Tennessee Business Name Search
Getting Started
Before searching the Tennessee Business Name Database, you can save time by making sure your business name is unique and distinguishable from other existing business entities within the Tennessee business name database. We suggest coming with a few name ideas in-mind incase any are unavailable, you can also download the full Tennessee entity name database here (click here to download)
Generate Business Name Ideas
Search business name availability
Contacting the local Secretary of State (SOS) office via Phone or Email is free and is the most reliable way to check your business name availability.
Online, you can search for Tennessee businesses entities via the Tennessee Secretary of State Office’s Business Services page (click here to visit), simply enter your business name into the “Search Name” field, or you can access the official SOS database (click here to visit).
You can choose to download the full database, activity from the month prior, or activity from the week prior. The full database is generated each Sunday night, and the cost to download is $1,000.00 plus any service fees.
Tennessee Secretary of State Office
Website: sos.tn.gov
Phone: (615) 741-2819
Email: TNSOS.CORPINFO@tn.gov
Hours: 8am – 5pm, Monday – Friday
Frequently Asked Questions
You can register your new business via the Tennessee Secretary of State’s (SOS) Business Services page under Form or Register a New Business.
Some documents may require printing and sending to the SOS office in the mail, but certain registrations can be filed and paid for online (credit/debit card required).
In most cases, the option is available to print the registration information on the correct form to mail to the Secretary of State.
When you’re ready to register your new business, visit the instructions on the Form or Register a New Business section of the Tennessee SOS website. You’ll need to:
1. Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS: IRS.gov EIN Site
2. Register with the TN Secretary of State. You must also file annual reports. Here is the link: TN.gov ecommerce
3. Register with the TN Dept. of Revenue (Franchise & Excise, Sales & Use, City & County taxes): TN Dept of Revenue
4. Obtain a business license with your local county and/or municipality (read this first).
Williamson County
City of Franklin business license site
City of Brentwood Business license site
Davidson
5. Register with the TN Dept. of Labor & Workforce Develoment for State Unemployment Tax (if you will have employees): TN DOL LB-0441.pdf
A preliminary check for business name availability can be made using the SOS’s business name database or by contacting the Division of Business Services at 615-741-2286. This preliminary check is not a requirement, does not guarantee that the name will be deemed distinguishable at the time of filing, and does not convey any rights to the use of the name.
To determine whether a business name is distinguishable from other names, the Division of Business Services compares the proposed name to entities in its corporate management system database.
If your ideal business name is already in use, you could still use a similar variant by gaining consent from the current entity and making a few minor changes to the name. To learn what minor changes are accepted and which are not, and other information about name use, refer to the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Business Name Availability Guidelines.
Registering your business Domain/website
Don’t make the mistake of forgetting to check if the domain name is available for your business. The last thing you want is to register your business name and find out another competitor or company already has a website with your name! Use our domain check below to instantly check availability.
Enter your business name to check domain availability
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