Texas requires every LLC to maintain a registered agent with a physical address in the state. Our service includes one year of Texas registered agent in the $299 flat formation fee.
A registered agent is the person or company designated to receive official mail on behalf of your Texas LLC. That includes two kinds of mail: service of process (lawsuits — the court papers that start a case against the LLC), and official Texas state correspondence (annual report reminders, tax notices, dissolution warnings).
Every state requires LLCs to have one. The logic is simple: if someone wants to sue the LLC, there has to be a reliable address in Texas where the papers can be served. If the state needs to contact the LLC, same thing.
Texas requires a physical street address in the state — no P.O. boxes, no out-of-state addresses, no virtual offices with a mail-forwarding arrangement. The agent has to actually be there to accept service.
The agent must be present at the listed address during normal business hours to accept service of process in person.
Texas allows the agent to be an individual over 18 who's a Texas resident, or a business entity authorized to transact business in Texas.
The agent's name and address must be listed in the Certificate of Formation and kept current. Change the agent by filing a change-of-agent form with the state.
Texas has no annual report for LLCs, but every LLC must file an annual Public Information Report and Franchise Tax Report with the Comptroller. LLCs with annualized revenue under the no-tax-due threshold of roughly $1.3M owe $0 in franchise tax, but must still file. Above the threshold, franchise tax is calculated on margin and ranges from 0.375% to 0.75%.
Yes — as long as you're a Texas resident with a physical Texas address and you're available during business hours to accept service. There's no statute preventing it. But there are three practical reasons most founders don't:
The registered agent's address is part of the public record. Using our Austin office as your registered agent means your Texas LLC's public-facing address is a commercial one, not your home — which is the single most common reason founders use a commercial agent.
Here's what's included in the first year with every formation:
Registered agent renewal is $119/year, opt-in. We don't store your payment method between years and we don't auto-charge. You can also change to a different commercial agent at any time, or designate yourself — we'll send you the Texas change-of-agent form and instructions on how to file it.
Reservation takes three minutes. A formation specialist in Austin handles the rest.