How to Start an LLC in Texas
Dependable registered agent service throughout Texas — $99 annually. That fee covers the office address, scanning of legal correspondence, and reminders for state filings.
Building a Texas LLC step by step starts with one formation document, continues with an agent registered, and finishes with annual maintenance. The numbers: $300 state filing, several business days processing window, and a few small recurring items you handle on an annual basis. Keep reading for the steps, the costs, and how we handle the filing for you.
Start Your Texas LLC — $199
We package the documents and file them at Texas Secretary of State for $199. State processing runs about several business days.
The Texas LLC, Briefly Explained
A LLC-style liability company sits between a sole proprietorship and a corporation: liability protection like a corporation, taxes like a sole prop. Throughout Texas, the LLC is popular with consultants, e-commerce operators, real estate investors, and freelancers thanks to its low formality and clear liability shield.
What It Costs in Texas
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| State filing fee (Texas Secretary of State) | $300 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every Texas LLC) | $99/year |
| State annual report fee | Franchise Tax (varies; $0 below threshold) |
We bill $199 for our filing service. State fees are paid to Texas Secretary of State separately. The agent product is $99 annually.
Important Texas-specific notes: No annual filing fee, but must file annual Franchise Tax Report and Public Information Report. No franchise tax due if revenue under $2.47 million (2025) or $2.65 million (2026). Filed with Texas Comptroller, not SOS. No state income tax.
Step-by-Step: Forming Your Texas LLC
1. Settle on a Compliant LLC Name
Texas requires the entity name to include an LLC indicator and to be different enough from any business already on file to avoid confusion. The state's entity database (searchable through Texas Secretary of State) tells you immediately whether a name is available.
Avoid name elements that suggest banking, insurance, or governmental ties. The state will bounce the filing if you use them without prior approval.
2. Appoint Your Texas Registered Agent
The state requires every LLC to maintain a designated agent with a real address in the state who can take in process service within the normal workday. Texas Secretary of State records the agent's name and address in its public entity database — these details aren't private.
For $99 a year, our agent product operates in Texas. Our office handles the public-record exposure so yours doesn't get any.
3. File Articles of Organization with Texas Secretary of State
This is the moment the LLC becomes real: file your Articles with Texas Secretary of State paying $300 at submission. The fields on the form: the LLC name, the principal place of business, agent identity and address, the management setup (member-managed or manager-managed), and the organizers.
Use the Texas business filings portal for online filing. Mail submissions to Texas Secretary of State take longer to process.
Wait time from filing to approval is around several business days. A pay-for-speed option is often available for a surcharge.
4. Create Your LLC's Operating Agreement
Texas does not mandate an operating agreement to be filed with the state, but having one is fundamental to running the LLC properly. An operating agreement nails down ownership, profit allocation, decision rights, and the procedures for adding or removing members. Without one, Texas's default LLC statute steps in — and those defaults may not match what you and your co-owners actually want.
5. Obtain the Federal EIN
The Employer Identification Number functions as the LLC's federal-level tax identifier. Used for business banking, hiring employees, and filing federal returns. Get the EIN at IRS.gov — the form is brief — a few minutes, and the number is assigned immediately.
Don't bother paying an external service for the EIN — EINs are free from the IRS via a brief form.
6. Maintain Compliance Going Forward
Formation is the start, not the finish. To keep the LLC in active status with Texas Secretary of State, you have to:
- Always keep a current designated agent at a Texas location from formation onward
- Submit the LLC's annual filing every year as required
- Adhere to a firm boundary between business banking and your personal banking (separate bank accounts and recordkeeping)
- Take care of all federal and state tax requirements by their deadlines
If any of these are neglected, Texas Secretary of State can dissolve the entity. A dissolved LLC offers no asset protection.
Done filing things yourself? $199 hands the Texas filing to our team.
How the Registered Agent Requirement Works
All Texas LLCs must maintain a registered agent. It's a statutory requirement, not a recommendation. An agent in Texas must:
- Have on file a verifiable Texas address (PO boxes don't count on their own)
- Remain available during the regular workday to take in service of process
- Transmit incoming state correspondence and legal mail quickly enough that the LLC keeps full response time
Many people form an LLC partly for privacy. That address shows up in Texas Secretary of State's public database and stays there.
Sign up for our $99/year agent product. We list our office address on the formation documents in your place.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Texas?
$300 to Texas Secretary of State covers the formation filing. That puts it in the upper bracket of LLC filing fees. Above the formation cost, the annual filing charges Franchise Tax (varies; $0 below threshold).
How long does it take to form an LLC in Texas?
Texas formations typically clear in several business days.
Does Texas require an annual report?
Yes, every year. The annual report fee comes to Franchise Tax (varies; $0 below threshold).
Do I need a registered agent for my Texas LLC?
Yes. Every Texas LLC needs a registered agent based at an in-state address. It's a continuous obligation, not a one-time setup.
Can I form an LLC in Texas if I live in another state?
Yes. Texas doesn't restrict LLC ownership to residents. The agent piece still has to be Texas-based; the $99/year agent product takes care of that.
Start Your Texas LLC the Right Way
Anyone can file directly with Texas Secretary of State at the Texas business filings portal. $300 is what Texas Secretary of State charges, the agent requirement is the one thing you can't skip.
Use our registered agent product and put our information on the formation document. At $99 per year, your Texas agent address on file, same-day document scans, and compliance alerts before every deadline.
Only need the Texas registered agent? The registered agent product is $99 per year by itself.
More questions about forming an LLC in Texas or how the agent role works? The FAQ covers most of it; otherwise contact us.
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