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A Certificate of Authority to transact business in Tennessee may be filed online or by paper if your Corporation, Nonprofit Corporation, or Limited Liability Company was formed in another state. Foreign Limited Liability Partnership and Foreign Limited Partnerships must be filed by paper. All paper forms can be found on our Business Forms and Fee page.
You will need:
- Proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate), and
- Two proofs of Tennessee residency (such as a voter registration card, a utility bill, vehicle registration or title, or bank statement).
- If your name differs from that on your primary ID, proof of the changed name (such as a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order, etc.)
Learn more about the required documents at the Department of Safety and Homeland Security's Voter Photo ID page.
The Secretary of State’s Absentee By-Mail Ballot Status Tracker tool allows voters to track the status of their absentee by-mail ballot.
You must mail your ballot in time for your county election commission to receive it no later than the close of polls on Election Day.
You must return your ballot by mail (USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.). Hand delivery or handing it to a poll worker during early voting or on Election Day is not permitted.
A raffle is a game of chance in which a participant is required to purchase a ticket for a chance to win a prize, with the winner to be determined by random drawing.
Tennesseans voting early or on Election Day must bring valid photo identification with them to the polls. A driver's license or photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, by Tennessee state government or by the federal government are acceptable even if they are expired. College student IDs are not acceptable.
Learn more about what types of ID are acceptable here or call the Division of Elections at 1-877-850-4959.
No. Only qualified 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) organizations that have applied and been approved are allowed to hold a raffle. Holding a raffle would be a violation of law and subject to criminal prosecution.
If the Secretary of State is notified of an unapproved event, the Division will notify the local district attorney general. Conducting an unapproved game of chance may be a violation of the criminal gaming statute, and local law enforcement has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute the individuals responsible for the event.
Only a qualified 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) organization that has submitted an application to the Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming and that has been approved by the Tennessee General Assembly can hold a raffle.
Visit the Department of Safety and Homeland Security's Driver Service Center Locations page for information about locations and hours, closure advisories, and self-service kiosks and online renewal.
Raffles, reverse raffles, cakewalks, cake wheels, and bingo.
Yes. The individuals who are not allowed to purchase tickets include:
- Any member of the board of directors of a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) organization authorized by the general assembly to operate an annual event for such organization.
- Any officer or employee of a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) organization authorized by the general assembly to operate an annual event for such organization.
- Any immediate family member residing in the same household as the board of directors or an officer/employee of the organization. (The Charitable Gaming Law defines immediate family as spouse, child, step-child, brother, sister, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, parent or grandparent)
- Any member of the general assembly during such member's term of office as a member of the general assembly.
- The Secretary of State or any employee of the Secretary during the Secretary's term of office and such employee's term of employment with the Secretary.
- Any vendors including employees, agents, or subcontractors (also includes immediate family members of the same household) who provide printing services, telephone services, and any records, devices, or other gaming-related supplies and those who provide prizes for the authorized annual gaming event.
An organization that fails to submit the report by 90 days will be responsible for a $10.00 per month late fee. If a report is not filed at all, action may be taken against the organization. Failure to timely file in 2 of 3 consecutive gaming event periods could result in disqualification from conducting future events.
Yes. A financial report is due 90 days after the annual event date stated in your application. If gross revenue from an event exceeds $75,000 an audited financial statement is also required. Also, organizations must return at least 25% of its gross proceeds of the event back to its stated charitable purpose or program.
No. If you already have a valid government-issued photo ID for voting purposes, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security will not issue a free photo ID to you.
You may obtain Form #SS-4507, Application for Certification of Municipal Clerks & Recorders and Continuing Education Credit, from our website or upon request from our office.
For certification, the application must be accompanied by a copy of the certificate(s) from the institution(s) at which the qualifications were completed. The certificate(s) (other than a degree) should indicate the number of hours completed. If credit is claimed for job-related seminars, then documents must also be submitted outlining seminar content.
For continuing education credit, the application must be accompanied by a copy of the certificate(s) of attendance and a statement as to the number of credit hours completed. If credit is claimed for job-related seminars, then documents must also be submitted outlining seminar content. Please note that the Division of Business Services does not pre-certify seminars for content applicability or for applicable credit hours. Applications are accepted by mail, fax or in person. Upon receipt and approval of an application, the Division of Business Services will issue to the applicant a certificate confirming the certification or continuing education credit.
No. The law only allows qualified 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(19) organizations to hold gaming events. Political candidates and campaigns for public office are not considered 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax exempt organizations.
You may obtain a free photo ID to vote from the Department of Safety and Homeland Security at any participating driver service center across the state. You may use the “express service” line at the driver service center to obtain your photo ID to minimize wait times. Visit the Department of Safety and Homeland Security's Voter Photo ID page for more information.
Yes. If you cannot afford a copy of the documents required to obtain a free photo ID, you may sign a form stating under oath that you are indigent and have been unable to obtain an acceptable photo ID for voting without paying a fee.
Please contact the district attorney for the county in which you believe the game of chance is taking place or contact Charitable Solicitations at (615) 741-2555 and the Division will notify the appropriate authorities.
No. If someone is required to pay for a chance to win a prize, it is considered a raffle. Only qualified and approved 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(19) organizations may hold a raffle. It does not matter that the payment is called a “donation.”
Organizations with an approved gaming event can begin selling tickets 120 days before the event.
Find your early voting and Election Day polling place and hours in the GoVoteTN app.
If you don’t bring a photo ID, you will vote a provisional ballot. You will then have two (2) business days after Election Day to return to the election commission office to show a valid photo ID. Upon returning to the election commission office, the voter will sign an affidavit and a copy of the voter’s photo ID will be made to be reviewed by the counting board.
Poker games and/or tournaments, pull-tabs, punchboards, video lottery games, instant and online lottery games, keno, and games of chance associated with casinos including, but not limited to slot machines, roulette wheels, and the like. Events such as bingo or “casino nights” that are purely recreational in nature and in which participants are not required to pay to participate with the promise of a prize, jackpot, or “winner-takes-all” would not fall into this category.
No, but if you do not have another form of valid photo ID, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security will reissue your license with your photo for free upon request.
Yes, however each participating organization must file an application and each pay the required fee. All applicants must qualify. If one organization fails to qualify, then participants will be rejected.
The nonprofit must file a notice with the Division stating the reason less than 25% was returned to its charitable purpose or program. If this happens in two (2) consecutive years, the nonprofit will be disqualified from applying or holding future gaming events for a period of five (5) years.
Yes, as long as it was validly issued by the federal or Tennessee state government and contains the name and photograph of the voter.
If you are unsure or have questions about your photo ID, contact your county election commission or the Division of Elections at 1-877-850-4959.
A municipality with a population of 1,500 or more according to the 1990 Federal Census or any subsequent Federal Census, which employs an officer or employee responsible for exercising any of the duties of Municipal Clerk & Recorder, must have at least one certified person. For other municipalities, certification is optional.
The Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming maintains a list of approved events on its website at Gaming Events.
Raffles and games of chance are considered gambling, which is prohibited in Tennessee. However, certain charitable organizations are allowed to apply to have one raffle, reverse raffle, cakewalk or cakewheel each year if that event is conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Tennessee Charitable Gaming Implementation Law.
No. An event is considered a raffle if someone must pay for a chance to win a prize and would be a violation of law. It does not matter that the payment is called a “donation.”
A qualified 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) organization is a group that has been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for at least five years as a tax-exempt organization and which has been in continuous and active existence in the State of Tennessee. 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(19) tax-exempt status can only be granted by the IRS. To learn more about the application process for tax-exempt status, please visit the IRS's web page for Charities & Nonprofits.
To retain certification, a certified person is required to attend a minimum of 18 hours of continuing education courses every 3 years. This requirement may be met by attending a minimum of 18 credit hours from any of the following or combination thereof, provided that the hours were not used to complete the required hours of education for certification:
- The Academy for Advanced Education (U.T.);
- The International Institute of Municipal Clerks annual conference or state, provincial or regional clerks meetings;
- Seminars conducted by the Tennessee Municipal League;
- Leadership and Technical Programs (U.T. Municipal Training); or
- Job-related seminars.
- Any person who is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and who satisfies continuing legal education requirements
- Any person who has been appointed or is acting in the capacity of a city manager or administrator and who possesses a M.A. degree in public administration
- Any person who is a certified public accountant holding a certificate as provided in Section 62-1-106 or Section 6-1-107
- Any person who has served as both a city judge and city recorder for at least 25 years
To be certified, a person must obtain certification from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks or must complete a minimum of 100 credit hours from any of the following or combination thereof:
- The Municipal Clerks Institute (U.T.);
- The U.T. Center for Government Training
- Seminars conducted by the Tennessee Municipal League;
- Leadership and Technical Programs (U.T. Municipal Training);
- Job-related seminars; or
- An A.A. or A.S. degree (maximum credit of 25 hours) or a B.A. or B.S. degree (maximum credit of 50 hours), provided that credit will be given for only one degree.