Business formation

Form your business in Texas

Start your LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Nonprofit in Texas with a guided, step-by-step workflow tailored to your entity type - and know the state filing fee before you begin.

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Forming an LLC in Texas costs $300 in state filing fees, which is among the most expensive in the country: 48 of the 51 U.S. jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. A corporation files for $300 and a nonprofit for $25. Below: the fee table, what else you pay in year one, and the questions founders ask before filing here.

Texas state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Texas Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$300
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$300
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$25

Estimated state filing fees, separate from EazeAccounts service fees. Some states set a minimum that can rise with authorized shares, and expedited or online filing may differ. Fees last verified May 2026; confirm the current amount with the Texas Secretary of State before filing.

What an LLC costs every year in Texas

Franchise Tax Report and Public Information Report

$0 report fee

May 15 each year The report is required even when no tax is due.

State tax on the LLC

Texas has no state income tax, but LLCs are subject to the franchise tax on margin. Businesses under the no-tax-due threshold, $2.47 million in annual revenue for recent report years, owe nothing but must still file the Public Information Report.

How long Texas takes

SOSDirect online filings typically process in three to five business days. Expedited handling costs $25 per document.

What is different about Texas

• The $300 filing fee is one of the higher ones in the country, but there is no annual report fee after that.
• Most small Texas LLCs file a franchise tax report every year and pay nothing.
• Texas requires a registered agent who has consented in writing to serve.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the Texas Secretary of State and tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Texas street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.
EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.
Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Texas. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.
Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Texas

Does a Texas LLC pay an annual fee?: There is no annual report fee. The LLC files a franchise tax report and a Public Information Report each year by May 15, and most small businesses fall under the no-tax-due threshold, so they file and pay nothing.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Texas?: The state filing fee for a Certificate of Formation is $300. Expedited processing adds $25. Registered agent service, if you use one, is a separate annual cost.
How long does Texas take to approve an LLC?: Online filings through SOSDirect usually take three to five business days. Mailed filings take longer.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Texas?: The Texas state filing fee for an LLC is $300, paid once when you file the formation document. That is among the most expensive in the country: 48 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.
Do I need a registered agent in Texas?: Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Texas who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.
What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?: The state fee goes to the Texas Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.
Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?: Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.

Next step

Start your Texas formation What the formation service includes See the books set up live

Comparing states? South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, or see filing fees in every state.

Ready to form in Texas? Begin the step-by-step formation workflow.

Texas state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Texas Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$300
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$300
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$25

What an LLC costs every year in Texas

Franchise Tax Report and Public Information Report

$0 report fee

May 15 each year The report is required even when no tax is due.

State tax on the LLC

How long Texas takes

SOSDirect online filings typically process in three to five business days. Expedited handling costs $25 per document.

What is different about Texas

• The $300 filing fee is one of the higher ones in the country, but there is no annual report fee after that.

• Most small Texas LLCs file a franchise tax report every year and pay nothing.

• Texas requires a registered agent who has consented in writing to serve.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the Texas Secretary of State and tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Texas street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.

EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.

Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Texas. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.

Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Texas

Does a Texas LLC pay an annual fee?

There is no annual report fee. The LLC files a franchise tax report and a Public Information Report each year by May 15, and most small businesses fall under the no-tax-due threshold, so they file and pay nothing.

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

The state filing fee for a Certificate of Formation is $300. Expedited processing adds $25. Registered agent service, if you use one, is a separate annual cost.

How long does Texas take to approve an LLC?

Online filings through SOSDirect usually take three to five business days. Mailed filings take longer.

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

The Texas state filing fee for an LLC is $300, paid once when you file the formation document. That is among the most expensive in the country: 48 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.

Do I need a registered agent in Texas?

Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Texas who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.

What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?

The state fee goes to the Texas Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.

Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?

Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.