Best Registered Agent Services in Texas

Texas's Registered Agent Requirement

The Texas Secretary of State requires every Texas LLC to maintain a registered agent: either an individual Texas resident or an organization registered or authorized to do business in Texas, located at a Texas business street address. The LLC's Certificate of Formation (Form 205) requires this street address, not a P.O. box, as the registered office.

The LLC Entity Cannot Serve as Its Own Agent

The Texas Secretary of State is explicit that an entity cannot act as its own registered agent. An LLC's officers, owners, or employees may serve individually as the registered agent, as long as they meet the Texas-residency and address requirements, but the LLC cannot simply list itself the way Delaware law allows.

Texas's Formation Fee and Expedited Options

Forming a Texas LLC requires filing a Certificate of Formation (Form 205) for a $300 fee with the Secretary of State, which can be filed online through SOSDirect or SOSUpload. Expedited processing is available: standard expedited service is $50 per document, typically processed within two to three business days; next-day service is $500; and same-day service is $750, both for filings received by noon.

Changing a Texas Registered Agent

Switching registered agents in Texas means filing Form 401, Statement of Change of Registered Office/Agent, for a $15 state fee, on top of whatever the new or former provider charges for the change itself.

Texas's Franchise Tax Report Replaces an Annual Report

Texas does not require a periodic report filed with the Secretary of State to keep an LLC administratively current. Instead, Texas LLCs file a Franchise Tax Report and Public Information Report (Form 05-102) with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts each year by May 15. For 2026-2027 reports, the no-tax-due threshold is $2,650,000 in annualized total revenue, and entities at or below that threshold still must file the Public Information Report even though no tax is owed. A franchise tax report filed late carries a $50 penalty even when no tax is due, and failing to file the Public Information Report can forfeit the LLC's right to transact business in Texas.

Comparing Published Registered Agent Prices for Texas LLCs

Any commercial registered agent authorized to do business in Texas can serve a Texas LLC, so comparing providers comes down to price and inclusions. As published on each company's site in October 2026:

• LegalZoom: $249 a year, the same at renewal, with LegalZoom noting the renewal rate is subject to change.
• ZenBusiness: $99 for the first year, renewing at $199 a year.
• Northwest Registered Agent: free for one year bundled with its $39-plus-state-fee formation package, then $125 a year, stated as a fixed price.
• Bizee: free for the first year with any package, then $149 a year.
• Harbor Compliance: $99 for new customers in the first year, renewing at $159 a year.
• LLC Register: $99 a year, the same price at renewal.

How LLC Register compares

LLC Register's registered agent service is $99 a year, the same price at renewal. LLC formation in year one and annual report filing are included, while most providers charge $99 to $199 a year extra for annual report filing. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before checkout.

What to Confirm Before Choosing

Before hiring a Texas registered agent, confirm the renewal price, whether the provider's annual report or compliance filing service actually covers the Texas Franchise Tax Report and Public Information Report (since Texas's filing goes to the Comptroller, not the Secretary of State, a generic "annual report" service may not cover it), and how quickly it forwards Texas state correspondence.

Texas's Franchise Tax Filing Is Easy to Mistake for Optional

Because most small LLCs owe no franchise tax under the $2,650,000 revenue threshold, owners sometimes assume no filing is required at all. The Public Information Report is still mandatory every year regardless of revenue, and missing it can forfeit the LLC's right to transact business in Texas, so confirm your registered agent or compliance service specifically covers this filing, not just a generic annual report.

No State Income Tax, but the Franchise Tax Still Applies

Texas has no personal income tax, so LLC profits passed through to members are not taxed at the state level. This does not exempt the LLC itself from the franchise tax structure, which is based on revenue, not profit distributed to owners.

Good Standing and Foreign Qualification Fees

A Certificate of Fact confirming good standing costs $15 from the Secretary of State; a Long Form Certificate of Existence costs $25. A foreign LLC registering to transact business in Texas pays $750 to file an Application for Registration (Form 304), notably higher than Texas's $300 domestic formation fee.

Expedited Filing Fees Are a State Charge, Not Necessarily a Markup

If a provider charges extra for faster Texas processing, that $50, $500, or $750 figure is typically the Secretary of State's own published expedited fee, not an additional markup layered on top by the provider; confirm which is which before assuming a rush fee is excessive.

This Is Not Legal or Tax Advice

Whether your Texas LLC owes franchise tax, and how to handle multi-state registered agent needs, depends on your specific revenue and situation. Talk to a tax professional, and verify current fees directly with the Texas Secretary of State and Comptroller before filing.