Free guide · Tennessee

How to start a business in Tennessee.

Business formation in Tennessee runs through the Tennessee Secretary of State, the official government office. You can file there directly for just the state's own filing fee, and nobody can legalize your business "better" than the state itself. Fees change, so the current number is always on the official site.

Storing it saves Start a Business to your idea vault with the full checklist, free, so you can come back and launch when Tennessee paperwork day arrives.

Start with an idea

The 10 hottest business ideas to start in Tennessee right now.

Registration comes later. First, the fun part: the idea. These ten are tuned to Tennessee's real economy right now. Tap any one to explore it and find more like it inside the platform.

1. 1
   Music and creative services

   Nashville is Music City, a global capital of songwriting and recording.

2. 2
   Healthcare and health-services companies

   Nashville is the headquarters hub of the US health-care industry.

3. 3
   Logistics and distribution

   Memphis's FedEx hub makes it one of the world's shipping centers.

4. 4
   Southern food and BBQ ventures

   Memphis barbecue and Nashville hot chicken are national draws.

5. 5
   Vacation rentals in the Smokies

   Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge draw huge tourist crowds.

6. 6
   Home services in booming metros

   Fast growth in Nashville keeps trades and remodelers busy.

7. 7
   Event and hospitality services

   A tourism and music economy keeps venues and vendors busy.

8. 8
   Auto manufacturing support

   Major auto plants anchor a growing supplier base.

9. 9
   Craft beverage and distilling

   Tennessee whiskey and a growing beer scene support producers.

10. 10
    Healthcare staffing and consulting

    The health-care headquarters cluster needs specialized services.

Why Tennessee is a great place to build.

Tennessee charges no state income tax on wages, and it has become one of the country's hottest growth states, led by Nashville's boom in music, health care, and tech. Memphis's global shipping hub and a growing auto sector round out a diverse economy. No income tax plus fast growth is a powerful combination for founders.

Local help for Tennessee founders.

Tennessee founders have real, free help within reach. The state's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network offers no-cost advising, and volunteer mentors through SCORE chapters have built businesses like yours. The Secretary of State and state commerce resources publish plain guides on formation, licensing, and taxes, so lean on them before you ever pay a middleman.

Tennessee, specifically.

Tennessee is Nashville's honky-tonks, Memphis's barbecue and blues, and the Smoky Mountains drawing millions of visitors. Nashville has exploded into one of America's boomtowns, thick with newcomers and opportunity. With no income tax on wages and a soundtrack all its own, it is a thrilling place to build.

The six steps, in order

1. 1

   Pick your business structure

   Most first businesses in Tennessee choose an LLC for the liability separation between the business and your personal life. Sole proprietorships are simpler but offer no separation; corporations fit businesses raising investment.

2. 2

   Check that your business name is free

   Search the Tennessee Secretary of State's business registry to confirm nobody in Tennessee already holds the name, and check the matching web domain at the same time. Our free name generator checks the domain with every name it suggests.

3. 3

   File your formation documents with the Tennessee Secretary of State

   This is the official step that makes the business real. File directly on the state's own site and pay only Tennessee's filing fee. Every state requires a registered agent with a physical address in the state; if you live in Tennessee, you can usually be your own.

4. 4

   Get your EIN free from the IRS

   The Employer Identification Number is the business's tax ID. The IRS issues it directly at irs.gov in about five minutes, at no charge. Never pay anyone for an EIN alone. Get the EIN at irs.gov ↗

5. 5

   Check for licenses and permits

   Many businesses also need a city or county business license, and some industries need Tennessee state licenses. The Tennessee Secretary of State's site and your city hall list what applies.

6. 6

   Open the business bank account and connect payments

   Keep business money separate from day one: it protects the legal separation your LLC exists for and keeps taxes clean. Bring your EIN and formation documents to the bank. Our free Get Paid directory lists business banks and payment processors in the order to set them up.