50-State Employment Services Industry Licensing Guide
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Tennessee Employment Agency

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Licensing requirements for Tennessee employment, staffing and talent agencies.

This page provides an overview of employment services licensing in Tennessee for individuals and agencies. You will find state requirements, application fees, filing instructions, and more. For assistance with licensing, please contact us to learn about our software and managed license services.

Companies that provide employment services in Tennessee must apply for a license prior to doing business. Depending on the services offered, businesses may need to apply for more than one license type, and in some cases, an individual license will be required as well.

Company Licenses

Tennessee Employment and Business Support Services Company Licenses

Tennessee Employment Agency License

Not required



Employment Agency licensure is not required on the State level in Tennessee.

Tennessee Professional Employer Organization Registration - Group Restricted

Agency:Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance - Insurance Division
Law:

TN Code § 62-43-106

Eligible Entity Types:

  • Sole Proprietorship
  • Partnership
  • Corporation
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Notes:

An applicant is eligible for a limited registration under this chapter if such applicant:

  • Submits a request for limited registration to the department;
  • Is domiciled outside this state and is licensed or registered as a professional employer organization in another state;
  • Does not maintain an office in this state or directly solicits clients located or domiciled within this state; and
  • Does not have more than 50 covered employees employed or domiciled in this state.
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$250 application fee + $1,000 license fee

Required Attachments:
  • Articles of Incorporation
  • Proof of Tennessee Secretary of State registration
  • ACORD Form/Workers' Compensation certificate
  • Notarized self insurance health plan
  • Domicile licensure

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$1,000

Due:

Biennially by the date of issuance.

Required Attachments:

  • Name of persons owning 20% or more (if publicly traded)
  • Name of persons owning 10% or more (if not publicly traded)
  • Certificate of Liability
  • Notarized statement stating whether the applicant sponsors a self-insured healt plan
  • Staff Leasing Guaranty Agreement
  • Notarized statement afirming that the PEO/Staff Leasing Company or Group does not maintain an office in this state, does not maintain a sales force or have a sales representative in this state, and does not directly solicit clients located or domiciled within this state
  • Notarized statement demonstrating that the applicant will lease no more than fifty (50) employees in this state without obtaining an unrestricted license in this state
  • Copy of current license to engage in PEO/Staff Leasing issued by the applicant's state of domicile or a notarized statement by the applicant stating that no license is required by the applicant's state of domicile to engage in PEO/Staff Licensing or a notarized statement by the applicant stating that it is not licensed in its state domicile or residence due to the fact that the applicant does not engage in staff leasing in that state (if out of state)

Tennessee Professional Employer Organization Registration - Group Unrestricted

Agency:Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance - Insurance Division
Law:

TN Code § 62-43-106

Eligible Entity Types:

  • Sole Proprietorship
  • Partnership
  • Corporation
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:No
Financial Requirements:

Applicants must maintain positive working capital at registration as reflected in the financial statements submitted to the department.

Insurance Requirements:

Evidence of workers' compensation coverage for covered employees in this state who are subject to the Tennessee Workers' Compensation Law

Bond Requirements:

An applicant that does not have positive working capital may provide a bond, irrevocable letter of credit or securities with a minimum market value equaling the deficiency plus $100,000.

Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$250 application fee + $4,000 license fee

Required Attachments:
  • Articles of Incorporation
  • Proof of Tennessee Secretary of State registration
  • Notarized self insurance health plan
  • Financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and audited by an independent certified public accountant and no older than 13 months from the date of application.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$4,000

Due:

Biennially by the date of issuance.

Required Attachments:

  • Name of persons owning 20% or more (if publicly traded)
  • Name of persons owning 10% or more (if not publicly traded)
  • Financial statement in according with 62-43-106
  • Certificate of Liability
  • Notarized statement stating whether the applicant sponsors a self-insured healt plan
  • Staff Leasing Guaranty Agreement
  • Notarized statement afirming that the PEO/Staff Leasing Company or Group does not maintain an office in this state, does not maintain a sales force or have a sales representative in this state, and does not directly solicit clients located or domiciled within this state
  • Notarized statement demonstrating that the applicant will lease no more than fifty (50) employees in this state without obtaining an unrestricted license in this state
  • Copy of current license to engage in PEO/Staff Leasing issued by the applicant's state of domicile or a notarized statement by the applicant stating that no license is required by the applicant's state of domicile to engage in PEO/Staff Licensing or a notarized statement by the applicant stating that it is not licensed in its state domicile or residence due to the fact that the applicant does not engage in staff leasing in that state (if out of state)

Tennessee Professional Employer Organization Registration - Single Restricted

Agency:Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance - Insurance Division
Law:

TN Code § 62-43-106

Eligible Entity Types:

  • Sole Proprietorship
  • Partnership
  • Corporation
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Notes:

An applicant is eligible for a limited registration under this chapter if such applicant:

  • Submits a request for limited registration to the department;
  • Is domiciled outside this state and is licensed or registered as a professional employer organization in another state;
  • Does not maintain an office in this state or directly solicits clients located or domiciled within this state; and
  • Does not have more than 50 covered employees employed or domiciled in this state.
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100 application fee + $500 license fee

Notarization Required?:Not required
Required Attachments:
  • Articles of Incorporation
  • Proof of Tennessee Secretary of State registration
  • ACORD Form/Workers' Compensation certificate
  • Notarized self insurance health plan
  • Domicile licensure

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$500

Due:

Biennially by the date of issuance.

Notarization Required?:Not required
Required Attachments:

  • Name of persons owning 20% or more (if publicly traded)
  • Name of persons owning 10% or more (if not publicly traded)
  • Financial statement in according with 62-43-106
  • Certificate of Liability
  • Notarized statement stating whether the applicant sponsors a self-insured health plan
  • Notarized statement afirming that the PEO/Staff Leasing Company or Group does not maintain an office in this state, does not maintain a sales force or have a sales representative in this state, and does not directly solicit clients located or domiciled within this state
  • Notarized statement demonstrating that the applicant will lease no more than fifty (50) employees in this state without obtaining an unrestricted license in this state
  • Notarized statement afirming that the PEO/Staff Leasing Company or Group does not maintain an office in this state, does not maintain a sales force or have a sales representative in this state, and does not directly solicit clients located or domiciled within this state
  • Notarized statement demonstrating that the applicant will lease no more than fifty (50) employees in this state without obtaining an unrestricted license in this state
  • Copy of current license to engage in PEO/Staff Leasing issued by the applicant's state of domicile or a notarized statement by the applicant stating that no license is required by the applicant's state of domicile to engage in PEO/Staff Licensing or a notarized statement by the applicant stating that it is not licensed in its state domicile or residence due to the fact that the applicant does not engage in staff leasing in that state (if out of state)

Tennessee Professional Employer Organization Registration - Single Unrestricted

Agency:Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance - Insurance Division
Law:

TN Code § 62-43-106

Eligible Entity Types:

  • Sole Proprietorship
  • Partnership
  • Corporation
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Financial Requirements:

Applicants must maintain positive working capital at registration as reflected in the financial statements submitted to the department.

Insurance Requirements:

Evidence of workers' compensation coverage for covered employees in this state who are subject to the Tennessee Workers' Compensation Law

Bond Requirements:

An applicant that does not have positive working capital may provide a bond, irrevocable letter of credit or securities with a minimum market value equaling the deficiency plus $100,000.

Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$250 application fee + $2,000 license fee

Required Attachments:
  • Articles of Incorporation
  • Proof of Tennessee Secretary of State registration
  • Notarized self insurance health plan
  • Financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and audited by an independent certified public accountant and no older than 13 months from the date of application.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$2,000

Due:

Biennially by the date of issuance.

Required Attachments:

  • Name of persons owning 20% or more (if publicly traded)
  • Name of persons owning 10% or more (if not publicly traded)
  • Certificate of Liability
  • Notarized statement stating whether the applicant sponsors a self-insured health plan
  • Notarized statement afirming that the PEO/Staff Leasing Company or Group does not maintain an office in this state, does not maintain a sales force or have a sales representative in this state, and does not directly solicit clients located or domiciled within this state
  • Notarized statement demonstrating that the applicant will lease no more than fifty (50) employees in this state without obtaining an unrestricted license in this state
  • Copy of current license to engage in PEO/Staff Leasing issued by the applicant's state of domicile or a notarized statement by the applicant stating that no license is required by the applicant's state of domicile to engage in PEO/Staff Licensing or a notarized statement by the applicant stating that it is not licensed in its state domicile or residence due to the fact that the applicant does not engage in staff leasing in that state (if out of state)

Tennessee Talent Agency License

Not required



Talent Agency licensure is not required on the State level in Tennessee.

Employee Leasing Company - Enter into leasing contracts with other businesses that require labor. The leasing company loans its workers to the lessee while still providing specified responsibilities, such as workers compensation insurance, to the employees. This includes long term (6 months or more) temporary arrangements but often excludes temporary help arrangements. Unlike professional employer organizations, employee leasing companies are contracted when an employer needs to hire staff and does not want to handle human resources responsibilities.

Employment Agency - An entity that, for compensation, procures or attempts to procure employment for a person.

Professional Employer Organization - PEOs take on the human resources role for businesses and act as a co-employer in the sense that the client company's workers are administratively employees of the PEO but functionally these employees are controlled by the client company. Unlike employee leasing companies, PEOs are contracted when an employer already has staff and does not want to handle human resources responsibilities.

Staffing Agency - An entity that procures temporary or part-time employment for a person who then works under the supervision of a worksite employer.

Talent Agency - An entity that, for compensation, procures or attempts to procure employment or placement for an artist. (Certain art forms are excluded)

American Staffing Association
Staffing, recruiting, and workforce solution industry advocacy group.

National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS)
Education and training oriented association for personnel services providers.

National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO)
Provides advocacy efforts, information, and other services to members of the employment industry.

Revised June 14, 2021. Complete data last reviewed March 12, 2018.
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