Tennessee Business Entity Search
By Edmond Hui · Last updated October 5, 2026
The short answer. The Tennessee Secretary of State (Division of Business and Charitable Organizations) keeps Tennessee's register of business entities. The official search is the state's “Business Entity Search” page, on tncab.tnsos.gov. We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself.
Tennessee Business Entity Search at a Glance
| Register kept by | The Tennessee Secretary of State (Division of Business and Charitable Organizations) |
| Official search | Business Entity Search |
| Cost to search | Not confirmed |
| Search by | Entity name; entity or filing number |
| Filed documents online | Not confirmed |
| Copy fee | Not confirmed |
| Certifying a copy | See Documents |
| Name reservation | Not confirmed |
| Name reservation fee | $20.00 |
| Bulk data | Available, for a fee |
Read from the government sources listed at the foot of this page, last checked October 5, 2026. See the sources.
How to Search Tennessee's Register
The official search is the state's “Business Entity Search” page, on tncab.tnsos.gov. We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself. Open the official search.
On the main search page you can search by:
- Entity name
- Entity or filing number
What a Search Result Shows
A Tennessee result includes the items below, according to the state's own pages or a result page we read. It may show more.
- Entity type
- Status
- Filing history
What Each Tennessee Status Means
The status is the label the register puts on each entity. Where the state defines a label, the meaning below restates that definition, with a link to the state page it comes from. Where it does not, we do not guess from the word, because the same word can mean different things in different states.
| Status label | What it means | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| “Inactive” Named on sos.tn.gov | The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means. | All entities |
This list is not complete. It holds the labels we found in the filing office's own pages, and the register may show others.
If the search shows that your own LLC was dissolved, see how to reinstate an LLC in Tennessee.
A search result is not a certificate of good standing. If a bank or another state asks for one, see how to get a Tennessee certificate of good standing.
Viewing and Ordering Documents
We have not confirmed whether filed documents can be viewed online; check the search page.
Certified copies cost $20.00 for each set of documents requested. Order copies from the state.
Is the Name Available?
The state tells you to use this same search to check whether a name is already in use.
The state's naming standard, in its own words: “distinguishable from another business entity on file.”
We have not confirmed whether Tennessee requires a name reservation before you file. A name reservation costs $20.00.
Our free LLC name checker looks up domain and social media handle availability for a name. It does not search Tennessee's register, so check the state's search as well.
Bulk Business Entity Data
Tennessee offers bulk business entity data for a fee. The Secretary of State sells a download of its Business Entity Database through TNCaB. See the state's bulk data page.
Ready to form? See what goes on the Tennessee articles of organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It reports what each state's business entity filing office publishes about searching its register, with the sources this page cites. It cannot tell you whether a particular business is active, authorized or reliable: read the state's own record for that, and search tools, status labels and fees change between our reviews. Confirm anything you rely on with the filing office named on this page before you act on it.
Sources
Each entry below is a document recorded in our verified Tennessee sources, and each entry says what the document is. Some statutory text is read from an accurate mirror rather than from the state's own host, and those say so. Where we hold the citation but no stable public link, the citation is printed on its own rather than pointed at a guessed address.
- sos.tn.gov/businessesBusinesses (Tennessee Secretary of State)
- tncab.tnsos.gov/business-entity-searchBusiness Entity Search
- tncab.tnsos.gov/public-search-helpSearch Help
- sos.tn.gov/businesses/faqsFrequently Asked Questions for Businesses
- sos.tn.gov/businesses/guides/order-copies-certificatesOrder Copies & Certificates
- sos.tn.gov/businesses/services/business-forms-feesBusiness Forms & Fees
- sos.tn.gov/businesses/servicesBusiness Services
- sos.tn.gov/businesses/services/purchase-database-downloadsPurchase Database Downloads
- Name standard: T.C.A. 48-249-106 (cited on Application for Name Reservation SS-9425)
Edmond Hui · Founder, MyStateLLC
Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.