‹ All States

Texas Foreign LLC Registration

Everything you need to register a foreign LLC in Texas.

State filing fee$750one-time
Registered agent$125/yrbased on Northwest RA
Total, all in$1,125
Texas data verified Apr 18, 2026 · sos.texas.govTotals include the $750 filing fee once, Northwest RA at $125/year, and Texas recurring state costs over the selected period.

Foreign Qualification

Filing fee
$750
Form
Application for Registration of Foreign LLC
Annual obligation
$0/year (report required, no fee)
Processing time
5-7 business days
Expedite
$25 (24-hour), $50 (4-hour)
Estimated year 1 cost
$750
Note: Texas has one of the highest qualification fees in the country at $750.
Visit Texas Secretary of State ↗
Texas data verified Apr 18, 2026 · sos.texas.gov

Formation in Texas

Formation fee
$300
Annual cost
$0/year (free annual report)
State income tax
No state income tax. Franchise tax applies to businesses with revenue over $2.47M.
Privacy
Moderate
No income tax, but the franchise tax applies to larger businesses. The 2026 no-tax-due threshold is $2.65M (increased from $2.47M).

What triggers foreign qualification in Texas?

  • Physical presence in Texas
  • Employees in Texas
  • Revenue from Texas sources

Important to know

  • $750 filing fee is among the highest in the country
  • Franchise tax filing is required even if no tax is owed
  • Certificate of Good Standing from home state must be dated within 90 days of filing

Activities that do NOT require registration in Texas

The following activities are explicitly carved out by statute. On their own, they do not require a foreign LLC to register in Texas.

  • Maintaining or defending a lawsuit
  • Holding meetings of members or managers
  • Maintaining bank accounts
  • Selling through independent contractors
  • Soliciting orders by mail, telephone, or internet if accepted outside Texas
  • Conducting isolated transactions completed within 30 days

Per Texas Business Organizations Code Section 9.251.

Sources

Need a registered agent in Texas?

A registered agent is required for foreign qualification. These services operate in all 50 states.

Get Northwest Registered Agent ↗
Recommended · $125/year · Privacy included

Other options

Registered Agents Inc
$200/year · Includes annual report filing
Visit site ↗
Harbor Compliance
$99/year · Full-service compliance option
Visit site ↗

Filing it yourself?

Go directly to the official filing portal.

Visit SOS website ↗

More Texas guides

Check your compliance

Answer 3 questions to find out if your LLC needs to register in other states.

Start free compliance check ↗

Need to change your registered agent?

See the form, fee, and step-by-step process for changing your registered agent in Texas.

Texas change of agent guide ↗

What's the penalty for not registering?

Statute-cited guide to the civil penalty, back fees, and court access if you operate in Texas without a certificate of authority.

Texas penalty guide ↗

Not sure if you need to register?

Learn what counts as “doing business” and which activities trigger the foreign qualification requirement.

What triggers foreign qualification? ↗

This page provides general information based on publicly available state requirements. It is not legal advice. Verify with the Texas Secretary of State before filing.