How to Change Registered Agent in Tennessee

What the State of Tennessee Says about changing a Registered Agent

The state of Tennessee has certain requirements for changing your LLC’s registered agent. Any business entity registered and operating in Tennessee can change its registered agent by filing online or mailing a Change of Registered Agent/Office form (SS-4534). These forms can be filed by the business entity or the registered agent.

The change form itself has a thorough description of registered agent change procedures, as does the e-filing site.

Who can be a Tennessee Registered Agent

You can’t pick just anyone to be a registered agent for your LLC. The state of Tennessee puts certain restrictions on who can serve as one. If you’re choosing or changing your registered agent, keep these requirements in mind. The registered agent in Tennessee must:

• Be an individual Tennessee resident or a business entity located in Tennessee
• Have a Tennessee street address (P.O. boxes are not allowed)

* If your registered agent is a foreign business entity, it must be authorized to transact business in Tennessee

How to Change Your Tennessee Registered Agent

Your new registered agent might be ready for action, but they can’t begin their duties until you’ve formally filed for your agent change. The Secretary of State’s office accepts both electronic and paper filings.

Filing online is often the quicker option. Begin your online form on this page. After you click the “Start Now!” button, you’ll be asked for your Secretary of State control number, used to identify your business. From there, follow the onscreen instructions the rest of the way. The fee for filing online is $20 (plus a $2.50 service charge). If you’d rather not pay the $22.50 online filing fee with a credit card, you can print the completed form and mail it in with a check.

Or, you can fill out the form completely on paper by downloading it here. Page 2 contains detailed instructions for you to follow. After you’ve finished, mail it, with a check for $20 (made out to “Tennessee Secretary of State”), to:

Tennessee Secretary of State

ATTN: Corporate Filing

312 Rosa L. Parks Ave FL 6

Nashville TN 37243

You’re also welcome to drop off the form in person if you live in Nashville.

These are the only methods for changing your registered agent in Tennessee. You may not make the change on your Annual Report or by updating your Articles of Organization.

If you’re too busy, or if you’d feel more comfortable letting someone else take the reins, you have the option of hiring a company or individual to file your paperwork for you. It’s a great way to save time and stress.

Submit your form? Pay your fee? That’s all you have to do! You should see your change on file soon.

Consider a Registered Agent Service

Think of your registered agent as a mediator between you and the state of Tennessee, the person or business entity that handles some of your most important paperwork.

In case you thought the registered agent was just a formality, look at the documents they handle:

• service of process notices
• tax information
• lawsuits
• and other Secretary of State correspondence.

A lot of important stuff. Which is why a reliable registered agent is essential to every Tennessee business owner.

By handling high-priority and sensitive documents on your behalf, your registered agent takes care of your communications with the state, so you can spend more time building your business.

Plus, if you operate a Tennessee small business from out of state, a trustworthy registered agent is especially important, as the state requires a local contact for your LLC. Having this contact ensures your company will receive and respond to time-sensitive documents, so you won’t miss filings and get hit with penalties.

If you’re unsure where to find a good Tennessee registered agent, consider using a registered agent service. These companies provide you a reliable, professional registered agent so you can have peace of mind knowing you won’t ever miss a filing, tax deadline, or state correspondence.

Sure, you can jump online, search “registered agent service,” and get a ton of results. But the truth is that not all of these services are trustworthy. So, we’ve done some research for you. If you want to know you’re getting a top-quality registered agent, take a look at our comparison guide on the best rated registered agent services. Many of these providers can also form an LLC for you if you’re needing a fresh start. ZenBusiness and IncFile are two very well known options.