Tennessee Secretary of State business entity search
Tennessee charges $50 per member to form an LLC, with a $300 minimum and a $3,000 maximum.
Check a name against Tennessee's naming rules
- Type a business name above and press Check name. Its ending and any restricted words show here.
Get the matching domain name
Type a business name to check its .com, .net, .org and .us.
"Not registered" is the registry's answer at this moment. It is not a promise that the name can be bought at the standard price, since some unregistered names are reserved or sold at a premium. The buttons open Spaceship, a domain registrar, where the price is shown.
See an example check
Example: a check of "Blue Heron Bakery LLC" against Tennessee's rules.
- Ends with "LLC", an ending Tennessee lists for an LLC.
- No ending from Tennessee's list for a corporation was found at the end of this name.
This checks the ending and the restricted words Tennessee publishes. It does not tell you whether another company already holds the name. Only the state's own search can show that.
A private website, not a government site. Every state entry links to that state's official search.
Tennessee Secretary of State's own search
- Run by
- Tennessee Secretary of State
- Called
- Business Entity Search
The state's search is the record that counts. State Business Entity Search is not a government site.
The Division of Business and Charitable Organizations of the Tennessee Secretary of State keeps the register, and its Business Entity Search is reached through the TNCaB portal.
Tennessee filing fees for a new business name
| Filing | State fee | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Form an LLC in Tennessee | $300 | Articles of Organization Limited Liability Company. Source: Tennessee Secretary of State, Articles of Organization for a limited liability company, form SS-4270. |
| Form a corporation in Tennessee | $100 | Charter For-Profit Corporation. Source: Tennessee Secretary of State, Charter for a for-profit corporation, form SS-4417. |
| Reserve a name in Tennessee | $20 | Held for 120 days. Source: Tennessee Secretary of State, Application for reservation of entity name, form SS-9425. |
| Annual report for a Tennessee LLC | $300 | Every year. Source: Tennessee Secretary of State, Business frequently asked questions. |
| Application for Registration of Assumed Name, in Tennessee | $20 | Source: Tennessee Secretary of State, Business forms and fees. |
Name endings Tennessee accepts
For an LLC (T.C.A. 48-249-106)
For a corporation (T.C.A. 48-14-101(a)(1))
Tennessee Business Entity Search and TNCaB
The state's Business Entity Search lives inside TNCaB, the Secretary of State's online portal for business filings. The portal also handles filing, and the state says an annual report cannot be filed until you create a new account in TNCaB.
The register tells you which names are already on file. Whether Tennessee accepts a close name is decided when the filing arrives.
When Tennessee rejects a name
The state's FAQ explains the usual rejection. The name requested is unavailable because it is not distinguishable from another business entity on file. A Written Consent for Use of Indistinguishable Name form exists for that situation.
A second reason has nothing to do with wording, and it shows up as a rejection message in the same way. A filing can be rejected if the Department of Revenue tax clearance cannot be obtained.
Tennessee LLC names must contain "Limited Liability Company", "LLC" or "L.L.C." under T.C.A. 48-249-106. Corporation names follow T.C.A. 48-14-101(a)(1). The name endings across the states shows both lists.
How the per-member fee adds up
Formation of an LLC is $50 per member, with a $300 minimum and a $3,000 maximum, on the Articles of Organization form SS-4270. A corporation's charter, form SS-4417, is a flat $100.
A small LLC therefore pays the $300 minimum. The annual report follows a similar shape: $300 minimum up to $3,000, rising by $50 for every member over 6. A corporation's annual report is $20.
The calculator for LLC costs by state lets you test a member count against these figures.
Reserving a Tennessee name
The reservation application, form SS-9425, costs $20 and holds the name for four months (120 days). That is long enough to line up the member list, since the filing fee depends on it. Under T.C.A. 10-7-503, everything on the application is public record, so the name and the applicant are open to anyone.
Assumed names and reinstatement
An assumed name is registered on the Application for Registration of Assumed Name, form SS-4402, at $20, filed with the Secretary of State. The guide on when two businesses share a name covers where an assumed name fits.
An entity dissolved or revoked administratively can apply for reinstatement for $70.
Checking and claiming a name in Tennessee
- Search the name in the Business Entity Search under TNCaB.
- Check that the name ends with "Limited Liability Company", "LLC" or "L.L.C." and differs from every name the search returns.
- File the $20 reservation application if you need the 120 days.
- File the Articles of Organization with $50 for each member, at least $300.
- If the filing comes back rejected, read the reason: either the name is not distinguishable from another entity on file, or the Department of Revenue tax clearance could not be obtained.
Tennessee name search questions
How much is the Tennessee LLC annual report?
The Secretary of State's FAQ puts it at $300 minimum and $3,000 maximum. The fee rises by $50 for every member over 6 members. A corporation pays $20.
Do I need a TNCaB account to search Tennessee businesses?
The Secretary of State's business page says you must create a TNCaB account before filing an annual report. It lists the Business Entity Search under the same portal.
What does a Tennessee name reservation cost and how long does it last?
The reservation application lists a $20 filing fee and a period of four months (120 days).
Why would Tennessee reject a filing over the name?
The FAQ gives this reason: the requested name is not distinguishable from another business entity on file. A written consent form for an indistinguishable name exists.
What does it cost to reinstate a Tennessee entity after administrative dissolution?
The Secretary of State's forms and fees page lists the application for reinstatement following administrative dissolution or revocation at $70.
After the Tennessee name check
- LLC cost calculatorTennessee filing and report fees added up
- Business name rules by stateTennessee's endings beside other states
- Minnesota business entity searchMinnesota Secretary of State
- Washington business entity searchWashington Secretary of State
- New Mexico business entity searchNew Mexico Secretary of State
- Company name for a sole proprietorshipYour own name needs no filing. A trade name does, with county examples from Texas and California.
- How to change an LLC nameAmendment forms, filing fees and what the IRS says, for California, Texas and Florida.
6 official Tennessee sources
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Businesses and TNCaB, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Business forms and fees, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Business frequently asked questions, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Articles of Organization for a limited liability company, form SS-4270, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Charter for a for-profit corporation, form SS-4417, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Application for reservation of entity name, form SS-9425, retrieved November 13, 2026.