ZenBusiness reviews its own products and services and compares them to others in the industry.
Starts at $0 + state fee and only takes 5-10 minutes
Last Updated: April 18, 2025
If you’re looking for an excellent Tennessee LLC service, choose ZenBusiness. We’ve already formed 800,000+ businesses since 2017!
If you want a socially conscious Tennessee LLC service with a service discount, choose ZenBusiness.
Northwest Registered Agent charges $225 (plus state fee) for LLC filing services. That said, Northwest’s personalized customer support is a feature that could make their prices worth paying for some entrepreneurs.
Overall, Northwest does have some points in its favor. However, keep in mind that it charges $225 (plus your state’s required fee) for its LLC filing services.
Want to learn more? See this Northwest LLC review.
LegalZoom is one of the biggest names in the industry, with millions of customers served and frequent advertising efforts. LegalZoom provides an LLC filing package for free (plus the state’s fee).
LegalZoom is a huge company, so while it offers extended support hours, the quality of its customer support may vary a bit from representative to representative.
Want to learn more? See this LegalZoom LLC review.
Incfile/Bizee offers LLC formations for free, as long as you pay your state’s fee. Incfile and ZenBusiness have some similar characteristics, but there are also some significant differences that set the two apart.
If you’re looking for a cheap LLC formation service in Tennessee and ZenBusiness doesn’t feel right for some reason, Incfile/Bizee could be worth a closer look.
Want to learn more? See this Incfile/Bizee LLC review.
Compare ZenBusiness Plans
Identify the package that's right for your business and then get started.
Starter
Pro
Premium
Processes in 7 to 10 business days*
PLUS STATE FEES
Processes in 1 business day*
Top Features
**SPECIAL OFFER – Starter is $0 plus state fees with one optional free year of Worry-Free Compliance (renews at $199/yr).† ZenBusiness is a financial technology company and is not a bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC.
In addition to the costs of a business formation service or hiring an attorney (which are optional, as we’ve discussed), there are quite a few other required and optional expenses when forming and maintaining a Tennessee business. You cannot form an LLC in Tennessee without filing the Articles of Organization, the document that officially registers your business within the state. Tennessee has a relatively hefty filing fee for this document. The base fee starts at $300, but it rises by $50 for each member you have (beyond the first six). This fee maxes out at $3,000.
Your LLC will also need to apply for one of Tennessee’s business licenses: the general business license or the minimal activity license. The minimal activity license applies to businesses with gross receipts totaling between $3,000 and $10,000; all other businesses are subject to the general business license. Both business licenses cost $15.
Next, all businesses will need to file annual reports. This filing is pretty simple, but it keeps the state up-to-date about some basic but vital information about your business, such as your registered agent and business address. For LLCs, the filing fee ranges between $300 and $3,000, following the same fee structure as the Articles of Organization. Read more about Tennessee costs – Tennessee LLC costs.
We invite you to take a look at our comprehensive guide to forming a limited liability company in Tennessee. This article walks you through the LLC formation process in this state step by step, ensuring that you don’t miss any crucial elements.
One of the most important steps in forming a Tennessee LLC is choosing a business name. Once you come up with ideas for your name, you should search through the Secretary of State’s name availability search to make sure your desired name is available. For more information on conducting a business name search in Tennessee, check out Tennessee business search on the topic.
You can fill out or download the Articles of Organization on the Secretary of State’s website.
In Tennessee, an LLC’s ongoing maintenance requirements include the annual report. This filing is due by the fourth month of your LLC’s fiscal year, and it costs $50 per member, with a minimum of $300 and a maximum of $3,000.
Chances are, you’ll require at least one license or permit to operate your LLC in compliance with Tennessee state law. For more information about business licenses and more in this state, check out Tennessee’s helpful Licenses and Permits webpage.
The Secretary of State should be able to process your LLC’s formation immediately if you file online. Documents submitted on paper forms will take roughly two business days to process.
If you want more details about what these companies can offer in this state, or you’d like to take a look at some other options, check out our complete guide to Tennessee registered agents.
Unfortunately, not all businesses last forever. If the time comes when you need to close your LLC’s doors, you’ll need to do so in a manner consistent with the state’s regulations. That’s why we wrote our guide to Tennessee LLC dissolutions, so you can complete the process in a compliant manner.
If your LLC already exists in another state, you don’t actually need to “form” it in Tennessee. Instead, you’ll need to foreign qualify the business in this state. This process is somewhat similar to LLC formation, but there are some crucial differences as well. Take a look at our guide to foreign qualifications in Tennessee for more information.
Tennessee Business Resources
Top LLC Formation Services in All 50 States
We've broken down the best LLC formation services in all 50 states. Select your state for more information.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 800,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
Choose ZenBusiness Today
Start Your Tennessee LLC