Place1
Number one hereMainstay Filing
1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies in more than one state
$199 + state fee; agent renews at $149
Our mark9.3out of 10
Mainstay Filing takes the top spot: one $199 service fee to register here or anywhere else, with year one of agent service included.
The agent renews at $149, the same price wherever the company registers.
Tennessee Registered Agent.co is $100 less over three years; if price alone decides it for you, start there.
What you get
- Registration prepared and filed
- Your registered agent, free for the first year
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
Why pick it
- $199 plus Tennessee's filing fee
- Registered agent free for the first year
- One price in every state
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
Less good
- Agent renews at $149, $50 more than Tennessee Registered Agent.co
Place2
Best for a Tennessee-only companyTennessee Registered Agent.co
2. Tennessee Registered Agent.co: best for the lowest agent renewal
$199 + state fee; agent renews at $99
Our mark8.9out of 10
In second place, Tennessee Registered Agent.co: $199 over the state fee to register in Tennessee, with the agent at $99 a year after that.
Its plan gives you an in-state street address for the registered office, and legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to you online.
What you get
- Foreign registration done for you
- A year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- Agent renews at $99
- A year of registered agent service included
- $199 plus the state's fee
Less good
- No help outside Tennessee
- EIN help is $99
Place3
Best local optionTN Registered Agent.org
3. TN Registered Agent.org: best for a local Tennessee filer
$199 + state fee; agent renews at $99
Our mark8.6out of 10
Third: TN Registered Agent.org, for $199 over the state fee to register in Tennessee, with the agent at $99 a year after that.
Its plan gives you an in-state street address for the registered office, and legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to you online.
Same prices and features as Tennessee Registered Agent.co; pick whichever you prefer.
What you get
- Foreign registration done for you
- A year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- $199 plus the state's fee
- Agent renews at $99
- A year of registered agent service included
Less good
- No help outside Tennessee
- EIN help is $99
3 picks compared
| Rank | Service | Our score | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.3 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies registered in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 2 | Tennessee Registered Agent.co | 8.9 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit Tennessee Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 3 | TN Registered Agent.org | 8.6 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit TN Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
The Founders Review sets these scores itself from the five criteria on our method page; they are not user ratings.
Tennessee foreign registration service pricing (2026): annual price, renewal price and three-year total
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Agent in year one |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Free |
|---|
| Tennessee Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
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| TN Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
Published prices, read November 12, 2026 on each company's site. Add the $300 state fee to every row; it is not in these totals.
Why Mainstay Filing is first
What split first and second in Tennessee: what one price covers, weighted at 30% in our method.
Tennessee Registered Agent.co renews for less, but one provider in every state scored higher on coverage.
Our method page lists all five criteria.
How foreign registration works in Tennessee
Out-of-state companies file the Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company (SS-4233) with the Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations; the state charges $300. Tennessee also wants certificate of existence or good standing, dated within 60 days.
After registering, the company files the annual report ($300), due first day of the fourth month after fiscal year end (April 1 for a calendar year).
Before you file
- Certificate of existence or good standing, issued no more than 60 days before you file.
- The company's exact legal name as it appears in its home state, plus its formation date.
- A registered agent in Tennessee; each service on this page acts as one.
- The $300 state fee, paid with the filing.
- A date in your calendar for the annual report and its $300 fee.
Risks of skipping registration
Until it registers, the company cannot sue in Tennessee courts (Tenn. Code Ann. 48-249-913(a)). Its contracts stay valid (Tenn. Code Ann. 48-249-913(f)).
Foreign registration services in Tennessee: questions
Do I need to register my out-of-state LLC in Tennessee?
Yes, if the company transacts business there. Until it registers it cannot bring a lawsuit in the state's courts.
How much does foreign registration cost in Tennessee?
The state charges $300; our picks add $199.
Which form does the state use?
The Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company (SS-4233), filed with the Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations.
Do I need a certificate from my home state?
Yes: certificate of existence or good standing, dated within 60 days of filing.
Do I need a registered agent after registering?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Which foreign registration service is best in Tennessee?
On our method, Mainstay Filing: the Tennessee registration for $199 plus state fees and a free first year as your registered agent.
Sources
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services (checked August 2026): tnbear.tn.gov/Ecommerce/AnnualReportInstr.aspx
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services (checked August 2026): sos.tn.gov/products/business-services/file-annual-report
- Tennessee yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source (checked October 2026): sos.tn.gov/businesses/faqs
- Tennessee report due date (checked August 2026): law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-48/chapter-249/part-10/section-48
- Tennessee formation fee: Filing fee, official source (checked October 2026): sos.tn.gov/businesses/services/business-forms-fees
- Tennessee registered agent statute (checked October 2026): sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/SS-4270%20LLC_0.pdf
- Form SS-4233, Certificate of Authority for a foreign LLC (checked October 2026): sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/SS-4233%20COA%20LLC_0.
- Form SS-4241, withdrawal or cancellation (checked October 2026): sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/ss-4241.pdf
- Tennessee Revised LLC Act, Public Chapter 286 (checked October 2026): publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/104/pub/pc0286.pdf
- Tennessee Revised Limited Liability Company Act, foreign LLC provisions (checked November 2026): www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/104/Chapter/PC0286.pdf
- Mainstay Filing Tennessee service page, read on November 12, 2026
- Tennessee Registered Agent.co pricing and service pages, read on November 12, 2026
- TN Registered Agent.org pricing and service pages, read on November 12, 2026