for some startups
- Relatively weak free features
Pricing
The registered agent service provided by LegalZoom includes acceptance of business correspondence, along with reminders of tax and annual reporting requirements for $299/year. Although the service is more costly than others, the annual fee includes the cost of Tennessee state filing fees.
6. Rocket Lawyer
Best Registered Agent Service in Tennessee for Zero-Penalty Services ($149.99/year)
Tennessee has a specific set of business laws, especially regarding official correspondence. Rocket Lawyer emphasizes the legal side of registered agent services. They offer a zero-penalty guarantee, dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s your business requires.
All client mail is organized and junk mail is weeded out. Business mail is scanned and uploaded to a customer portal for viewing. A notification goes out every time something new is uploaded. Anything that requires further interaction is forwarded.
Rocket Lawyer is a little on the higher side of the mid-range registered agent prices. For $149.99 you receive all standard registered agent services with a little extra legal focus. It’s worth the extra price for the close attention to compliance protocols.
7. IncFile
Best Registered Agent Service in Tennessee For Bilingual Business Owners ($119/year)
Running a bilingual business is tough when everything is in English only. Inc File offers the best of both worlds with Spanish and English service options. If you run a bilingual company, you can rest easy knowing all correspondence, both English and Spanish, is managed properly.
Along with a bilingual customer support team, take advantage of a variety of business add-ons. Inc File offers regular registered agent services along with tax management, foreign qualification services, and more.
All digital support is available 24/7, with ongoing access to your private online account. Unfortunately, over-the-phone care is only available on weekdays until 6 pm.
Pros
- Bilingual support: No need to settle for English-only. Inc File offers bilingual Spanish and English support.
- Add-ons: Tennessee businesses can take advantage of certificates of good standing, foreign qualifications, tax management, and other business add-on options.
Cons
- Weekends customer care: Bilingual over-the-phone care is limited to Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($119): For only $119, Inc File is an affordable registered agent option for Tennessee business owners.
8. InCorp
Best Registered Agent Service in Tennessee For Unique Software ($87 to $129/year)
Proprietary software is where InCorp shines. The registered agent service uses its own enhanced security software, EntityWatch®. With advanced privacy settings, this customizable customer dashboard creates a safe and convenient correspondence management service.
InCorp charges a highly affordable $129 per year. You can also discount the amount to a reduced fee of $87 if you sign a multi-year contract.
Along with the proprietary software, InCorp offers an IOS mobile app. Manage your correspondence from your iPhone wherever you go.
9. Rapid Registered Agent
Best Registered Agent Service in Tennessee for No Hidden Fees ($100/year)
Rapid Registered Agent offers Tennessee business owners a transparent partnership. The mail managing service has no hidden fees or easy-to-miss fine print in its contract. What you see is what you get, and what you get is impeccable registered agent services.
Rapid Registered Agent services users are charged $100 per year. For this you receive an official Tennessee business address (Not a P.O. Box), and customer service from 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday. All documents are filed and uploaded to an online account where you can print or manage them as needed. Mail forwarding is also available.
10. Swyft Filings
Best Registered Agent Service in Tennessee For Special Business Features ($199/year)
Swyft Filings puts a strong focus on the business side of the best registered agent services. The company offers a variety of additional services, and will even help you form a business. All you need to do is pay the state filing fee.
Along with your general registered agent services such as mail management, uploading of documents, and mail forwarding, you receive:
- Company name changeability
- Foreign qualification services
- Company amendments
- Year-end filing assistance
Swyft Filings charges $99 annually, making them cheaper than some other mid-priced registered agent services.
11. Tennessee Registered Agent
Best Registered Agent Service in Texas For Affordable Service ($49/year)
Tennessee Registered Agent is the most basic and affordable registered agent service in the state. The company doesn’t offer all the bells and whistles of other registered agents. They do offer high-quality customer service and all the necessary elements of a registered agent.
All clients receive customer service interaction between 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday. When you sign up with Tennessee Registered Agent, you can expect your new official mailing address to activate within 24 hours. Forwarding and other services may take a week or two to initiate.
Access your online portfolio to read, delete, or manage mail. Request mail forwarding as needed. All this for only $49 per year.
12. CSC Global
Best Registered Agent Service in Tennessee For International Business ($299/year)
If your business has international dealings, or you’re an international business hoping to break into the Tennessee business market, CSC Global is for you. This registered agent service does a lot more than the bare minimum.
CSC Global offers a wide range of international business services to take LLCs to the next level. Along with mail management, uploading and forwarding of documents, and long-term document storage, you can count on:
- SOC 2 auditing process
- CSC Navigator® software
- Online compliance dashboard
- Same-day scanning
- UUC search
- Corporate filing
- UUC filing
- Alerts
- Business license application assistance
This is a more expensive Tennessee registered agent service in town. The team has more than 120 years of experience. For this expertise, you pay $299 per year.
13. Resident Agent LLC
Best Registered Agent Service in Tennessee for Form Library Access ($75/year)
Resident Agent LLC has a form library you don’t want to miss. This beneficial correspondence hack makes signing and sending forms simple. Access a wide range of forms, including pre-filled forms with registered agent data intact, and templates to create your custom documents.
Along with their impressive library, you can count on Resident Agent LLC for standard services. Chat to support Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, and view digitally uploaded copies of all official business correspondence.
Resident Agent LLC customers pay $75 annually, making them the second cheapest service in the state.
What Is a Tennessee Registered Agent?
To become a registered agent, or registered agent service in Tennessee, you must:
- Be an individual or business
- Have a civic mailing address (not a P.O. Box)
- Be available during normal business hours of 9 am to 5 pm
Tennessee registered agents handle a variety of official business mail, including:
- Legal documents
- Government mail
- Business correspondence
- Letters from the Tennessee Secretary of State
A registered agent is required to do business in or with other Tennessee businesses.
How Can a Tennessee Registered Agent Help Your Business?
Registered agents help business owners in Tennessee in many ways. Some of the most common benefits include:
Alerts and Notifications
Compliance deadlines, filing deadlines, and even just alerts that you have new mail to view, are all important features. Tennessee registered agents keep you apprised of correspondence and correspondence deadlines.
Secure and Private
In Tennessee, a registered agent service adds another level of privacy and safety to your official business mail. No prying eyes looking to see who is sending your business mail. This makes it less embarrassing to receive sensitive mail such as letters of debt from creditors, or lawsuits.
No Junk Mail
Businesses receive a wide range of junk mail. From flyers for other local businesses to coupons, and even some spam. A registered agent weeds all these things out, leaving only what you request to receive, and your official business mail.
Is a Registered Agent Legally Required in Tennessee?
According to the Tennessee Secretary of State, all business entities require a registered agent or registered office. The only exception is a GP, or general partnership. A business in Tennessee can choose to be its own registered agent.
Tennessee Registered Agent Q&A
Through this guide we talked about the purpose of a registered agent, how registered agents help in Tennessee, and even the top registered agents in the state. Still, have questions? No problem. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we get about registered agents.
How Much Does a Tennessee Registered Agent Cost?
Tennessee registered agent services vary. Some offer a free first year of service. Others charge $49 to $299 annually. A few local registered agents also provide discounts when you sign a multi-year contract.
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in Tennessee?
You may be your own registered agent in Tennessee if you follow the aforementioned guidelines. You must have a civic mailing address for your business or office. You must also be available from 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday at that location, to be your own registered agent.
Can a Company in Tennessee Change Its Registered Agent?
Yes. Many registered agent services will help you change your service provider. You can also file a Registered Agent Change Form for $20 with the Tennessee Secretary of State.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Tennessee Registered Agent?
Most registered agent services provide your new mailing address and access to an online portfolio within 24 hours. Some services may take one to two weeks to initiate, including mail forwarding.
N.W. Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent is the best overall due to its numerous pros and a minimal number of cons. Perfect for all sorts of registered agent work.
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is the ideal choice if you're interested in starting and growing your business with all sorts of registered agent services right at your fingertips.
Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance is the best registered agent in Tennessee for monitoring compliance. All documents are processed the same day; perfect if you're in a rush.
Inc Authority
Inc Authority provides highly efficient registered agent services while being very affordable for all sorts of businesses and entrepreneurs.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom is an excellent choice for entrepreneurs who want to do all of their legal correspondence themselves with certain helpful features.