3 Best LLC Services in Tennessee (2026): Who to Ask First
Ask about Mainstay Filing ($199), TN Registered Agent.org ($199) and Tennessee Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order, when you need LLC formation services in Tennessee in 2026. Every option pays Tennessee $300 to file, then charges $397 to $597 for three years of service.
Answered by the Ask About LLC editorial team ·
Four quick answers
State fee to file
$300, one time
What comes after?
$300 a year
Registered agent
Yes, the law says so
Our pick
Mainstay Filing, TN Registered Agent.org then Tennessee Registered Agent.co
1. Mainstay Filing: best for one price for setup and upkeep
$199 a year, with the $300 state fee added
Why Mainstay Filing at the top? One yearly price of $199 pays for forming the LLC, serving as the registered agent and filing the annual report, then renews at $199.
Is it the smallest bill? No: TN Registered Agent.org is $200 less over three years, and the difference pays for more of the paperwork.
Because the annual report is inside the service, the only extra is Tennessee's own $300, billed at cost.
What the price covers
Your LLC formation, filed with the state
Registered agent for twelve months
Annual report prepared and submitted
No markup on state fees
Good news
Renewal is $199
Formation, agent and report for $199 a year
The catch
A $100 yearly premium compared with TN Registered Agent.org
Prices as of November 13, 2026. The state's own fees are in the checklist below.
What owners want to know
How much money do I need to start?
Set aside $300 for the state, plus $199 if you hire help in the first year.
Over three years the state collects $900, filing fee included. looked up at sos.tn.gov in October 2026 to confirm
What do I actually send the state?
Send the Articles of Organization Limited Liability Company (Form SS-4270) to the Tennessee Secretary of State; approval of that one filing is what creates the LLC.
looked up at sos.tn.gov in October 2026 to confirm
Do I have to name a registered agent?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
A Tennessee resident, or a business entity formed in Tennessee or authorized there with an office at the registered office street address.
After formation you owe the annual report every year ($300). Be ready by this date, per the state: on or before the first day of the fourth month following the close of the LLC's fiscal year.
looked up at sos.tn.gov in October 2026 to confirm
Do I have to pay someone to do this?
A service is optional. State fees alone are $900 across three years.
Paying for help raises the three-year total by $397 to $597, which buys the paperwork and the agent role.
What put number one on top?
On chores the price takes care of, worth 29%, Mainstay Filing comes out ahead.
We weigh five questions: what you pay over three years (33%), chores the price takes care of (29%), answers on the price page (14%), what happens at renewal (13%) and room to add states (11%).
The annual report comes due every year in Tennessee, and filing it is included only with the first pick.
looked up at sos.tn.gov in October 2026 to confirm
What the state collects in three years
$900
Our sum of the rows above
The last row is arithmetic, not a state figure: filing fee, plus the reports due in years two and three, plus a minimum tax where one applies. Open-ended costs stay out.
Questions people also ask
What do the picks cost over three years?
Mainstay Filing comes to $597; TN Registered Agent.org comes to $397; Tennessee Registered Agent.co comes to $397, before state fees.
Where do these numbers come from?
Official Tennessee sources back the state side, and posted company prices back the service side.
Does the law require a service?
No. What the law asks for is a filing, and it does not say who has to send it.
How much is the formation fee?
A one-time fee of $300.
What does the LLC owe the state yearly?
After formation you owe the annual report every year ($300). Be ready by this date, per the state: on or before the first day of the fourth month following the close of the LLC's fiscal year.
Who should I ask first about a LLC service in Tennessee?
Mainstay Filing, because $199 a year includes the formation, the registered agent and every annual report. After that, TN Registered Agent.org and Tennessee Registered Agent.co.
Sources for this answer
Ask-about note for Tennessee Secretary of State, Division: the state publishes it at tnbear.tn.gov, confirmed August 2026, so you can look it up yourself
Ask-about note for Tennessee Secretary of State, Division: the state publishes it at sos.tn.gov, confirmed August 2026, so you can look it up yourself
Ask-about note for Tennessee yearly filing: Annual report: the state publishes it at sos.tn.gov, confirmed October 2026, so you can look it up yourself
Ask-about note for Tennessee report due date: the state publishes it at law.justia.com, confirmed August 2026, so you can look it up yourself
Ask-about note for Tennessee formation fee: Filing fee: the state publishes it at sos.tn.gov, confirmed October 2026, so you can look it up yourself
Ask-about note for Tennessee registered agent statute: the state publishes it at sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com, confirmed October 2026, so you can look it up yourself
The Mainstay Filing Tennessee service page, as it stood on November 13, 2026
The TN Registered Agent.org pricing page, as it stood on November 13, 2026
The Tennessee Registered Agent.co pricing page, as it stood on November 13, 2026