Top 10 Tennessee Registered Agent 2024: Reviews & Guides
Reviewed by Randolph Vialva, MBA
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The Tennessee Secretary of State mandates that every business owner in Tennessee designates a registered agent. You can be your own registered agent, but there are lots of responsibilities to this role that could pull away from managing the other parts of your company.
Most business owners decide to hire a Tennessee registered agent service instead for precisely this reason. This article will cover the ins and outs of hiring a registered agent in Tennessee while helping you discover the best-registered agent service for your goals and preferences.
Let’s get started.
Read more: Best LLC Services In 2024
What Does Registered Agent Mean?
A commercial registered agent (almost sometimes called a statutory agent and resident agent) is like a point of legal contact for your limited liability company or corporation.
A registered agent acts as a physical street address for your company and helps with service of process, state fees, legal mail document delivery, mailbox service, and other kinds of online filing and official mail support.
Tennessee law says that you need someone in this role so that people can easily contact your business when they need to. That’s why you have to hire a registered agent (or act as your own registered agent) or else you risk violating state law.
How To Start A Tennessee Business?
Starting a business in Tennessee is easier when you go through a resident agent service like the ones on our list. Each of these companies will help you complete and file all of the documentation that you need to start an LLC or corporation in the state of Tennessee.
All that you need to do is pick a provider and visit their website. From there, you’ll choose the kind of business that you want to start and then simply follow the instructions they provide. You won’t have to do anything on your own and you’ll have the registered business that you want in no time.
Top 10 Best Tennessee Registered Agents 2024
- ZenBusiness: Best Overall
- Northwest Registered Agent: Most Affordable
- IncFile: Best Online Resources
- Harbor Compliance: Easiest to Use
- LegalZoom: Best Reputation
- Rocket Lawyer: Best Ongoing Services
- MyCompanyWorks: Best for Same-Day Filing
- Incorp: Most Flexible Tennessee Registered Agent
- Swyft Filings: Fastest Turnaround Time
- Better Legal: Best Service
Read more: Best LLC Formation Services In Tennessee (TN) 2024
Top 10 Best Registered Agents in Tennessee April 2024
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is our pick for the best Tennessee registered agent service overall thanks to its blend of affordability, excellent customer service, and helpful online resources.
- Starts at $0 plus state fees
- Premium registered agent and compliances services
- Affordable EIN and expedited filing options
- Less brand recognition than other registered agent services
With ZenBusiness, you can get more than a registered agent service that helps with annual reports and filing fees. You get a partner who can help you start a company, grow it, and protect your business as you do. From formation to the all-important registered agent services, they’ve got your back. And with thier worry-free compliance services, you can gain peace of mind while focusing on what you do best: running your business.
Customers enjoy working with ZenBusiness because it’s more than a process server or the compliance services it offers for important legal notices. It’s an experienced company that can provide you with a new registered agent and help you grow with up-to-date information and a personalized Tennessee annual report.
Northwest Registered Agent
Hiring a Northwest registered agent is a good option if you value affordable services and want access to helpful online tools with your registered agent service.
- Affordable
- Has a free registered agent service option
- Provides useful online tools
- LLC formation can be expensive
At Northwest, your Tennessee LLC will get all of the help that it needs from knowledgeable representatives who are there to assist you with great customer service during regular business hours.
Customers enjoy using Tennessee registered agent service because it’s affordable and has an online account system that business entities can use to make more informed decisions about how they run their companies while maintaining compliance with every public record and local office address requirement.
IncFile
IncFile is a good option if you need help with LLC formation. You can get a free official address and registered agent for a year if you create your business through this company.
- Provides good online security
- Has great reviews
- Offers a free registered agent service option
- No discounts for volume
IncFile is a Tennessee registered agent that can act as your business address, accept service of process, and ensure that you never miss a critical service fee or agent form at your own address.
Customer reviews for IncFile also reference how many helpful services the company offers on its website. You can use it for more than LLC formation, state fees, and maintaining compliance with the Secretary of State. You can also get access to financial management services and growth tips, among other options.
Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance is a Tennessee registered agent service with a national reputation and an easy-to-use registered agent platform for help during normal business hours and beyond.
- Simple and straightforward interface
- Affordably-priced
- National reputation
- Doesn’t offer premium services
Harbor Compliance is a professional registered agent service that can help your company in many different ways. From annual report reminders and providing a physical address to same-day document scans and ensuring that you never fall out of compliance with the state’s office, this provider does it all.
Customers enjoy using Harbor Compliance because they make it easier to satisfy key documents with features like a compliance calendar, help with court documents, and more.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom has an industry-leading reputation and offers a wide variety of ongoing business services alongside excellent customer support.
- Excellent reputation
- Provides ongoing services
- Strong customer support
- Can be more expensive than other options
With a LegalZoom registered agent change, you get a registered agent name that stands out among the best in the business. This is good for your company in the public record and will give you an office address that complies with all requirements from the Tennessee Secretary of State.
The company can do more than help with legal notices. It will help you form your company, protect your brand, and do more to help you achieve your goal than most registered agent services. The main downside is that this registered agent’s name is a bit more expensive.
Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer is a good selection if you value having ongoing support from business and legal experts through an online account with a subscription-based pricing model
- Excellent ongoing services
- Strong customer support
- Subscription-based pricing available
- Need a credit card for your free trial
Rocket Lawyer is a registered agent’s address that will do more than help you receive service and maintain compliance with the Tennessee Secretary of State. They also offer ongoing support in the form of contracts, routine legal advice, and more.
Customers enjoy using this Tennessee registered agent service for the extra help they provide to your business entity with legal documents and more. If you’re looking for a registered office address that will do more than help during normal business hours, this could be for you.
MyCompanyWorks
With MyCompanyWorks, you get an extremely easy-to-use registered agent service that provides good value for the price.
- The website is easy-to-use
- Good customer support and reviews
- Good value
- Only has a paid registered agent service
MyCompanyWorks is a Tennessee registered agent service that is easy to get started with. They’ll provide you with a registered agent in Tennessee who can help you with everything after you complete just a simple registered agent form.
The company regularly scores well in customer review rankings thanks to its strong customer support options and the value that customers feel they get from choosing this registered agent’s name for their business address and service of process needs.
Incorp
Incorp is a Tennessee registered agent that is easy to get started with and stands out with a helpful mobile app.
- Easy to get started
- Has a mobile app
- Offers foreign qualification
- Limited in other services and resources
If you like registered agent services that you can manage on the go, then Incorp could be for you. It can set you up with a registered agent that you’re able to communicate with on your phone via an easy-to-use mobile app.
Customers really enjoy the convenience that comes from this feature and it’s one way that this registered agent in Tennessee has managed to stand out from other registered agent services in the state.
Swyft Filings
Swyft Filings is a Tennessee registered agent service with extremely fast turnaround times and strong customer support.
- Great turnaround time
- High customer satisfaction ratings
- Easy to contact the customer support staff
- Can be expensive
With Swyft Filings, you get a Tennessee-registered agent service that will help you with annual reports and other key responsibilities of a business owner with minimal friction. Just tell them what you need and they’ll help you achieve it at your street address or theirs during standard business hours.
Customers really appreciate this level of convenience. They know that they’ll maintain compliance with the Secretary of State while also getting help with managing other aspects of their companies if they choose this registered agent in Tennessee.
Better Legal
Better Legal offers helpful ongoing legal services at affordable prices, along with access to valuable online resources.
- Offers many ongoing services
- Provides access to useful information
- Affordable prices
- Limited customer support
BetterLegal rounds out our list as another top registered agent service in Tennessee thanks to its valuable add-on services. In addition to acting as a registered agent in Tennessee, this company will also help you create, manage, and grow your business with ongoing services and tools you can access online at any time.
Customers enjoy this registered agent option because they get more than just registered agents from it. In addition to a statutory agent, your company will also get a partner to help fuel its growth.
What Does Tennessee Registered Agent Do?
Your registered agent will act as a point of contact for your company. They might be your street address if you don’t have one. But they will always accept service of process and other documents as dictated by the Secretary of State.
A registered agent can also help you manage and grow various aspects of your business. We covered these add-on services and what you can expect from them in our reviews of the companies listed above.
Why You Should Use Tennessee Registered Agent?
Using a Tennesse registered agent is much easier than acting as your own registered agent. That’s because being a registered agent carries a lot of responsibilities. And if you miss any of those responsibilities, you could incur hefty fines or fees that threaten your livelihood.
Instead of having to worry about all of this, it makes much more sense to hire an expert to do the job for you. That’s exactly what you can get from hiring a registered agent through one of the companies covered above.
Final Thoughts
Hiring a registered agent satisfies your legal obligations and eliminates a major source of worry and stress from your life. ZenBusiness is our favorite registered agent option overall thanks to its excellent customer support, affordable prices, and strong online reviews.
However, you can’t go wrong with Northwest or Harbor Compliance either. Northwest is one of the most affordable providers on our list and Harbor Compliance makes it much easier to set up a business entity and get help with legal documents as you grow.
But really, you can select any registered agent option on our list and do well for yourself. The best option for your company will depend on its goals, preferences, and budget.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A registered agent accepts legal documents for your business so that you don’t incur fees or fines. Many will also help you manage and grow your business in various ways.
The average cost of a registered agent in the state of Tennessee is between $100 and $300. The exact amount that you pay will vary based on the company that you choose and the plan you select.
You can absolutely act as your own registered agent. But doing so will add another responsibility to your list of things to do as a business owner. It’s often easier and more effective to hire someone else to do the task for you.
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- 2010 Tennessee Code :: Title 48 – Corporations And Associations :: Chapter 208 – Registered Agent :: :: 48-208-101 – Registered office and registered agent. Justia Law. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/2010/title-48/chapter-208/48-208-101/
- Annual Report Instructions – Business Services Online. tnbear.tn.gov. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://tnbear.tn.gov/Ecommerce/AnnualReportInstr.aspx
- All Frequently Asked Questions for Businesses | Tennessee Secretary of State. sos.tn.gov. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/faqs
- Tennessee Registered Agent | For LLCs & Corporations. Northwest Registered Agent. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/registered-agent/tennessee
- Get a Tennessee Registered Agent Today. ZenBusiness Inc. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.zenbusiness.com/tennessee-registered-agent/