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.

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. 

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. 

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

A certificate of existence is a document issued by our office that certifies that an entity is active and in good standing.

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.

1. The correct fee is not paid. The annual report fee for a corporation is $20, and an additional $20 is required if any change is made concerning the registered agent/registered office. The annual report fee for LLCs is $300 minimum up to a maximum of $3000. The fee increases by an additional $50 per member for every member over 6 members up to a maximum of $3,000.
2. An officer is not listed. If the business is a Tennessee for-profit corporation, the corporation must list at least one officer. If the business is a Tennessee nonprofit corporation, a president and secretary or required.
3. The board of directors are not listed, the box indicating that the board is the same as the officers listed is not marked, or the box indicating that the corporation does not have directors is not marked.
4. The annual report is not signed and/or dated.
5. The annual report is not typed or filled out in ink.

• The required filing fee was not enclosed.
• The document has not been signed
• The document is not clear and legible.
• The document was not enclosed.
• The document is not dated.
• An email address was not provided.
• The name that you have requested is unavailable because it is not distinguishable from another business entity on file.
• We were not able to obtain tax clearance from the Department of Revenue.  Please, contact the Tennessee Department of Revenue at (615) 253-0600 or (800) 342-1003.  Once you have satisfied their requirements, resubmit your document to our office for filing.
• The address of the registered office must be a physical Tennessee address; it cannot be a post office box, route number, or box number alone.

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. 

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.