LB-4523 form (Tennessee): the workers' comp owner exemption
Initial Workers’ Compensation Exemption Registration Application. Who can file it, where to get it, how to file, the fee, when it takes effect, and how often it renews — from Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
LB-4523 filing snapshot
FormLB-4523 — Initial Workers’ Compensation Exemption Registration Application
Issuing bodyTennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
Filing methodE-file, print-and-mail, paper submission, or walk-in to the Exemption Registry with the required fee.
Fee$50 with active contractor license; $100 without active contractor license
Common mistakeThe registry is for eligible construction business owners and exempts only the listed individual, not employees or the business entity. Subsequent registration uses LB-4530 and costs $20.
When it takes effectOn Bureau approval/registration in the Workers’ Compensation Exemption Registry.
Renewal2 years; renewal opens 60 days before expiration. Subsequent exemption registration fee is $20.
Watch out forThe registry is construction-specific and personal to the qualifying owner; it never covers employees or the entity.
Get the LB-4523 from Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
Which Tennessee owners can use the LB-4523
Sole proprietorNon-construction: the owner is excluded from the employee count and is not personally covered unless coverage is elected. Construction: a sole proprietor owning 100% of the business assets may qualify for an individual Exemption Registry registration.
LLC memberNon-construction: LLC members are excluded from the employee count and may elect personal coverage. Construction: a member with at least 20% ownership can qualify for the Exemption Registry; a family-ownership alternative may apply when the applicant and family hold at least 95%.
PartnerNon-construction: partners are excluded from the employee count and may elect personal coverage. Construction: a partner with at least 20% ownership can qualify for the Exemption Registry, subject to the registry rules and business-specific limits.
Corporate officerA full-time corporate officer counts toward the non-construction five-employee trigger but may use Tennessee's non-construction exclusion process to remove the officer personally from the policy. In construction, an officer can qualify for the individual Exemption Registry.
Employee threshold: Non-construction Tennessee employers generally must carry workers' compensation with five or more employees. Sole proprietors, partners, and LLC members are excluded from that employee count; full-time corporate officers are counted even when an officer elects to be excluded from the policy unless the officer is unpaid or uncompensated. In construction: Construction employers must secure coverage for employees beginning with the first employee. Business owners performing construction are generally personally covered unless they fit a statutory exception or obtain an individual Workers' Compensation Exemption Registry registration; an owner exemption never removes coverage duties for employees.
Read the full context in the Tennessee workers' comp exemption guide, or run the eligibility screener to check your entity type first.
LB-4523 form (Tennessee): frequently asked questions
- Where do I get the LB-4523 form in Tennessee?
- The LB-4523 (Initial Workers’ Compensation Exemption Registration Application) is issued by Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. E-file, print-and-mail, paper submission, or walk-in to the Exemption Registry with the required fee. Use the official link on this page rather than a third-party copy, which may be out of date.
- Is there a fee to file the LB-4523 in Tennessee?
- $50 with active contractor license; $100 without active contractor license
- How often does the LB-4523 exemption renew in Tennessee?
- 2 years; renewal opens 60 days before expiration. Subsequent exemption registration fee is $20. Watch out: The registry is construction-specific and personal to the qualifying owner; it never covers employees or the entity.
Where this comes from
The LB-4523 entry is anchored to Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation — the state agency that issues and processes the form — not a generalized summary. Source-checked 2026-09-10.