Knoxville Business Filing Deadlines & Ongoing Requirements
What a business in Knoxville keeps doing after it opens: recurring filings, renewals and the events that trigger new obligations. Change the business details to fit yours.
Where Knoxville, TN filings and renewals are tracked
- Obtain Knoxville and Knox County business licenses · City of Knoxville Business License/Tax Office (city)
- File Knox County business personal property return · Knox County Property Assessor (county)
- File the Knox County hotel/motel occupancy tax return · Knox County Clerk (county)
- Annual reports: Tennessee Secretary of State
- Tax returns and payments: Tennessee Department of Revenue
- Unemployment insurance filings: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Renewals, filing triggers and recurring deadlines in Knoxville
13 items in the example plan repeat on a schedule. Each one lists its authority and when it comes due.
Recurring filings and renewals
- File federal income tax return: Form 1040 with Schedule C · every year · April 15 · IRS
- Deposit federal payroll taxes · every month · 15th day of the following month · IRS
- File Form 941 (Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return) · every quarter · April 30, July 31, October 31, January 31 · IRS
- File Form 940 (Federal Unemployment Tax) · every year · January 31 · IRS
- Issue Forms W-2 and file W-3 · every year · January 31 · IRS / SSA
- File Annual Report (Tennessee) · every year · First day of the 4th month after fiscal year end (April 1) · Tennessee Secretary of State
- Register for and file Tennessee entity-level taxes · every year · Tennessee Department of Revenue
- File sales tax returns and remit tax (Tennessee) · every month · Monthly, quarterly or annually as assigned by the state · Tennessee Department of Revenue
- File wage reports and pay unemployment insurance contributions (Tennessee) · every quarter · Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
- File the annual unclaimed property holder report (Tennessee) · every year · November 1 · Tennessee unclaimed property program
- Obtain food service establishment / health permit · every year · Knox County health department (Tennessee)
- City/county business license (Business Tax) — Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee · every year · City or county clerk: Knoxville / Knox County
- File Knox County business personal property return · every year · March 1 · Knox County Property Assessor
Filings triggered by an event
- Complete Form I-9 for each new hire: applies when Business has employees
- Report new hires to the Tennessee new hire directory: applies when 3 employees in Tennessee
Federal
State
County
City
Common questions about Knoxville
The state licenses your industry through its own regulator, and the city and county add local permits. These are the authorities and local items on record for Knoxville:
- Contractor licensing: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors
- Real estate licensing: Tennessee Real Estate Commission
- Alcohol licensing: Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission
- Child care licensing: Tennessee Department of Human Services
- Health facility licensing: Tennessee Department of Health
- Obtain Knoxville and Knox County business licenses (City of Knoxville Business License/Tax Office, city)
- File Knox County business personal property return (Knox County Property Assessor, county)
- File the Knox County hotel/motel occupancy tax return (Knox County Clerk, county)
In the example restaurant plan above, the licenses and permits are: Tennessee sales and use tax registration (Tennessee); Obtain food service establishment / health permit; Ensure certified food protection manager on staff; City/county business license (Business Tax) — Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee; Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Knoxville; Obtain Knoxville and Knox County business licenses. Change the industry in the form to see yours.
Sources: sos.tn.gov, tn.gov, tn.gov
In the example plan for Knoxville, requirements come from four levels. Tennessee sets formation, state taxes and employer rules; the city and county add local licenses and taxes.
- Federal (8): Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN); File federal income tax return: Form 1040 with Schedule C; Deposit federal payroll taxes; File Form 941 (Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return)…
- State (11): Maintain a registered agent in Tennessee; File Annual Report (Tennessee); Register for and file Tennessee entity-level taxes; Tennessee sales and use tax registration (Tennessee)…
- County (2): Obtain food service establishment / health permit; File Knox County business personal property return
- City (3): City/county business license (Business Tax) — Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee; Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Knoxville; Obtain Knoxville and Knox County business licenses
Sources: sos.tn.gov, tn.gov
- Register for unemployment insurance with Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
- Workers' compensation: Tennessee Bureau of Workers' Compensation. Required when: 5 employees (1 in construction)
- The example plan adds these employer steps: Report new hires to the Tennessee new hire directory; Display required federal labor law posters; Complete Form I-9 for each new hire; Display required Tennessee workplace notices.