What is a Certificate of Existence?
A certificate of existence is a document issued by our office that certifies that an entity is active and in good standing.
A certificate of existence is a document issued by our office that certifies that an entity is active and in good standing.
A nonresident person, bank or trust company cannot serve in a fiduciary capacity in Tennessee unless and until it has appointed in writing the Tennessee Secretary of State as its agent for service of process. This appointment authorizes the Secretary of State to receive and to forward to the nonresident fiduciary by registered or certified mail all process in any action or proceeding relating to any trust, estate or matter within this State in which the person, bank or trust company is serving as fiduciary.
The appointment document submitted to the Secretary of State must contain the following items:
Agent Appointment by Nonresident Fiduciary form is also available.
Any person who is required by law to be registered under any of the following is not eligible to participate in the program:
An individual should consider applying if they are victims of domestic abuse, stalking, human trafficking, or any sexual offense, who:
The application can be completed by:
State agencies are required by law, T.C.A 10-7-503(a)(2)(B), to have a designated Public Records Request Coordinator. This person is the designated contact for receiving public records requests. Contact the appropriate agency’s coordinator to request access to that agency’s records. If you have further questions or need additional assistance, contact: Office of Open Records Counsel
Program participants may be required to provide their residential street address to a public utility service provider for the purpose of obtaining utility services. However, participants can request that their residential address be treated as confidential by presenting the public service utility with a certificate of program participation.
After doing so, the public utility service provider must treat the residential address and all other identifying information as confidential in accordance with the Tennessee Public Records Act, compiled at Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5.
Private businesses are not required by statute to accept a Safe at Home Participant's substitute address. However, private companies or agencies are encouraged to make every effort to keep a participant’s information safe by accepting the substitute address whenever possible. If agency or business employees have questions about using the substitute address, they may contact the Safe at Home Program directly.
Program Participants must vote by absentee ballot. T.C.A. § 40-38-607.
Program participant absentee ballots must be treated as confidential and must be processed confidentially by the Administrator of Elections. Program participants shall appear in the statewide official voter registration list only by the Participant Identification Number.
As authorized by law, properly designated law enforcement agency officials and administrative agency officials may request disclosure of information relating to a program participant. T.C.A. § 40-38-609. What information may be available to law enforcement or administrative agency officials?
An assumed name is a name other than the true entity name under which it conducts business. Tennessee does not recognize 'DBAs' (doing business as) or fictitious names. The assumed name is good for 5 years and can be renewed.
A business entity that has failed to file its annual report on a timely basis may be administratively dissolved and placed in inactive status. The filing history of every business is shown in the Business Information Search. Click on “filing history” for details on your business.
A registered agent is a person or company who agrees to accept legal mail on behalf of your entity. Tennessee requires that all entities (except General Partnerships (GP) to maintain a registered agent/office in the State of Tennessee at all times.
Tax clearances are required to obtain a certificate of existence, to reinstate, and to terminate, cancel or withdraw an entity from Tennessee.