Help participants change their identities or relocate.
Remove or delete existing public records.
Offer legal advice.
Relieve participants of their legal or financial responsibilities.
What happens to mail sent to the substitute address?
The Safe at Home Program will receive all first class and certified mail sent to the substitute address and then forward that mail to the participant at their designated mailing address.
What will I need to register to vote online?
You need an ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. We need your signature on file there to sign your application.
If you do not know your Department of Safety and Homeland Security ID number, do not worry. We will use the other information you enter to download your signature.
Is the deadline for online voter registration the same as the deadline for registering by other means?
Yes. Normally, you must register at least 30 days before Election Day. You can check upcoming deadlines on the election calendar.
Will online voter registration update my name or address with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security?
No. Learn more about updating your record with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security here.
How do I sign the online voter registration application?
We will use your signature from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
Can I complete the online voter registration application on an iPad, tablet or smartphone?
Yes. The system is optimized to work on mobile devices.
How do I change my business address?
You can file form SS-4800 to change the mailing address by mail or in person. A change in Registered Agent or principal address requires filing Articles of Amendment and paying the statutory $20 filing fee. Forms can be found on our the Forms & Fees page for mail and in person filings.
I got married and changed my last name. Do I need to reregister under my new name?
You do not have to re-register, but please go ahead and update your existing registration. Updating your name now keeps the rolls accurate and reduces the amount of paperwork you will have to fill out when you go vote.
Can I update my voter registration information through the online voter registration application?
Yes, you can use the system to update your name or address.
How do I apply?
The Office of the Secretary of State has developed an application form that must be used to apply for the program, which captures all required information and must be completed with the assistance of a Certified Application Assistant, who must also sign the application. The application must be submitted to the Safe at Home Program by a certified application assistant.
How do I apply for an initial workers’ compensation exemption?
The Secretary of State's office will no longer be accepting Worker's Compensation filings.
The Worker's Compensation Exemption Registry has been moved to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Filings may be submitted with them beginning November 7, 2022, at exemptionregistry.tn.gov
For questions regarding Worker's Compensation Exemption filings, please call (615)532-1319
Can Non-resident Property Owners Register to Vote?
Otherwise qualified voters who own real property within a municipality in which they do not live may register to vote if the municipal charter extends the right to vote to non-resident property owners. Non-resident property owners must provide proof of property ownership at the time of registration. Consult local election commission offices for further information or the city attorney of the municipality in which property is owned. T.C.A. 2-2-107.
Are participants able to be selected for jury duty?
Program Participants are not subject to selection for state or municipal jury duty. T.C.A. § 40-38-607.
Program participants should not appear on state or municipal jury selection lists. If a program participant is selected for jury service, the summoning court should excuse the program participant.
If a program participant receives a jury summons for either state or municipal jury duty, the Participant must notify the summoning court of the participant's exempt status and provide a copy of the Participant's Certificate of Program Participation, if requested.
Participants may not fail to respond to a jury summons.
Where can I find a Certified Application Assistant?
Certified Application Assistants work with various state and local agencies and/or nonprofit agencies that provide counseling and shelter services to victims of domestic abuse and other crimes. At list of Certified Application Assistants can be found here. Safe at Home is most effective as part of an overall safety plan. Additional information regarding safety plans can be found here.
How do I apply for a subsequent workers’ compensation exemption?
The Secretary of State's office will no longer be accepting Worker's Compensation filings.
The Worker's Compensation Exemption Registry has been moved to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Filings may be submitted with them beginning November 7, 2022 at exemptionregistry.tn.gov
For questions regarding Worker's Compensation Exemption filings, please call (615)532-1319
I moved from a different state. Am I allowed to register to vote in Tennessee?
Yes. Learn more about the qualifications to register here.
Will I be notified if my online voter registration has been received and is accepted?
Yes. Your county election commission will mail you a voter registration card when they have accepted your application. This can take up to three weeks.
What is an Administrative Dissolution?
An Administrative dissolution occurs for the following reasons:
Failure to file an annual report
Being without a registered agent
A foreign entity fails to maintain its assumed name due to a name conflict
Returned payment by a financial institution
Can I vote online?
No. You can vote in person during early voting or on Election Day, or you can absentee vote by mail if you meet certain requirements.
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.
Who is not eligible to participate in the program?
Any person who is required by law to be registered under any of the following is not eligible to participate in the program:
Tennessee Sexual Offender and Violent Sexual Offender Registration Verification and Tracking Act of 2004, compiled at Title 40, Chapter 39, Part 2;
Tennessee Animal Abuser Registration Act, compiled at Title 40, Chapter 39, Part 1
Registry of persons who have abused, neglected, or misappropriated the property of vulnerable individuals, compiled at Title 68, Chapter 11, Part 10; or,
Drug offender registry under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-436.
When Can the Substitute Address be Used?
Whenever a program participant is required by law to swear to or affirm the participant’s address, the participant may use the participant’s substitute address. T.C.A. §§ 40-38-602, 606.
Wherever a program participant is required by law to establish residency, the participant may use the participant’s substitute address. T.C.A. §§ 40-38-602, 606.
The substitute address may be used for motor vehicle records and may be printed on a drivers license. T.C.A. § 40-38-602.
The substitute address may also be used as your official mailing address for all public utilities and public utility service providers. T.C.A. §§ 40-38-602, 606.
Participants may also request that private entities use the substitute address, although they are not required to do so.
Where do homeless persons register to vote?
In order to register to vote in Tennessee, a person does not have to live in a building. Instead, a person who finds himself or herself homeless must describe where the person usually stays or returns to when absent. This location may be the address of a shelter where the person stays or frequents, or it may be the description of a street corner where the person may often rest. A physical description of the location must be given so that the election commission knows in which voting precinct to place the person. T.C.A. 2-2-122.
The election commission must mail voter registration cards to people who register to vote by mail. Therefore, if a homeless person tries to register to vote by mail using an address where the person does not get the mail, the person will have to give a mailing address where he or she can receive mail. For example, a homeless voter may be able to use a shelter as a mailing address or the address of a family member or friend who agrees to receive the mail. Another option is to use General Delivery as a mailing address. However, please note that absentee ballot materials may not be mailed to “general delivery.” T.C.A. 2-2-115 and T.C.A. 2-6-202.
If the voter registration card is returned as undeliverable to the election commission, the voter will be mailed a confirmation notice and placed on inactive status. T.C.A. 2-2-115.
In addition, like all registered voters, a homeless person should let the county election commission know when there are any changes to the mailing address or address where the person is registered to vote.
Who can apply to the Safe at Home program?
An individual should consider applying if they are victims of domestic abuse, stalking, human trafficking, or any sexual offense, who:
are attempting to escape an abuser, stalker, or other aggressor;
are currently residing in a domestic violence shelter or other crisis shelter;
are currently temporarily residing with family or friends;
have moved to a new home within the previous 30 days;
have children; or
rely upon, or will need to rely upon, public assistance programs.
The application can be completed by:
Any adult may apply on their own behalf
A parent may apply on behalf of their minor child
A fiduciary, such as a guardian or conservator, may apply on behalf of a minor or a person with a disability
Can public utilities ask participants for their residential street address?
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.
Am I registered to vote?
To determine if you are a registered voter and view your early vote location(s) or your polling location on Election Day, use our Voter Registration Lookup or use the GoVoteTN app. If no record is found, contact your local county election commission to determine the status of your registration.
Do private businesses have to accept a Safe at Home Participant's substitute address?
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.