Tennessee Business Name Search

ByMatija

From state of the art music venues to every dad’s favorite alcohol beverage, Tennessee is quite the trailblazer when it comes to business. So if you are looking to be a part of this innovative location and wish to start a business here, you may be wondering where to begin.

We have created a guide that takes you through the process of finding a Tennessee business name and how you should best go about registering it. So, read on to learn how to commence your business journey in Tennessee! 

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Now, you may have several ideas for your Tennessee business name jumping around in your head, or your mind may have gone slightly blank. Either way, this is okay! We are here to help you get your name ideas in check with the following helpful preparation tips; 

  • Keep a note of any ideas you think of. Whether you think you will use them or not, it is resourceful to keep track of your ideas to ensure you don’t lose any.
  • Do market analysis. Business attributes aside, most companies that are successful have intriguing names. Get to know any word techniques (rhyming, for example) used in successful businesses so that you can use these techniques.
  • Have fallback options. At this stage, it is good to keep your mindset open to a few name ideas that you like instead of setting your heart on just one.

For a quick and easy way to find usable name results, you can use our Business Name Generator. Simply enter the keyword you would like to include and see which options you can find!

How To Search Available Names In Tennessee

To find out if your favored Tennessee business name is available and not currently used by any other businesses, you must do an entity search. 

To do this, go to the business section of the Secretary of State’s website. Here, you will see a noticeably large magnifying glass symbol titled ‘Search Businesses’. Click this symbol. 

You will then be taken to the Tennessee entity search, where you can input your chosen name to see if there are any records stored by the Secretary of State with that name used. 

How to Register Your Business Name In Tennessee 

When you have your available Tennessee business name selected, you are almost ready to go ahead and register that name. Before this, the small step to do is to check that there is a domain available for your use in the same name as your business name.

You can use our Instant Domain Check on the Domain Name Generator to check for available domains.

Now that you are in the clear with your unique business name and domain, you can start the official registration process. 

The first step of registering your business name is to select the correct form on the Secretary of State’s form & fees section. Here, you will be able to choose your structure and file accordingly. 

Tennessee Business Name Registration Policies And Procedures

Registering a Tennessee business name comes with essential steps and policies that you must understand and get to know when filing registration.

Be sure to refer to the laws stated within your relevant registration form for entire clauses, but in the meantime, here are a few policies you need to know, broken down: 

  • Your business name must reflect your business’ structure. For example, if you will operate as a corporate business, your name should include the word ‘Corporate’ or abbreviations of these terms such as ‘Corp’. 
  • When you identify as a specific structure, you need to be authorized to carry out business as this structure in Tennessee.
  • You must renew your business name within the two-month time bracket of the expiry date stated within your form. 

Tennessee Business Registration Office

Website:sos.tn.gov
Phone:(615) 741-2819
Email:[email protected]
Hours:8am – 5pm, Monday – Friday

How To Use An Online Portal To Register Business Names In Tennessee

The easiest way to register your Tennessee business name is by heading to the Secretary of State’s website. This is where you can find all the forms you need, plus their online filing system for new businesses. 

When you access the Registration Page, you will see various information on hand to help you know exactly what type of filing can be completed online. It explicitly states that not all filings can be done online. However, printing and mailing these forms are available for most filling types. 

To register your new business, click the ‘Start Now’ button situated on the Registration Page! 

How Costly Is It To Register Business Name In Tennessee

Registering your Tennessee business name comes with a cost. In this state, it is quite simple, as all structures come with the same fee. Below, we have made a brief rundown of these costs concerning business structure;

  • Domestic Corporation – $20
  • Domestic Nonprofit Corporation – $20
  • Domestic LLC – $20
  • Domestic LLP – $20
  • Foreign Corporation – $20
  • Foreign Nonprofit Corporation – $20
  • Foreign LLC – $20

You can also reserve your business name in Tennessee for $20.

Why Should I Register A Business Name In Tennessee

Tennessee is renowned for being the global hub for country music, with cutting edge guitars designed in Nashville. But, music aside, Tennessee has business acronyms ranging from world-class Whiskey to cars, making it a diverse state to set up a business.

But, what are the positives of registering a business name in Tennessee? 

Firstly, according to the Tax Foundation, Tennessee has one of the lowest tax rates in the US, combined with the lowest state debt per capita. 

Secondly, officially registering your business name allows you to open a business bank account and use certified government filing resources to ensure all of your documentation is accurate. 

Lastly, registering your name establishes your business as a credible and reliable source for consumers and other companies. 

Support When Registering A Business Name In Tennessee

When registering your business name in Tennessee, doors will be opened to resources that will get you off to a good start in your business venture.

This includes services such as Tennessee Smart Start, an online tool that helps you to build connections with resources in the state whilst offering step by step support on starting your business. 

Conclusion

From reading our guide, you should be feeling ready to face your Tennessee business name search! All the essential information you need to know to register your name within the state has been covered, and we hope you have a clear idea of your next step.

If you want to know more about registration processes in the other US States, you can find articles regarding this information on our website. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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. 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)

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.

Yes, you can reserve a business name in Tennessee. Go to the Secretary of State's website and fill out the 'Application for name reservation' form to file for reservation. The fee for reserving a business name in Tennessee is $20.

Before you register your Tennessee business name, it is crucial that you understand which business structure you will operate as. This is to ensure the way you are doing business aligns with your filing, as your business name will reflect the structure you act as.

Author

Matija

Matija

Amazing content is the core of what we do. With more than 5 years of experience in branding, name development, and business, Matija helps create and manage content production.

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