Tennessee Code Annotated

Tenn. Code Ann. § 20-4-104 (2026)

Business office of party

✓ current as of May 2026

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For all civil actions, if the defendant is not a natural person, the action shall be brought in:

(1) The county where all or a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the cause of action accrued;

(2) The county where any defendant organized under the laws of this state maintains its principal office; or

(3)
- (A) If the defendant is not organized under the laws of this state, the county where the defendant's registered agent for service of process is located; or
- (B) If the defendant does not maintain a registered agent within this state, the county where the person designated by statute as the defendant's agent for service of process is located.

Code 1858, § 2811 (deriv. Acts 1845-1846, ch. 55, § 2; 1849-1850, ch. 136; 1851-1852, ch. 136); Shan., § 4516; Code 1932, § 8643; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 20-40; Acts 2011, ch. 510, § 2.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 8 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1983–2026 · leading case: Garland v. Seaboard Coastline R.R., 658 S.W.2d 528 (Tenn. 1983).

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Garland v. Seaboard Coastline R.R., 658 S.W.2d 528 (Tenn. 1983). · cites it 12× “In the alternative, defendant urges us to confine venue to Sullivan County on the theory that T.C.A. § 20-4-104 limits T.C.A. § 20-4-101(a) as applied to business defendants.”

Five Star Express, Inc. v. Davis, 866 S.W.2d 944 (Tenn. 1993). · cites it 4× “Because the law of service of process cited by the Chambers Court is no longer valid, it follows that T.C.A. § 20-4-104, the equivalent of Shannon’s Code § 4516, should no longer be construed to localize the venue of actions against an entity maintaining an office for the…”

J. Alexander's Holdings, LLC v. Repub. Servs., Inc. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 12× “Alexander’s presented proof that Republic transacts business in Tennessee but does not have a registered agent in Tennessee and, thus, established that venue in Davidson County was proper pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 20-4-104 (3) and 48-15-104 and Republic presented no…”

Tennessee Farmers Mut. Ins. Co. v. Virginia Jones (Tenn. Ct. App. 2026). · cites it 4× “It supports this argument by pointing to the terms of a different statute, Tennessee Code Annotated section 20-4-104, and its legislative history.”

TEG Enter. v. Robert Miller (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 4× “Did the trial court err in failing to honor the contract and the parties’ true intentions? Defendant asserts that the Sullivan County Court was not the proper venue because defendant does not have an office in Sullivan County, and relies on Tenn. Code Ann. §20-4-104 , which…”

Buckner v. Jack's Fam. Restaurants, LP (W.D. Tenn. 2025). · cites it 2× “) As the plaintiff points out, they are wrong; suit in that venue was appropriate under Tennessee law, see Tenn. Code Ann. § 20-4-104 , even though the suit could not have been properly brought in this district under federal law, see 28 U.”

Buckner v. Jack's Fam. Restaurants, LP (M.D. Tenn. 2025). · cites it 2× “) As the plaintiff points out, they are wrong; suit in that venue was appropriate under Tennessee law, see Tenn. Code Ann. § 20-4-104 , even though the suit could not have been properly brought in this district under federal law, see 28 U.”

Roger Baskin v. Pierce & Allred Constr., Inc. (2022). “” Tenn. Code Ann. § 20-4-104 governs venue for corporate defendants, providing that For all civil actions, if the defendant is not a natural person, the action shall be brought in: (1) The county where all or a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the cause…”

— Tenn. Code Ann. § 20-4-104(3)(B) — 1 case

J. Alexander's Holdings, LLC v. Repub. Servs., Inc. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2017). “Alexander’s presented proof that Republic transacts business in Tennessee but does not have a registered agent in Tennessee and, thus, established that venue in Davidson County was proper pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 20-4-104 (3) and 48-15-104 and Republic presented no…”

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