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How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Texas

Texas calls it the Certificate of Fact - Status and charges $15. Here is how to order it and what must be current first.

At a glance

Document name
Certificate of Fact - Status
State fee
$15Checked Oct 1, 2026 · sos.state.tx.us
Online ordering
Yes
Typical turnaround
Ordered online through SOSPortal, which replaced SOSDirect in September 2026
Issuing office
Texas SOS ↗

How to order it

  1. Clear any past-due filings first. Check your entity status with the Texas SOS and resolve the requirements below. Tax clearance may be a separate document.
  2. Order it online. Search your LLC in the Texas portal, request the certificate, and download it. Link in the table above.
  3. Pay the $15 fee. Confirm payment methods and the total in the official portal; extra fees may apply.
  4. Use it inside the recipient's window. The certificate has no state expiration, but banks and other states usually want one dated within the last 30 to 90 days. Order it close to when you need it.

Would rather not deal with the agency yourself?

CorpNet orders the certificate for you
$69 service fee, plus the Texas state fee shown above · A filing service, not a registered agent. Ordering it yourself is cheaper and the steps above are the whole process.
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Full ordering details for Texas

Texas issues a "Certificate of Fact - Status" through the Secretary of State at $15, plus a $1 fee for each online search. Order online through SOSPortal, which replaced SOSDirect on September 29, 2026, by email to corpcert@sos.texas.gov, or by mail to Certifying Team, Secretary of State, P.O. Box 13697, Austin TX 78711-3697. Paying by card online adds $0.25 plus 2.25 per cent of the amount; ACH is also accepted.

Processing and expedited tiers: Texas says online orders may take up to 10 minutes to become available. Email or mail orders take 1 business day, or 2 hours with the $10 expedite handling fee, plus mail transit

Important to know about Texas

  • Texas has TWO different "good standing" documents - the SOS-issued Certificate of Fact - Status (proves entity existence) and the Comptroller-issued Certificate of Account Status (proves franchise tax compliance). Some out-of-state filings require BOTH. The Comptroller document is at comptroller.texas.gov.
  • The franchise tax must be current. Texas LLCs file an annual Public Information Report by May 15. The separate No Tax Due Report was eliminated beginning with 2024 reports; entities below the no-tax-due threshold ($2.65M for 2026) no longer file it but still owe the Public Information Report.
  • Orders by email or mail are processed within one business day, or within two hours for a $10 expedite handling fee per certificate, plus mail transit either way. Orders placed on SOSPortal may take up to 10 minutes to become available, and the download link expires after 90 days.
  • Original Texas certificates are electronically generated - no gold or raised seals. They are black and white and carry the electronic signature of the Secretary of State. If a recipient questions one, the document number at the bottom can be checked on the SOS certificate validation service.
  • Expedite handling on a certificate ordered by email or mail is $10 per certificate for a two-hour turnaround. The Secretary of State no longer lists fax or phone as ways to order.

Ordering this to register in another state?

A certificate of good standing from Texas is what the new state asks for when your Texas LLC registers to do business there. Pick the state you are expanding into to see its exact filing, fee, and process.

Find your state-to-state guide · Registering an out-of-state LLC into Texas instead?

Related guides

Sources 4 pages

The official pages behind the figures on this page, with the date we last read each one. How we check.

Forms and filing

This page provides general information based on publicly available Texas Secretary of State requirements. It is not legal advice. Names, fees, and procedures can change. Verify with the Texas SOS before ordering.