How to search Texas business entities online
Updated August 2026
Quick Answer
Texas has no free business entity lookup — searches run through SOSDirect at direct.sos.state.tx.us, which requires a free account pre-funded with money, since every search costs $1 (waived if you place an order). Search by entity name, filing number, FEIN, or registered agent name. Creating a SOSDirect account itself is free — it's specifically loading funds into it and running searches that cost money, not the signup step.
- Create a free SOSDirect account at direct.sos.state.tx.us and add funds.
- Search by entity name, filing number, FEIN, or registered agent name ($1 per search).
- Review the result for the entity's status and filed documents.
Texas entity search is not free
Unlike most states, Texas has no free public business entity lookup. Every SOSDirect search costs $1.00 (waived if you place an order or filing on the results) and requires a pre-funded account — you must create a free account and load it with funds before you can run a single search.
What the search covers
SOSDirect covers all entity types filed with the Texas Secretary of State: domestic and foreign LLCs, for-profit corporations, nonprofit corporations, limited partnerships, registered LLPs, financial institutions, and unincorporated nonprofit associations. Assumed names filed by corporations and LLCs with the SOS are searchable here too; DBAs filed by individuals and general partnerships at the county clerk level are not in this system.
Search options
SOSDirect offers more search modes than most state portals:
- Find-Entity — by current or historical registered entity name
- Find-Supplemental — searches assumed names, trademarks, and associated entity names
- Find-Global — combines Find-Entity and Find-Supplemental results
- Find-Assumed Name — for DBA registrations filed with the SOS
- Filing Number — the 10-digit Texas SOS document identifier
- Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
- Texas Taxpayer ID (TID)
- Document Number — for retrieving a specific filed document
- Find-People — search entities by managing person or designated agent name
- Find-Registered Agent — by agent name, including a 60-day registered-agent-activity lookup
- Name Availability — checks whether a proposed name is available for registration
No SOS annual report — the Comptroller handles it
Texas does not require LLCs or corporations to file annual reports with the Secretary of State. Ongoing compliance runs through the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, which administers the Franchise Tax. Entities must file a Franchise Tax Report and a Public Information Report (PIR) or Ownership Information Report (OIR) annually by May 15, regardless of revenue. The no-tax-due threshold for the 2026–2027 report years is $2.65 million in annualized total revenue; entities at or below the threshold owe no tax and, since the 2024 report year, are no longer required to file a separate No Tax Due Report — only the PIR or OIR.
Fax filing eliminated September 2025
As of September 15, 2025, the Texas SOS no longer accepts filings by fax, per Senate Bill 2411. Submissions must go through SOSDirect (online), SOSUpload, by mail, courier, or in person at the Austin office.
Why 'Forfeited' status actually comes from the Comptroller, not the SOS
Texas splits entity compliance across two agencies, and its Forfeited status reflects that split directly — the Secretary of State doesn't independently decide to forfeit an entity, it acts on notice from the Texas Comptroller that franchise tax wasn't paid. That's the actual mechanism behind SOS-side forfeiture, not a separate SOS compliance check.
Reinstating from tax forfeiture has no deadline at all — Texas allows it any time, as does voluntary termination since Senate Bill 1514 eliminated the old 3-year reinstatement window in 2023. The one case with real time pressure is involuntary termination for something other than tax: filing within 36 months keeps the entity's existence continuous, while a later filing still works but leaves a gap in its legal history. Reinstating from tax forfeiture specifically requires filing the missing franchise tax reports, paying everything owed, and submitting a reinstatement application on SOSDirect along with a Comptroller tax clearance letter (Form 05-377).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Texas business entity search free?
No. Texas has no free public entity lookup — every SOSDirect search costs $1.00 (waived if you place an order or filing on the results), and you need a pre-funded SOSDirect account just to search.
Does Texas require an annual report with the Secretary of State?
No. Texas doesn't require LLCs or corporations to file annual reports with the SOS. Instead, the Texas Comptroller requires a Franchise Tax Report and a Public Information or Ownership Information Report each year by May 15.
Can I fax business filings to the Texas Secretary of State?
No, not since September 15, 2025. Fax filing was eliminated under Senate Bill 2411; filings must now go through SOSDirect, SOSUpload, mail, courier, or in person in Austin.
Does the Texas Secretary of State decide independently to forfeit a business?
No — the SOS forfeits an entity specifically because the Texas Comptroller reported the franchise tax wasn't paid. The Forfeited status reflects that notice, not a separate SOS compliance decision.
Is there a deadline to reinstate a tax-forfeited Texas business?
No — tax forfeiture can be reinstated at any time. The same is true for voluntary termination since 2023. The only time pressure is on involuntary termination for a non-tax reason, where reinstating within 36 months keeps the entity's existence continuous rather than leaving a gap.