Change LLC Name in Tennessee

Can I change the name of my LLC in Tennessee?

Absolutely! You can easily change your Tennessee LLC name.

The first step is to file a form called the Articles of Amendment with the Department of State and wait for it to be approved. This is how you officially change your LLC name in Tennessee.

The filing fee for the Articles of Amendment in Tennessee is $20.

After the state approves your LLC name change, you should then notify the following 3 places:

• the IRS
• state tax department
• your business bank account

And finally, you can update your LLC name in other places like your website and marketing materials.

This page will guide you through the process and include helpful tips along the way.

Note: We’ve changed the names of our own LLCs over the years. So we have first-hand experience with filing the paperwork as well as dealing with the IRS and financial institutions.

What are the steps for changing an LLC name in Tennessee?

1. Check if your new LLC name is available
2. File the Amendment form (and wait for approval)
3. Update the IRS
4. Update the Tennessee Department of Revenue
5. Update financial institutions (credit card companies, banks)
6. Update business licenses
7. Update other places (branding materials, business accounts, etc.)

How much does it cost to change an LLC name in Tennessee?

It costs $20 to change your LLC name in Tennessee. This is the filing fee for the Articles of Amendment form.

How do I change my Tennessee LLC name?

In order to change your LLC name, you must file the Articles of Amendment to Articles of Organization with the Tennessee Department of State. This officially updates your legal entity (your Limited Liability Company) on the state records.

Note: The Tennessee Department of State is responsible for LLC formation and administration, including name changes. You may see them referred to as the Tennessee Secretary of State sometimes, too.

We provide step-by-step instructions on how to file the Articles of Amendment by mail. (You cannot file the Articles of Amendment for an LLC name change online in Tennessee.)

Our instructions only focus on changing the LLC’s name. If you want to make other changes, like the LLC’s principal address or mailing address, or to update an assumed name (DBA name), you may need to use a different process.

Can I change my LLC name myself?

You can file the Articles of Amendment yourself or you can hire a company to do this for you.

A business owner can file their own Tennessee amendment.

But, because the Amendment filing in Tennessee can be confusing and time consuming, many people choose to hire a company for help.

Step 1: Make sure your new Tennessee LLC name is available

Before filing your amendment form (the Articles of Amendment), you should check that your new LLC name is available in Tennessee.

This is important because two businesses in the state can’t have the same name, or be too similar. This is called LLC name distinguishability.

If you file an amendment for a name that’s already taken, the state will reject your filing. And if that happens, you’ll need to re-file with a different name.

To avoid that, look up your desired Tennessee LLC name ahead of time using the state’s business entity search.

Step 2: File the Tennessee LLC name change form

The Tennessee LLC name change form is called the Articles of Amendment to Articles of Organization.

(It’s called this because you’re amending your Tennessee Certificate of Formation.)

How to file the Articles of Amendment in Tennessee

Get started:

Download the Articles of Amendment to Articles of Organization (Form SS-4247).

The form isn’t a fillable PDF. So unless you have special software, you’ll need to print this out and complete it by hand using black ink.

Articles of Amendment to Articles of Organization

Limited Liability Control Number

Enter your LLC’s Control Number.

Amendment Effective Date

Check the box indicating when you want the LLC name change to be effective.

Amendment is to be effective when filed by the Secretary of State
This option means your name change will be effective when the Secretary of State approves it. Most people choose this option.

Amendment is to be effective _____
This option lets you enter a specific date and time when the name change will be effective. This can be up to 90 days in the future.

1. Name of the Limited Liability Company as it appears on record

Enter your LLC’s current name. (Not what you’re changing it to.)

If changing the name, insert the new name on the line below:
Enter your desired new LLC name.

Make sure to include an allowable designator at the end of your new LLC name. In Tennessee, you can use:

• LLC (most common)
• L.L.C.
• Limited Liability Company

2. Any other changes

If you only want to change the LLC’s name, you can skip this section.

Otherwise, enter new information for your LLC’s address or Registered Agent here, as needed.

3. Amendment was duly adopted on _____

First, enter the date the Amendment was adopted. This should be the date the LLC Members voted to change the LLC’s name. (Remember, that vote can be as informal as a conference call or group email chain.) If you’re the only LLC Member (a Single-Member LLC), you can just put today’s date.

Then, check the box for MEMBERS. This confirms that the LLC Members voted to approve the Amendment (as required by Tennessee law).

Signature

Enter your Signer’s Capacity:

• If you’re an LLC Member (Owner) and the LLC is Member-managed, enter Member
• If you’re an LLC Manager and the LLC is Manager-managed, enter Manager
• If you’re not an LLC Member or Manager but are authorized to file the Amendment on the LLC’s behalf, enter Authorized Agent

If you’re not sure, or these terms are confusing, check out LLC Officer Titles for more information.

Sign, and print your name.

File by mail

1. Prepare a check or money order for $20 payable to the “Tennessee Department of State”.
2. Send the payment, and the signed Articles of Amendment, to:

Tennessee Department of State
Corporate Filings
312 Rosa L. Parks Ave
6th floor, William R. Snodgrass Tower
Nashville TN 37243

Wait for approval from the Department of State

After submitting your Articles of Amendment to the state, please wait for approval.

Approval times vary, but on average, it takes 3-5 business days (plus mail time) for your Tennessee business name change to be approved.

When you file by mail, you’ll receive your name change approval back via mail (a stamped, approved copy of the Articles of Amendment).

Step 3: Change your Tennessee LLC name with the IRS

After your new LLC name is approved, the next step is to update your Tennessee LLC name with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This updates the name connected to your LLC’s EIN number.

We have step-by-step instructions here:
How to change LLC name with IRS

Step 4: Update your LLC’s Account with the Tennessee Department of Revenue

After your new LLC name is approved, you need to update your business’s account with the state’s tax department (the Department of Revenue).

Note: In most states, it’s called the Department of Revenue or Department of Taxation. In Tennessee it’s called the Department of Revenue, and this is who you’ll update with your new LLC name.

In Tennessee, every LLC must register with the Department of Revenue. Therefore, you must update your LLC’s name on that registration.

Typically, you can update your LLC name in one of three ways:

• online via TNTAP
• by mail
• by phone

But it differs from state to state, so we recommend you call the Tennessee Department of Revenue. You can ask about the process to update your business name.

Step 5: Update financial institutions with your new LLC name

Besides updating your Tennessee LLC name with the IRS and Department of Revenue business tax department, you’ll also want to contact the following places and let them know about the name change.

Financial institutions:

• LLC business bank account
• business checks
• business debit card
• business credit cards
• Paypal or other online banking solutions
• business loans or lines of credit
• brokerage accounts
• bookkeeping software, like Quickbooks

Pro Tip: You don’t have to rush to update these the same day or even the same week. Your existing checks and credit cards will still work, but it’s important to eventually get everything updated to your new LLC name.

Step 6: Update or Get a New Business License

If you have a state business license or a local business permit, you’ll need to change the name on that license.

Sometimes that means applying for a new license and canceling the old one. Or sometimes you can just change the name on your existing license.

Tennessee doesn’t have a general state business license requirement. But your LLC might have an industry- or occupation-specific license.

If that’s the case, contact your state licensing agency or licensing board for information on how to update the state business license: Tennessee Division of Regulatory Boards.

And contact your local government (like a city clerk or county clerk) for the process to update any local business permits. You can find your county clerk on the University of Tennessee County Websites page, and you’ll need to look up your town or city, too.

Step 7: Update marketing materials and other places with your new LLC name

Below are some examples of places to update with your new LLC name.

Branding and online presence:

• online stores (like eBay, Shopify, Amazon)
• website, domain registrar, hosting company
• letterhead, logos, invoices, contracts, and important documents
• social media accounts

Professional services:

• Registered Agent Service (if you hired one)
• accountant
• attorney

Other government agencies:

• local tax office (ex: city, county, township)
• business licenses and permits
• sales tax permit
• utility companies
• Department of Labor (if you have employees)

Stay calm: Don’t stress out thinking you have to change your LLC name everywhere right away. That’s not the case. Take your time and do the important ones first. Give yourself a few days or a few weeks to get them all done. Technically, your old business name will still work for quite some time.

Update your Tennessee LLC Operating Agreement

It’s a good idea to update the name on your LLC’s Operating Agreement. Don’t worry, this is a simple process. You can either:

• You can make a new version of the Operating Agreement you already have. Update the document with your new LLC name, and have the LLC Member(s) sign.
• Or, you can use our free template on Tennessee LLC Operating Agreement to create a new Operating Agreement with the new LLC name.

Tip: This is a good opportunity to review the other sections in your Operating Agreement and make any needed updates there, too. Have the LLC Member(s) sign, and distribute copies like you did with your initial LLC Operating Agreement.

Change LLC Name in Tennessee FAQs

Matt Horwitz

Founder & Educator, LLC University®

Matt Horwitz has been the leading expert on LLC education for the past decade. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to start an LLC that other companies weren't offering. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the US Chamber of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.
 
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.