Deal alert! Northwest will form your LLC for $39 (60% discount). See details.
Yes, you can be your own Registered Agent in Tennessee as long as you meet the state requirements.
(Unfortunately, most Registered Agent Services and LLC filing companies hide this information.)
We explain the pros and cons below so you can make your own decision.
What is a Registered Agent in Tennessee?
A Registered Agent is a person or a company who receives legal documents and notices from the state for your LLC.
If your business is involved in a lawsuit, the Tennessee Registered Agent will accept Service of Process for your LLC. This is when legal documents are delivered to or “served on” your business.
Note: Some states call the Registered Agent a Resident Agent or Statutory Agent. These all mean the same thing, so we always call it a Registered Agent to keep it simple.
Special offer: Hire Northwest to form your LLC ($39 + state fee), and you'll get a free year of Registered Agent service.
(Why is Northwest the best? Read our Northwest Registered Agent review)
Who can be a Registered Agent in Tennessee?
There are four options for who can be your Tennessee Registered Agent:
- You can be your LLC’s Registered Agent
- A friend or family member can be your LLC’s Registered Agent
- Your LLC can be its own Registered Agent
- You can hire a professional Registered Agent Service for your LLC
What is a Registered Agent Service in Tennessee?
A Registered Agent Service is a company that you pay to be your LLC’s Registered Agent in Tennessee.
(A Registered Agent Service is also called a Commercial Registered Agent.)
The Registered Agent Service receives legal documents for your LLC and forward them to you electronically, or by mail. Some Commercial Registered Agents also offer additional LLC services, like forming your LLC for you.
Tennessee Registered Agent Requirements
All Tennessee Registered Agents are required to be available at a physical street address in the state during normal business hours.
(Note: The Registered Agent’s address is called the Registered Office. The Registered Office address and the name of the Registered Agent will go on your LLC paperwork.)
If the Registered Agent is a person, they must be over 18 years old and have a physical address in Tennessee. PO Boxes aren’t allowed.
If the Registered Agent is a company (a Registered Agent Service), it must be authorized to do business in Tennessee.
Should you be your own Registered Agent in Tennessee?
It depends. While being your LLC’s Registered Agent can save you money, there are some potential risks.
Let’s discuss the pros and cons of being your LLC’s Registered Agent in Tennessee.
Pros of being the Registered Agent for your LLC:
- You save money.
- It’s one less online account to keep track of if you don’t hire a Registered Agent Service.
- Documents go directly to you. You don’t have to wait for someone to forward or email them.
Cons of being the Registered Agent for your LLC:
- You might miss an important notice or legal document. This could happen if you travel often or forget to check your mail.
- Registered Agent information is public record. Companies can use public records to send you junk mail, or post your address online.
If you aren’t bothered by your address being public, being your LLC’s Registered Agent is a great way to save money.
Additionally, your LLC can be its own Registered Agent in Tennessee
Unlike most other states, Tennessee allows your LLC to be its own Registered Agent.
This is essentially the same as you being your LLC’s Registered Agent. But you will fill out your LLC paperwork differently.
Instead of listing your name as the Registered Agent, you will list your LLC’s name.
For example, instead of “Steve MacKenzie”, you would enter “Spuds and Mac LLC”.
And for the address, you can use your home address or a business address (if you have one). For example, an office, warehouse, storefront, etc. The choice is up to you.
Reminder: The home address or business address you use must be in Tennessee.
So which is better: Me being the Registered Agent or my LLC being the Registered Agent?
All the pros and cons of being your own Registered Agent are the same for when your LLC is the Registered Agent. The only differences are:
- It’s slightly more private to list your LLC name than to list your own name.
- And if you have a business address, many people prefer to use that instead of their home address.
Should I hire a Tennessee Registered Agent Service?
You should hire a Registered Agent Service if:
- You don’t live in Tennessee
- You don’t have a friend or family member who lives in Tennessee
- You live in Tennessee, but don’t want to list your home or office address, or don’t want to be the Registered Agent
Our recommendation for Tennessee Registered Agent Services
We recommend Northwest Registered Agent.
Northwest has been the best Registered Agent Service in the business for over 20 years, and they have excellent customer service. They’re also the service we use for our own LLCs.
Hiring Northwest Registered Agent will also keep your physical address off of public records. This is our favorite Northwest feature. And no other Registered Agent Service offers this.
How to keep your address off public records
Northwest is a national Registered Agent Service, and lets you use their Tennessee street address throughout your entire LLC filing in all 50 states and D.C. This can keep your address off public records.
For example, you can list their address for any or all of the following:
- Principal office address
- Mailing address
- LLC Members or Managers address
- LLC Organizer address
(Note: The list above is an example. Some states have more address fields than others. Wherever there is an address field on the LLC filing, you can list the Northwest address if you’d like. This can keep your address off public records.)
Any mail that Northwest receives gets scanned and uploaded to your online account.
Need to save time? You can also hire Northwest to form your LLC.
Special discount for LLC University® readers
Northwest usually charges $100 + state fees to form a Tennessee LLC. But they offer a special price (60% off) for LLC University® readers.
Special offer: Hire Northwest to form your LLC ($39 + state fee), and you'll get a free year of Registered Agent service.
(Why is Northwest the best? Read our Northwest Registered Agent review)
Tennessee Registered Agent FAQs
What should I look for in a Registered Agent Service?
| Service of process: | Do they forward documents by mail? Do they scan and email them? |
| General business mail: | Will they accept general business mail sent to your LLC? Most Registered Agent Services will only accept Service of Process. |
| LLC Formation: | Will they form your LLC with the state? How much do they charge beyond the state filing fee? |
| Annual Report or other services: | Do they offer Annual Report filing or other services you can buy? How much do they charge for these? |
| Cost: | How much do they charge for the stand-alone Registered Agent Service? Most Registered Agent Services charge $100 to $300 per year. |
| Customer Support: | Do they have great customer support? Read some online reviews of the service or call and ask a few questions. |
Is a Registered Agent liable in Tennessee?
No, a Tennessee Registered Agent is not liable for any of the LLC’s lawsuits or debts.
Accepting documents on behalf of the LLC does not bring the Registered Agent into a lawsuit.
If you are the Registered Agent and someone sues your LLC, they are still only suing the business. The Registered Agent does not get sued. That’s true even if you are the Registered Agent and the owner of the LLC.
And only the LLC gets sued – not you, as the individual owner. That’s because an LLC protects your personal assets.
How do I choose a Registered Agent?
Choosing the right Registered Agent for your LLC depends on your specific business needs.
We’ll guide you through your options and how to choose a Registered Agent, so you can confidently pick the best one for your LLC.
Where do I list myself as the Registered Agent?
The name and address of the Tennessee Registered Agent goes in the LLC filing paperwork.
Every state requires an LLC to list a Registered Agent and Registered Office (the Registered Agent address). This information goes on public record, so that a process server, if needed, can serve your LLC.
Is a Registered Agent a Member of a Tennessee LLC?
No, a Tennessee Registered Agent is not automatically an LLC Member (aka owner).
Meaning, just listing someone as a Registered Agent doesn’t make them a Member of your LLC.
Learn more: Registered Agent vs LLC Member
Registered Agent Service:
If you hire a Tennessee Registered Agent Service, they won’t be a Member of your LLC.
Your Tennessee LLC:
If your Tennessee LLC is its own Registered Agent, it won’t be a Member of itself. That’s not even possible!
You:
If you are a Member of an LLC and you want to be your LLC’s Registered Agent, then that is totally okay. In that case, you are both a Member of the LLC and the Registered Agent for the LLC.
Friend or family:
If a friend or family member is your LLC Registered Agent, they can be a Member of your LLC (if you make them one). But they aren’t automatically a Member just because you list them as the Registered Agent.
Who can be a Tennessee Registered Agent and an LLC Member?
| Who: | Can they be the Registered Agent? | Can they be a Member of the LLC? |
|---|---|---|
| You | Yes, if you live in the state where you formed your LLC | Yes, always |
| Friend or family | Yes, if they live in the state where you formed your LLC | Yes, if they co-own the LLC with you |
| Registered Agent Service | Yes | No, never |
Is a Registered Agent required in Tennessee?
Yes, a Registered Agent is required in Tennessee. State law requires someone to be available to accept Service of Process for your LLC.
You must list a Registered Agent on your LLC paperwork. And then you must continuously maintain (keep) one on file with the state as long as your LLC exists.
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.
