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Founder Primer

LLC paperwork, boiled down for founders.

Guide 2 · Texas

Texas Registered Agent Primer (2026): 6 Moves and the 3 Best Agents

Best picks for appointing a registered agent in Texas in 2026, in order: Texas Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and TX Registered Agent.org ($99 a year). Learn the rule, the eligibility test, the address test and the filing in 6 moves.
From the Founder Primer desk

Need to know

Mandatory?
Yes
Per sos.texas.gov, as of October 2026
Service prices
$99 to $149 a year
Company price pages
Recurring report
No fee
Per comptroller.texas.gov, as of October 2026
Moves
6
First to last

You will know

  • Why Texas wants an agent on file
  • The eligibility and address rules
  • How the agent gets on record
  • Who we would hire as agent

Texas: services we rank

Five published criteria set the order; read them on how we score.

First choice Year one $99, year two $99

1. Texas Registered Agent.ai: best for founders on a budget

First place goes to Texas Registered Agent.ai because a one-state plan: $99 a year, renewal $99.

It costs less than Mainstay Filing over three years, and three-year cost is 27% of the mark.

Inside the price
  • A Texas street address
  • Online copies of served documents
In its favor
  • A flat $99 per year
  • Less per year than Mainstay Filing
Against it
  • Texas only; other states need their own agent
  • Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report stays your job
Visit Texas Registered Agent.ai Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Any state Year one $149, year two $149

2. Mainstay Filing: best for a nationwide agent at one price

Mainstay Filing is a fair second choice: $149 a year, $149 when it renews, same plan in all fifty states.

Add up three years: $150 more than Texas Registered Agent.ai.

Inside the price
  • A Texas street address on file
  • Served papers scanned free, the same business day
  • Three government letters a year scanned at no charge
  • Also serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs
In its favor
  • Covers all fifty states
  • $149 yearly, no increase
Against it
  • $50 a year over Texas Registered Agent.ai
  • Reports need the formation package
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
In-state service Year one $99, year two $99

3. TX Registered Agent.org: best for another Texas option

TX Registered Agent.org takes third; a one-state plan: $99 a year, renewal $99.

Its prices match Texas Registered Agent.ai's, so either one works.

Inside the price
  • A Texas street address
  • Online copies of served documents
In its favor
  • A flat $99 per year
  • Less per year than Mainstay Filing
Against it
  • Texas only; other states need their own agent
  • Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report stays your job
Visit TX Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Marks and prices together

# Service Annual price Renewal price Three-year total
1 Texas Registered Agent.ai $99 $99/yr $297 Visit Texas Registered Agent.ai Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing $149 $149/yr $447 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 TX Registered Agent.org $99 $99/yr $297 Visit TX Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices come from each company's own site, read November 13, 2026. State fees do not change with the agent.

The moves

  1. Move 1

    Rule first

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

    Where this comes from: Per sos.texas.gov, as of October 2026

  2. Move 2

    Who counts as an agent

    A Texas resident, including an owner, officer or employee, or an organization registered or authorized in Texas with a business office at the registered office. The company cannot be its own agent, and the agent has to consent. Source in law: Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.201.

  3. Move 3

    Use an address that qualifies

    The address has to be a street address where papers can be handed to the agent during normal business hours. A mailbox service or answering service alone does not qualify.

    Hire a service and your home address stays out of public view.

  4. Move 4

    Decide who takes the role

    Our recommended agents charge $99 to $149 a year; serving yourself works for those who qualify.

  5. Move 5

    Record the appointment

    The Certificate of Formation (Form 205) carries the agent's name and address. the Texas Secretary of State also takes change filings from LLCs that swap agents.

    Where this comes from: Per sos.texas.gov, as of October 2026

  6. Move 6

    Keep the details accurate

    Texas sees your agent's details through the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report (no fee, every year, due May 15), and state notices about it go to the registered agent.

    Where this comes from: Per comptroller.texas.gov, as of October 2026

What you will pay

Item Paid to Price
A professional agent Your service $99 to $149 a year
Renewal Your service $99 to $149 a year
Repeating state report Paid to the state No fee

Filing plus the reports in years two and three plus any minimum tax: that is the state's three-year total. Sources are listed below.

How we ordered the Texas picks

Founder outlay over three years is 27% of the mark, and it is where moved ahead in Texas.

Three years with Texas Registered Agent.ai come to $297, $150 under Mainstay Filing.

Common questions

Is a registered agent a legal must in Texas?

Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Can I be my own registered agent?

Maybe. Moves 2 and 3 show whether you meet both rules.

Can I change my registered agent later?

Yes, any time. Move 5 shows how to file the change with the Texas Secretary of State.

What does a registered agent cost in Texas?

$99 to $149 per year for the agents listed.

What does the LLC pay the state each year?

Expect to file the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report with no charge.

Which registered agent would you choose?

Texas Registered Agent.ai, since $99 a year gets you a Texas agent with an office in the state. Then Mainstay Filing and TX Registered Agent.org.

Keep reading

Sources, so you can check us

  1. Backup for the Texas yearly filing: Annual report, official source section: comptroller.texas.gov, read October 2026.
  2. Backup for the Texas report due date section: statutes.capitol.texas.gov, read August 2026.
  3. Backup for the Tex section: sos.texas.gov, read August 2026.
  4. Backup for the Texas registered agent statute section: sos.texas.gov, read October 2026.
  5. The pricing page from Texas Registered Agent.ai, November 13, 2026
  6. The Texas service page from Mainstay Filing, November 13, 2026
  7. The pricing page from TX Registered Agent.org, November 13, 2026