Comparison of the top registered agent services for Tennessee LLCs and corporations · Updated 2026-04-30
For a Tennessee business, choosing a registered agent involves weighing annual cost against privacy, document handling speed, and compliance reminders. Tenn. Code §48-208-101 sets the ground rules — physical in-state address, available during business hours, no P.O. boxes — and the Tennessee Secretary of State enforces them on the public record. Below, we rank the four registered agent services we evaluated for Tennessee-based LLCs and corporations in 2026.
Northwest Registered Agent
Physical-address-only operations; mail forwarding; same-day filing.
ZenBusiness
Pairs RA with LLC formation packages.
LegalZoom
Largest brand; phone-based support; bundled legal services.
Mid-tier pricing with full feature parity; suitable for businesses focused on cost-efficiency.
Tennessee-specific option: Tennessee Registered Agent.co operates exclusively in Tennessee and specializes in same-state filings. Best for businesses that want a state-focused provider with local-only operations.
| Filing | Cost | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation | $300 | annually by the first day of the fourth month after fiscal year end |
| Annual Report | $300 | annually by the first day of the fourth month after fiscal year end |
| DBA / Fictitious Name | $20 | Every 5 years |
| Change of Registered Agent | $20 | — |
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State · Statute reference Tenn. Code §48-208-101
For most Tennessee LLCs, Northwest Registered Agent ranks first on privacy and Mainstay Filing offers the best value at $99/year. State-specific options like Tennessee Registered Agent.co specialize in same-state filings.
Commercial services range $50–$250 per year. Mainstay Filing is $99/yr; Northwest is $125/yr; ZenBusiness is $199/yr; LegalZoom is $249/yr.
Yes. File a Statement of Change of Registered Agent with the Tennessee Secretary of State for $20. Most commercial services handle the change paperwork for you.
National services like Mainstay Filing and Northwest operate across all 50 states with consistent pricing and online dashboards. State-specific providers (like Tennessee Registered Agent.co) focus exclusively on one state and often handle same-state-only filings faster.
Yes — under Tenn. Code §48-208-101, every Tennessee LLC must designate and maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in Tennessee.
RA Ratings independently reviews registered agent services. We may earn a commission from sponsored links; this does not affect rankings or editorial selection. Verify all filing fees with the Tennessee Secretary of State before submitting paperwork.