Initial Fees and Licenses in Tennessee

April 13, 2006

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If you're going to operate your business in Tennessee, when you start up you're likely to incur filing fees and licensing fees depending on the type of business you run and your business form (corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership or limited liability company (LLC)). Read on to see what Tennessee has in store for you.

Corporations. If you're doing business as a domestic corporation (a corporation incorporated in Tennessee), you will be subject to various fees when you start up. The following are the filing requirements and payments by domestic corporations to the Tennessee Secretary of State:

Document	Fee
Charter	$100
Application for certificate of existence or authorization	$20
Amended and restated charters	$20
Articles of merger or share exchange	$100
Articles of dissolution	$20
Articles of termination of corporation existence	$20
Certificate of administrative dissolution	No fee
Articles of termination following administrative dissolution	$100

If you're doing business as a foreign corporation (a corporation incorporated outside of Tennessee), you will be subject to initial fees when you start up. The following are the filing requirements and payments by foreign corporations to the Tennessee Secretary of State:

Document	Fee
Application for a certificate of authority	$600
Application for an amended certificate of authority	$20
Application for certificate of withdrawal	$20
Certificate of revocation of authority to transact business	No fee

Limited liability companies (LLCs). If your company is either a domestic or foreign limited liability company (LLC), you must file documents with the Tennessee Secretary of State. If your company is a domestic LLC, you must deliver articles of organization to the Tennessee Secretary of State. If your company is a foreign LLC, you must apply for a certificate of authority to transact business in Tennessee by delivering an application to the Tennessee Secretary of State for filing. The annual fees for an LLC are $50 per member on the date of filing with a minimum fee of $300 and a maximum fee of $3,000.

Business licenses and fees. Tennessee requires that you obtain a license and pay a fee if you are operating certain types of businesses in the state. Below is a partial list of some of the types of businesses required to obtain a license. Be sure to check with the state to make sure you are complying with the license requirements for your particular profession.