A Certificate of Existence verifies a Tennessee business is registered and up-to-date. Obtaining the certificate takes 3-10 days and costs $15-20.
When Do You Need It?
Some situations require a Certificate of Existence:
- Applying for business loans or lines of credit
- Renewing a business license
- Entering business transactions
- Opening a bank account
Beware of Scams
The Secretary of State warns about a scam mailer requesting payment for a "Certificate of Existence." This mailer is fake. Legitimate certificates come from the Secretary of State.