In Texas, LLCs, corporations, and other business entities require a registered agent. State requirements require registered agents to:
- Individuals residing in Texas
- Corporations licensed to do business in Texas
- Another company is also licensed to do business in Texas.
If you do not have an office in Texas but want to establish a business in Texas, you will need to find a Texas registered agent. In some cases, an attorney or certified public accountant (CPA) may serve as the registered agent, but many people choose to hire professional registered agent services. Because that's all there is to it, with additional benefits.
service price
Enrolled Agent services typically charge a flat fee that covers one year of service. Some registered agent services offer discounts if you prepay for multiple years. Additional charges such as email forwarding and document scanning may apply.
When looking for registered agent services in Texas, pay attention to the price of the service and the additional features and benefits that come with it. Is it all-inclusive? Will the price increase after the initial period or will it renew at the same cost?
reputation
The State of Texas does not endorse any particular registered agent service, so it is up to you to do your due diligence on registered agents. When looking for registered agent services, pay attention to online reviews and whether the company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You want to work with a reputable company that handles your documents and communications with care.
Features and benefits
In addition to meeting Texas requirements, registered agent services must provide additional features and benefits that make doing business easier. Here's what to look for:
- Access your online account: With quality registered agent services, you'll have 24/7 access to your account, so you can view and download your documents whenever you need them.
- Scan and transfer: Many enrolled agent services will scan and forward documents within one business day. This is a huge time saver, especially if you are out of state.
- Forming an online LLC: Some registered agent services can help you form an LLC online. This is a convenient way to do everything in one place.
Who can be a registered agent in Texas?
Assume that you are an individual resident of Texas or an organization registered to do business in Texas with a place of business at the same address as the corporation's registered office. In that case, you may agree to become our registered agent. A business entity cannot be its own registered agent, but an officer, owner, or employee can be a registered agent on its behalf.
Companies may contract with another company to provide registered agent services such as those described in this article. An entity's registered agent cannot be the Secretary of State or any other government agency.
texas registered agent cost
Among the many fees that businesses must pay to do business in Texas, the $300 fee for domestic businesses is one of the highest in the nation. If you're from out of state, that amount jumps to $750.
In addition to that, you will need a registered agent. Here's an idea of how much you might pay to hire registered agent services.
- Northwest Registered Agent: $125/year
- ZenBusiness: $199/year
- BetterLegal: $10/month or $90/year
Types of registered agent services
Not all Enrolled Agent services are created equal. Some offer only the bare minimum, while others come with a long list of features and benefits. More expensive Texas registered agent services often offer premium services such as online LLC formation, document scanning and forwarding, and registered agent address services.
Standard benefits typically include:
- Physical address in Texas where legal documents can be sent
- Scan and forward documents
- 24/7 online access to your account
- Discounts for prepaying for multiple years
Add-ons can include:
- Forming an LLC online
- Registered agent in all 50 states
- Scan and transfer unlimited documents
- Email forwarding
- business filing service
Registered office located in Texas
A registered office is a physical address where an entity's processing agent can receive legal documents during business hours. The registered office must be in Texas and is where the state mails communications. The registered office is the business address of the registered agent. The only case where this is not the case is if the registered office is a commercial mail or message service post office box, and in that scenario the same commercial company would also need to act as the registered agent.
Texas Enrolled Agent Consent Requirements
Texas requires the registered agent to consent to the appointment. To do this, you must complete Form 401-A, which you must keep on file. If you prefer, you can pay a $15 filing fee and send it to your state, but this is not required. On this form, the agent enters his or her name, signature, date, and the name of the company that agrees to be the registered agent. Similarly, if you do not agree, you may refuse the appointment by filling out Form 428.