Counselors: Tennessee's Revised LLC Act gives every LLC the purpose of engaging in any lawful business (TCA 48-249-104(a)), and the professional LLC part states that it does not affect the right to render professional services through any other form of entity (TCA 48-249-1131). The counselor licensing part (TCA 63-22-101 et seq.) and the Board's counselor rules (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0450-01) contain no rule against practicing through an LLC; the rules' advertising provisions treat licensees as including partnerships and corporations. A professional LLC (PLLC) may be formed to render a "professional service", meaning a service that only a licensee may lawfully render (TCA 48-249-1102(6), 48-249-1103). A PLLC must say so in its articles and name the licensed services, its name must include "Professional Limited Liability Company", "PLLC" or a similar designation (TCA 48-249-1108), members generally must be licensed in the profession (TCA 48-249-1109), and it may render services only through licensed individuals (TCA 48-249-1106). Clinical counseling is a professional service because performing the scope of practice of a counselor designated as a mental health service provider (LPC-MHSP) without that license is an offense (TCA 63-22-117(a)(1)(C)). For a licensed professional counselor without the mental health service provider designation, the counseling part restricts only the title (TCA 63-22-117(a)(1)(A) and (B)), so PLLC eligibility rests on holding the LPC-MHSP designation. A professional corporation is a separate question: the Professional Corporation Act covers only a service that a licensee alone may render and that a regular business corporation may not render (TCA 48-101-603(7)), and the counselor part does not say whether a business corporation may provide counseling through licensed staff. Whether a professional corporation is available is therefore not settled; ask the Secretary of State's Division of Business and Charitable Organizations or the board.
Marriage and family therapists: Tennessee's Revised LLC Act gives every LLC the purpose of engaging in any lawful business (TCA 48-249-104(a)), and the professional LLC part states that it does not affect the right to render professional services through any other form of entity (TCA 48-249-1131). The marital and family therapist provisions (TCA 63-22-101 et seq.) and the Board's marital and family therapist rules (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0450-02) contain no rule against practicing through an LLC. A professional LLC (PLLC) may be formed to render a "professional service", meaning a service that only a licensee may lawfully render (TCA 48-249-1102(6), 48-249-1103). A PLLC must say so in its articles and name the licensed services, its name must include "Professional Limited Liability Company", "PLLC" or a similar designation (TCA 48-249-1108), members generally must be licensed in the profession (TCA 48-249-1109), and it may render services only through licensed individuals (TCA 48-249-1106). Whether a PLLC is available is not settled: Tennessee bars an unlicensed person from advertising marital and family therapy or using the title (TCA 63-22-115(b)) but does not expressly make the practice itself licensee-only, which the PLLC definition requires (TCA 48-249-1102(6)). Ask the Secretary of State's Division of Business and Charitable Organizations or the Board. A professional corporation is a separate question: the Professional Corporation Act covers only a service that a licensee alone may render and that a regular business corporation may not render (TCA 48-101-603(7)), and the same question about the practice itself applies. Whether a professional corporation is available is therefore not settled; ask the Secretary of State's Division of Business and Charitable Organizations or the board.
Social workers: Tennessee's Revised LLC Act gives every LLC the purpose of engaging in any lawful business (TCA 48-249-104(a)), and the professional LLC part states that it does not affect the right to render professional services through any other form of entity (TCA 48-249-1131). The social worker licensing chapter (TCA 63-23) and the Board of Social Worker Licensure's rules (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1365-01) contain no rule against practicing through an LLC; the rules' advertising provisions refer to licensees practicing through a corporation, partnership or firm (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1365-01-.10). A professional LLC (PLLC) may be formed to render a "professional service", meaning a service that only a licensee may lawfully render (TCA 48-249-1102(6), 48-249-1103). A PLLC must say so in its articles and name the licensed services, its name must include "Professional Limited Liability Company", "PLLC" or a similar designation (TCA 48-249-1108), members generally must be licensed in the profession (TCA 48-249-1109), and it may render services only through licensed individuals (TCA 48-249-1106). Independent clinical social work is a professional service because no person may practice independently as a clinical social worker without an LCSW license (TCA 63-23-105(c)). A professional corporation is a separate question: the Professional Corporation Act covers only a service that a licensee alone may render and that a regular business corporation may not render (TCA 48-101-603(7)), and the social work chapter does not say whether a business corporation may provide social work services through licensed staff. Whether a professional corporation is available is therefore not settled; ask the Secretary of State's Division of Business and Charitable Organizations or the board.
Psychologists: Tennessee's Revised LLC Act gives every LLC the purpose of engaging in any lawful business (TCA 48-249-104(a)), and the professional LLC part states that it does not affect the right to render professional services through any other form of entity (TCA 48-249-1131). The psychologist licensing chapter (TCA 63-11) and the Board of Examiners in Psychology's rules (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1180-01 to 1180-06) contain no rule against practicing through an LLC. A professional LLC (PLLC) may be formed to render a "professional service", meaning a service that only a licensee may lawfully render (TCA 48-249-1102(6), 48-249-1103). A PLLC must say so in its articles and name the licensed services, its name must include "Professional Limited Liability Company", "PLLC" or a similar designation (TCA 48-249-1108), members generally must be licensed in the profession (TCA 48-249-1109), and it may render services only through licensed individuals (TCA 48-249-1106). Psychology is a professional service because practicing it without a license is a misdemeanor (TCA 63-11-206(a)). A professional corporation is a separate question: the Professional Corporation Act covers only a service that a licensee alone may render and that a regular business corporation may not render (TCA 48-101-603(7)), and TCA 63-11-206(d) lets a business firm or corporation offer psychological services when licensed individuals perform or supervise them, which suggests a business corporation may lawfully provide them. Whether a professional corporation is available is therefore not settled; ask the Secretary of State's Division of Business and Charitable Organizations or the board.
