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Plain English · Tennessee

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Tennessee (2026), Plainly Answered

In Tennessee for 2026, we would use Tennessee Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and TN Registered Agent.org ($199), in that order. Count on $300 for the state and $397 to $497 in service fees by year three.

By the Plain Charter editorial team ·

Short version

What the state charges
$300
Proof from home state?
Needed (60 days old at most)
What recurs
$300, annual report
Our order
Tennessee Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing then TN Registered Agent.org

Tennessee: our picks

The order follows our five criteria, led by cost and coverage.
1First choice

1. Tennessee Registered Agent.co: best for one extra state

$199 to register, $99 yearly

Tennessee Registered Agent.co is the one we'd hire first in Tennessee, because three years of service fees come to $397.

Over three years it costs less than Mainstay Filing, and cost is the biggest factor in our order.

The price covers

  • Application prepared and sent
  • Year-one agent

Upsides

  • No agent fee in year one
  • $99 a year from year two
  • $199 to register

What to weigh

  • Tennessee only; the home state needs its own agent
Visit Tennessee Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Most included

2. Mainstay Filing: best for LLCs adding states

$199 to register, $149 yearly

Our number 2 is Mainstay Filing, since it charges $199 on top of the state fee and includes the registered agent free for the first year, then $149 a year.

The $100 three-year difference against Tennessee Registered Agent.co is why it sits lower.

From year two the registered agent costs $149 a year, in any state.

The price covers

  • Your foreign filing
  • Registered agent, first year free
  • Fifty-state coverage

Upsides

  • $199 plus state fee
  • Same fee in every state
  • Agent included for year one

What to weigh

  • $50 a year more for the agent
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3One-state plan

3. TN Registered Agent.org: best for one extra state

$199 to register, $99 yearly

TN Registered Agent.org is next: three years of service fees come to $397.

Price for price it ties Tennessee Registered Agent.co.

The price covers

  • Application prepared and sent
  • Year-one agent

Upsides

  • $199 to register
  • $99 a year from year two
  • No agent fee in year one

What to weigh

  • Tennessee only; the home state needs its own agent
Visit TN Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Compare at a glance

#CompanyYear 1Later years3-year costCovers
1Tennessee Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397application prepared and sent; Year-one agentVisit Tennessee Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497your foreign filing; registered agent, first year free; Fifty-state coverageVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3TN Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397application prepared and sent; Year-one agentVisit TN Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Each company's published prices, November 12, 2026. State fees come on top and do not change by pick.

Questions, answered plainly

When does an out-of-state LLC have to register here?

An LLC from another state registers before it transacts business in Tennessee.

Without it: its own lawsuits are blocked (Tenn. Code Ann. 48-249-913(a)).

from publications.tnsosfiles.com · October 2026

What does registering cost?

Budget $300 for the state and $199 for a service.

By year three the state will have collected $900. from sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com · October 2026

Which form, and where does it go?

It takes one filing, the Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company (SS-4233), which goes to the Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations.

Attach certificate of existence or good standing issued within 60 days.

What does staying registered cost?

You keep filing the annual report ($300).

Deadline: First day of the fourth month after fiscal year end (April 1 for a calendar year).

What put the first pick first?

It comes down to three-year cost, where Tennessee Registered Agent.co is strongest.

We start with three-year cost (35%), then what the price takes off your plate (30%).

On cost, Tennessee Registered Agent.co wins at $397 for three years, a $100 saving against Mainstay Filing.

Read our criteria

Requirements, cited

ItemAnswerOfficial source
Application fee$300from sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com · October 2026
Certificate from home stateNeeded, 60 daysfrom publications.tnsosfiles.com · October 2026
Annual report$300from publications.tnsosfiles.com · October 2026
State fees, first three years$900Added up from the above
The three-year line adds the filing fee, the reports in years two and three and any yearly minimum tax. Costs without a fixed amount, such as newspaper publication, are left out.

Other quick questions

Do both states need an agent?

Both states have their own rules. Mainstay Filing works in each; a one-state service covers only its state.

How do the three-year costs compare?

Tennessee Registered Agent.co $397, Mainstay Filing $497 and TN Registered Agent.org $397 (service fees only).

What are the numbers based on?

Official schedules for state fees, company pricing for service fees, all dated on this page.

Must I hire anyone?

No. The state accepts filings from owners; a service saves time and handles the agent role.

Will these services file it?

Any of the picks can file it for you at the same state fee.

Who comes first in Tennessee?

Tennessee Registered Agent.co first: you pay $199 over the state fee, then $99 each year. Mainstay Filing and TN Registered Agent.org follow.

Cited sources

  1. Tennessee Secretary of State, Division: tnbear.tn.gov (August 2026)
  2. Tennessee Secretary of State, Division: sos.tn.gov (August 2026)
  3. Tennessee yearly filing: Annual report: sos.tn.gov (October 2026)
  4. Tennessee report due date: law.justia.com (August 2026)
  5. Tennessee formation fee: Filing fee: sos.tn.gov (October 2026)
  6. Tennessee registered agent statute: sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com (October 2026)
  7. Form SS-4233, Certificate of Authority: sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com (October 2026)
  8. Form SS-4241, withdrawal or cancellation: sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com (October 2026)
  9. Tennessee Revised LLC Act, Public: publications.tnsosfiles.com (October 2026)
  10. Tennessee Revised Limited Liability Company: capitol.tn.gov (November 2026)
  11. Prices from the Tennessee Registered Agent.co pricing page on November 12, 2026
  12. Prices from the Mainstay Filing Tennessee service page on November 12, 2026
  13. Prices from the TN Registered Agent.org pricing page on November 12, 2026