Tennessee

Foreign registration · Form FBE

Tennessee Corporation Foreign Registration in Kentucky

A corporation formed in Tennessee that wants to do business in Kentucky files Form FBE, with $90 in state fees. Kentucky needs nothing from Tennessee: no Certificate of Existence. We file it with the Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings from your Tennessee records, then serve as your registered agent there for year one.

Tennessee vs Kentucky: the paperwork

	Tennessee formed here	Kentucky registering here
Document	Tennessee Certificate of Existence (not needed here)	Form FBE, Certificate of Authority (Foreign Business Entity)
State fee	$20	$90 at order
How it is handled	Tennessee: online or by mail	Filed with Kentucky
Office	Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations	Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings
Official page	sos.tn.gov	web.sos.ky.gov
Yearly filing	Annual Report, $20, every year	Annual Report, $15, every year
Due		On or before June 30
Agent	Your Tennessee registered agent	Our Kentucky registered agent

From Tennessee to Kentucky, step by step

We prepare and file Form FBE
It lists us as your Kentucky registered agent, next to your Tennessee name and formation date. Nothing has to come from Tennessee first, so the Kentucky filing can go in right away. After approval, your Tennessee corporation is registered with Kentucky.

Will your Tennessee name work for Kentucky?

We search Kentucky's records for Tennessee's name on file before anything is filed.

Agents: Kentucky and Tennessee

Tennessee and Kentucky both call it a registered agent. Kentucky papers come to us; Tennessee's agent is unchanged.

Staying in good standing in Tennessee and Kentucky

Each year your corporation files Tennessee's Annual Report ($20) and Kentucky's Annual Report ($15). With our $149 registered agent renewal, Tennessee plus Kentucky comes to $184 a year. Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, Tennessee to Kentucky

An LLC formed in Tennessee files Form FBE with Kentucky ($90 in state fees, the same; no home-state certificate is needed). After that come Tennessee's Annual Report ($300) and Kentucky's Annual Report ($15). See the LLC filing.

Registering a Kentucky company in Tennessee

A corporation formed in Kentucky that registers with Tennessee files Form SS-4431 with $600 in state fees, plus the Certificate of Existence ($10). See that filing.

Common questions: Tennessee to Kentucky

Does my Tennessee company need to register in Kentucky?

Yes, once a Tennessee business operates there; Kentucky registers it as a foreign corporation.

Is this a certificate of authority?

Yes: Kentucky issues one to Tennessee corporations once the form is approved.

How much does it cost to register a Tennessee corporation in Kentucky?

$289 at checkout, with nothing to pay Tennessee.

Do I need Tennessee's certificate of good standing?

No, Kentucky takes Form FBE without it.

How long does the Kentucky registration take?

Kentucky's standard processing takes up to 3 business days; nothing comes from Tennessee first.

What are the yearly costs for Tennessee and Kentucky?

$184 a year: our $149 registered agent renewal, $20 to Tennessee and $15 to Kentucky for the yearly reports.

Does Kentucky require a registered agent?

Yes: the Tennessee registered agent stays, and ours covers Kentucky for year one.

Can I form a new Kentucky corporation instead?

Yes, but Tennessee keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files Kentucky's Annual Report ($15), and the original keeps Tennessee's Annual Report.

How do I withdraw from Kentucky later?

Tennessee companies leave by filing a Certificate of Withdrawal (Foreign Business Entity); until then, Kentucky's report stays due alongside Tennessee's filings.

Official sources

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