Start an LLC by State

Start an LLC by State › Texas

Starting an LLC in Texas: step by step (2026)

To start an LLC in Texas, file the Certificate of Formation (205) with the Texas Secretary of State and pay the $300 state fee. No report with the Secretary of State. LLCs file a Public Information Report with the Comptroller by May 15 each year; no franchise tax is due below $2.65 million in revenue (2026 and 2027). Every Texas LLC must keep a registered agent with a Texas street address.

  • Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
  • Prices verified October 2026

How to form an LLC in Texas

  1. Pick a name with “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company” in it, and check that it’s free on the Texas Secretary of State business records.
  2. Name a registered agent: a Texas resident, including an owner, officer or employee, or an organization registered or authorized in Texas with a business office at the registered office. The company cannot be its own agent, and the agent has to consent.
  3. File the Certificate of Formation (205) with the Texas Secretary of State and pay $300.
  4. Get an EIN from the IRS. It is free and comes after the LLC is formed.
  5. Sign an operating agreement among the members. It sets ownership and voting rules and stays with your records.
  6. File the yearly report. No report with the Secretary of State. LLCs file a Public Information Report with the Comptroller by May 15 each year; no franchise tax is due below $2.65 million in revenue (2026 and 2027).

Mainstay Filing takes care of the agent, the filing, the EIN application for $199 a year plus Texas’s fees.

Texas LLC fees and rules

State filing fee
$300
Formation document
Certificate of Formation (205)
Yearly filing
No report with the Secretary of State. LLCs file a Public Information Report with the Comptroller by May 15 each year; no franchise tax is due below $2.65 million in revenue (2026 and 2027).
Registered agent
Required. A Texas resident, including an owner, officer or employee, or an organization registered or authorized in Texas with a business office at the registered office. The company cannot be its own agent, and the agent has to consent.
Agent address
The address has to be a street address where papers can be handed to the agent during normal business hours. A mailbox service or answering service alone does not qualify.
Filing fee rank
47th lowest of 50 (46 states charge less, 2 charge more)
Best overall for a Texas LLC

Mainstay Filing

Our rating: 4.9 out of 5

$199 / year, all-in, plus state fees

$199 a year plus Texas’s $300 filing fee, which is passed through at cost.

  • LLC formation, prepared and filed
  • Registered agent, all year
  • EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
  • Compliance reminders

The same $199 at renewal. Already have an LLC and only need an agent? Mainstay Filing’s registered agent service alone is $149 a year.

Prices verified October 21, 2026 on Mainstay Filing’s pricing and FAQ pages.

Texas compared with neighboring states

StateFiling feeYearly filing
Texas$300$0 report
Arkansas$45$150 tax report
Louisiana$125$35 / yr
New Mexico$50None
Oklahoma$100$25 / yr

All 50 states

Texas LLC questions

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Texas?

$300 to the state to file. No report with the Secretary of State. LLCs file a Public Information Report with the Comptroller by May 15 each year; no franchise tax is due below $2.65 million in revenue (2026 and 2027). With Mainstay Filing, the formation filing, registered agent and EIN application are $199 a year on top of the state fees.

Does Texas require an annual report for LLCs?

No report with the Secretary of State. LLCs file a Public Information Report with the Comptroller by May 15 each year; no franchise tax is due below $2.65 million in revenue (2026 and 2027).

Do I need a registered agent in Texas?

Yes. A Texas resident, including an owner, officer or employee, or an organization registered or authorized in Texas with a business office at the registered office. The company cannot be its own agent, and the agent has to consent.

Can I form a Texas LLC myself?

Yes. You can file the Certificate of Formation (205) directly with the Texas Secretary of State and pay the $300 fee. A service such as Mainstay Filing files it for you and adds the registered agent, EIN application and compliance reminders for $199 a year.

Other formation services

  • Northwest Registered Agent: $39 plus the state fee, with its registered agent service included the first year, then $125 a year; annual report filing is an extra $100 plus the state fee.
  • ZenBusiness: Starter package $0 plus the state fee; Pro is $199 a year with the EIN and annual-report filing, and its registered agent is a separate $199 a year that no package includes.
  • Bizee: Basic package $0 plus the state fee (Standard $199, Premium $299), with one free year of its registered agent, which is $149 a year after that.
  • LegalZoom: Basic package $0 plus the state fee (Pro $249, Premium $299); its registered agent is $249 a year for first-time agent customers.

Prices from each company’s own pages, checked October 20, 2026. Plus the state fee in every case.

Sources