Register your Texas LLC Online
Complete the form below in 2–3 minutes. Your LLC and EIN come at no extra cost — you only pay Texas’s own $310 state fee.
- Enter your desired LLC name
- Choose your state
- Receive your LLC and free EIN by email
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What is an LLC in Texas?
Before you file anything, Texas asks what kind of company you're forming. Most people choose an LLC because it keeps the business separate from your personal name and lets you add or remove owners later without starting over.
That separation goes further than the name. If the business owes money or gets sued, your house, car, and personal bank accounts are generally off-limits — as long as you run the LLC properly. It doesn't protect you from something you personally did wrong.
A sole proprietorship skips all of that — you're doing business under your own name or a DBA. That's fine if it'll only ever be you. The moment you want to bring on a partner, sell the business, or have it read as a real company instead of a side gig, that's the moment an LLC earns its keep.
A corporation does the same separation an LLC does, but it's built for a different job: issuing stock and bringing in outside investors. If that's not you right now, an LLC is simpler to run and cheaper to keep up. In Texas, both cost exactly the same $310 to file — the choice comes down to how you want to run it, not what it costs to start.
Benefits of an LLC in Texas
- Add partners or co-owners whenever you're ready
- Transfer ownership if you sell the business
- “Texas Company, LLC” shows you’re a real business
- Shows you’re registered (Texas Secretary of State)
- Get a matching domain like TexasCompanyLLC.com
- Simpler upkeep than forming a corporation
What's different about a Texas LLC
Texas doesn't approve filings instantly — every one gets reviewed by hand, and the state doesn't publish a guaranteed number of days for standard processing. If you need a real turnaround date, Texas sells one: $50 gets your filing reviewed ahead of the line in 2–3 business days, $500 gets next-day, $750 gets same-day.
Texas doesn't require you to publish a notice in a newspaper, unlike a handful of other states. And Texas charges the exact same $310 to form an LLC or a corporation — no premium for either one.
Cost to start an LLC in Texas
$310 to the Texas Secretary of State — that's it. We don't charge a filing fee on top of it. A Texas corporation runs $310 through the same process.
| What you get |  | Others |
|---|---|---|
| EIN (Tax ID) | Free | up to $99 |
| Registered agent | Freefirst year | up to $249per year |
| Name check | Free | usually free |
| Texas state filing feespaid to the state — same for everyone | $310 | $310 |
Free EIN with your Texas LLC
Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is what opens a business bank account and identifies your company to the IRS — it's like a Social Security Number for your LLC. It's included at no extra cost, right alongside your LLC.
LLC vs Corporation in Texas
An LLC is simpler to run and easier to keep up every year. A corporation (sometimes taxed as an S corp or a C corp) is built for a company that plans to issue stock or bring in investors — more paperwork, more formality, and a board structure most new businesses don't need yet. If that's not your situation, an LLC does the job. You can always change how it's taxed later without changing the company itself.
What is a Sole Proprietor in Texas?
A sole proprietorship is the default if you do nothing — there's no filing, no fee, and everything is tied to your own name. It works fine for testing an idea. The trade-off: you can't add a partner or a co-owner to it, and if you ever want to sell the business or bring someone else on, you'll need to become an LLC anyway. Most people who are serious about the business start with the LLC and skip the switch later.
File a DBA Under Your LLC
Texas calls a DBA an Assumed Name Certificate. It lets one LLC operate under more than one business name. Since 2019, an LLC or corporation files it with the same Secretary of State that formed it, not the county.
An Assumed Name Certificate isn't required if you're fine using your LLC's own name.
Example: Texas Company, LLC dba Texas Auto Brokers.
DBA vs LLC in Texas
A DBA only gives you another name to use. The LLC is the actual business entity that owns the DBA name and holds all legal rights.
Common Questions
Why start an LLC in Texas?
It separates the business from your own name, lets you add or remove owners as the business grows, and reads as a real, established company — to customers, banks, and anyone you do business with.
How long does it take to get a Texas LLC?
Filing takes a few minutes on this page. Texas doesn't guarantee a turnaround for standard processing — every filing is reviewed by hand. If you need a firm date, Texas's own paid rush options run 2–3 business days, next-day, or same-day.
Does Texas have a franchise tax on LLCs?
Yes, but most new small LLCs owe $0 — Texas only taxes revenue above a multi-million-dollar threshold. Even at $0 owed, every LLC must still file the report every year by May 15, or risk losing its right to do business in Texas.
Do I need an EIN for my Texas LLC?
Yes, for a business bank account and for the IRS to recognize your company. It's included free when you file here.
What's a registered agent, and do I need one?
A registered agent is the Texas street address the state sends legal mail to — your LLC can't act as its own agent. It's included free for your first year when you file here.
Do I need an operating agreement?
Texas doesn't require one to file, but a bank often asks for one to open your business account. You can add it when you file, or write your own later.
Still deciding on a name?
Try the free name generator — type a word you like, get real available options back, then come straight here to file.
Page updates (2)
- July 14, 2026 — Texas Express (the state's paid rush-filing option) fully rolled out: the old flat $25 expedite fee is gone, replaced by $50 (2–3 days), $500 (next-day), or $750 (same-day). Texas Secretary of State →
- September 15, 2025 — Texas stopped accepting fax filings for business formation documents. Texas Secretary of State →
Sources (5)
Every fact on this page was checked directly against Texas's own filing agency, tax agency, and formation guidance — verified September 20, 2026.
- SOS Form 806 — Business Filings Fee Schedule — the $300 LLC and corporation filing fee, expedite pricing
- Texas Express — the $50/$500/$750 expedited processing tiers
- Texas Comptroller — Franchise Tax — the annual report requirement, $2,650,000 no-tax-due threshold, May 15 deadline
- Formation of Texas Entities FAQs — confirms no newspaper publication requirement
- SOS Form 503 Instructions — the Assumed Name Certificate (DBA) filing, moved to the Secretary of State in 2019