Texas Secretary of State office — contact, fees, and licensing

The Texas Secretary of State's Business & Public Filings Division handles entity formations, amendments, registered agent designations, and certificates of existence. All filings can be submitted through SOSDirect (online), by mail, courier, or in person at the Austin office. The Texas Express same-day and next-day service is available only for in-person filings at 400 W. 15th St.

Office contact

Walk-in address	400 W. 15th Street, Austin, TX 78701 (lobby hours 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
Courier / express delivery	1019 Brazos Street, Austin, TX 78701
Mailing address	P.O. Box 13697, Austin, TX 78711
Phone	(512) 463-5555
Office hours	Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time
SOSDirect (search & filing)	direct.sos.state.tx.us
Franchise Tax (Comptroller)	comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/franchise

Entity formation and filing fees

Texas charges $300 for LLC and for-profit corporation formations, among the higher formation fees in the country. Nonprofit formations are $25. There is no SOS annual report — ongoing compliance runs through the Texas Comptroller's Franchise Tax system. A 2.7% credit card convenience fee applies to online payments through SOSDirect.

Filing	Fee
Domestic LLC — Certificate of Formation	$300
Domestic LLC — SOS Annual Report	None (franchise tax to Comptroller)
Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Certificate of Formation	$300
Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Certificate of Formation	$25
Nonprofit — Periodic Report (to SOS)	$5
Name Reservation (120 days)	$40
Certificate of Existence / Certificate of Fact — Status	$15
Long-form Certificate of Fact	$25
SOSDirect entity search (per search)	$1.00
Standard expedited processing (2–3 business days)	+$50/document
Texas Express — Next-Day (in-person Austin only)	+$500/document
Texas Express — Same-Day (in-person Austin only)	+$750/document

Key Texas state licensing agencies

Agency	What it covers	Website
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts	Franchise Tax, sales and use tax, PIR/OIR annual filings, Texas tax permits	comptroller.texas.gov
Texas Workforce Commission	Unemployment insurance registration, employer accounts, payroll tax reporting	twc.texas.gov
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)	Contractor licensing, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, cosmetology, and 30+ other license types	tdlr.texas.gov

This guide is informational only and is not affiliated with the Texas Secretary of State's office or any state agency listed above. Contact information and fees verified against official Texas Secretary of State sources, May 2026. Annual compliance (Franchise Tax, PIR/OIR) is handled by the Texas Comptroller — not the SOS.