Texas LLC Cost: $300 to File + Franchise Tax / PIR (2026)

Fact-checked and updated September 14, 2026.

A Texas LLC costs $300 to file Certificate of Formation with the Texas Secretary of State. Texas has no classic SOS annual report for LLCs—budget the Comptroller franchise tax / PIR cycle instead. You can file through the official portal or use ZenBusiness Starter for a $0 formation service fee plus the same state fee. Optional services cost extra.

This guide is for creating a new Texas LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check Texas’s foreign-entity registration requirements before creating a second company.

Texas LLC costs: required fees and optional extras

Start with the SOS Form 806 fee schedule and the Texas Secretary of State filing resources. These are government charges, separate from anything a formation company bills you.

Budget example: $300 for formation plus the recurring state filing in the table is the lean government path—before insurance, local permits, or professional help.

Franchise tax rates and EZ computation rules live on the Comptroller site—not in the SOS $300 formation fee.

Should you file on Texas SOSDirect or use ZenBusiness?

Choose DIY if you are comfortable completing Certificate of Formation instructions, naming a Texas registered agent, and calendaring ongoing filings. Choose a filing service if you prefer a guided questionnaire. Either way, you make the ownership, address, and management decisions.

ZenBusiness lists Starter at $0 without a base-plan renewal. Its optional first year of Worry-Free Compliance renews at $199/year; registered-agent service is listed at $199/year (intro pricing may show about $99 for the first year—confirm at checkout). EIN and operating-agreement services are separate Starter purchases. Check the current package terms and checkout selections.

A free introductory service can become a recurring expense. Before paying, review the initial total, renewal amounts, and cancellation terms. Keep a copy of your selections. A reminder is not confirmation that a required state filing was submitted, and the state filing fee remains separate.

Neither path removes your responsibility to read the state’s fee schedule and ongoing filing rules. A guided service helps with paperwork preparation; it does not replace registered-agent duties or tax compliance.

Can you be your own Texas registered agent?

Texas formation is only the SOS half of the story. The Comptroller’s franchise tax / PIR rules are where many new LLCs stumble—especially when tax is $0 and owners assume “nothing is due.”

Yes, if you maintain a Texas registered agent with a street address in Texas. SOS filings are public—plan address fields carefully.

How to file your Texas LLC: a practical checklist

1. Check the name on SOSDirect; reservation $40.
2. Name a Texas registered agent and complete Form 205 details.
3. File the Certificate of Formation and pay $300 (plus optional expedite).
4. Save SOS evidence, then set up Comptroller accounts as required.
5. Calendar May 15 for franchise tax / PIR.

Assumed names (DBAs) are a separate SOS filing ($25 on Form 806) when you operate under a name other than the exact legal name—formation alone does not register every trade name you might use on marketing materials.

How long does approval take?

SOS timing depends on channel and expedite tier. ZenBusiness preparation is separate from SOS review.

If a lease, financing, or opening date depends on the LLC, leave room for name issues and corrections. Completing an online questionnaire is not the moment the company is approved.

Texas franchise tax & Public Information Report (not an SOS annual report)

After formation, treat ongoing entity reporting as a Comptroller workflow:

• Due date: generally May 15 (next business day if weekend/holiday).
• 2026 no-tax-due threshold: $2.65 million annualized total revenue.
• PIR/OIR: Most LLCs must still file Form 05-102 (PIR) or 05-167 (OIR) even when no franchise tax is due. The old No Tax Due Report path is discontinued for reports due on/after Jan. 1, 2024.
• Risk: Ignoring Comptroller filings can lead to forfeiture and SOS reinstatement costs.

Officer/director (or authorized person) signatures on the PIR matter—treat it like a real compliance filing, not optional paperwork.

Do not tell yourself “no annual filing” just because the tax computes to zero.

If you buy compliance assistance, confirm the filing was actually submitted—reminders are not proof of filing.

After filing: get the business ready to operate

• Document how the LLC works. An operating agreement can set ownership, contributions, decision-making, distributions, and exit arrangements. Texas’s filing office generally does not require you to file the agreement with the formation paperwork—keep it with your company records. For multiple owners, resolve disagreements before money or contracts are committed.
• Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. An EIN service fee pays someone to assist; it is not an IRS charge. Save the confirmation for banking and tax records.
• Separate business finances. Ask the bank for its document checklist and establish a bookkeeping process. Use the correct legal business name on applications and contracts; keep any trade-name registrations consistent.
• Check taxes and operating permissions. LLC formation does not itself select S-corporation taxation or issue a professional license. The IRS explains LLC tax classifications. Identify the state and local requirements for your actual work before opening.
• Check the current BOI rule. As of this review, FinCEN exempts entities created in the United States from beneficial-ownership reporting. A newly created domestic LLC generally falls within that exemption. Consult FinCEN directly before buying a BOI filing add-on.

For a simple one-owner operation, organize these tasks into a short checklist. Where ownership, investors, or tax elections are complicated, formation paperwork alone will not resolve those decisions.

Match insurance to the work your LLC performs

Entity formation and insurance solve different problems. Ask the insurer to identify the correct business and operations; ask clients or landlords what coverage and certificate of insurance they require. Use the relevant guide to compare coverage:

• Texas cleaning business insurance
• Texas food truck insurance
• Texas HVAC insurance
• Texas landscaping insurance
• Texas daycare insurance

Continue with the Texas business guide for the broader startup process.

Keep a simple compliance folder: filed Certificate, EIN letter, operating agreement, registered-agent contract, and every annual/franchise confirmation. When you hire a bookkeeper or attorney later, that folder saves hours.

Formation creates the legal entity; it does not automatically open tax accounts, local licenses, or bank access. Sequence those tasks after you have SOS/SCC/DFI evidence of filing in hand.

Before you pay any third party, compare three numbers side by side: the official state formation fee, the service’s advertised formation charge, and the renewal price of every add-on in the cart.
A $0 formation offer can still become expensive if registered-agent, compliance, or document add-ons renew automatically.

After the state accepts the filing, update your contracts, invoices, and bank applications to use the exact legal name—including the LLC designator—unless you have also registered a trade name where required.
Mismatched names are a common reason banks and payment processors ask for extra paperwork.

Finally, revisit insurance once the entity exists. Clients and landlords often want the LLC named as the insured and may ask for additional insured status on certificates.
Entity paperwork alone does not transfer coverage from a personal policy to the company.

Texas LLC questions before you file

What is the Texas LLC formation fee?

$300 for Certificate of Formation (Form 205) per SOS Form 806. Expedite is optional.

Do Texas LLCs file an SOS annual report?

Generally no classic SOS annual report. You must still handle Comptroller franchise tax timing and, for most entities, a PIR even when tax is $0.

If I owe $0 franchise tax, can I skip filing?

Usually you still file a PIR/OIR by the franchise tax due date. Confirm on the Comptroller site.

Can I be my own Texas registered agent?

Yes, with a Texas street address and reliable intake of legal papers.

Can I get an EIN without buying a service?

Yes. The IRS issues EINs free after the LLC exists.