Tennessee Secretary of State Entity Search
How bridge lenders verify an LLC or corporation in Tennessee — portal, steps, returned data, and the gotchas.
Methodology authored by Zach Wade, Wade Intel — operator-led lender tech methodology firm. State-specific procedures validated against production validation runs with working bridge lenders. · Last reviewed 2026-07-10
How do I look up an LLC or corporation in Tennessee?
Use TNBEAR (Tennessee Business Entity and Registrations). Free, real-time results. Real-time processing.
LLCCorporationLPLLPGeneral Partnership
Step-by-step lookup
- Step 1. Go to TNBEAR (tnbear.tn.gov).
- Step 2. Enter the entity name in the search field.
- Step 3. Click Search. Results appear immediately.
- Step 4. Click the entity name to view details.
- Step 5. Check Status — ‘Active’ is good. ‘Inactive’ or ‘Dissolved’ indicate issues.
- Step 6. Review annual report filings for compliance.
What data the TNBEAR (Tennessee Business Entity and Registrations) returns
- Entity name
- Control number
- Formation date
- Status
- Registered agent
- Annual reports
- Principal office
Tennessee gotchas for lenders
- Tennessee uses the name ‘TNBEAR’ for their business entity system.
- Annual reports in Tennessee are due by the first day of the fourth month after the fiscal year end.
- Tennessee is generally straightforward — the online portal shows comprehensive information.