Yes, but must be 18+ years old and have a physical Texas address
Can a company serve?
Yes, any business entity authorized to do business in Texas
Can you be your own agent?
Yes, if the owner meets residency and age requirements
Best Registered Agent Services for Texas LLCs (2026)
Affiliate disclosure: Northwest Registered Agent, Bizee, ZenBusiness and LegalZoom pay us a commission if you sign up through our link, at no extra cost to you. We list only the registered agent services we have an affiliate relationship with, so this is not a survey of the whole market.
This table is not scored. The four are listed cheapest annual renewal first, and the rows below it say which one fits which situation. The scored ranking, and the formula behind it, is on the formation services review, which orders them on three-year cost, BBB rating and Trustpilot score.
Note: Bizee holds a C rating from the BBB and is not accredited. BBB's profile carries a live alert describing a pattern of complaints about unexpected charges, difficulty canceling and filing delays, and Bizee has posted a response to it. We flag this so you can make an informed choice.
Prices are each provider's standard published rates; year-one pricing applies when you form your LLC through the same service. BBB and Trustpilot figures as recorded September 15, 2026, not re-checked since, and both sources update continuously. These are the dates the figures were last written to our dataset, which is the most we can show: they are not verification dates. See how we evaluate these companies in our full formation services review →
Which Registered Agent Is Best for Your Texas LLC?
You're forming a new LLC and want the agent bundled
Our pick: ZenBusiness
Registered agent is free for year one with their $0 starter formation plan, backed by an A from the BBB and a 4.8/5 Trustpilot score.
Your LLC already exists and you just need an agent
Our pick: Northwest Registered Agent
A flat $125/yr for registered agent service, the lowest renewal of the services listed here, and a privacy policy that says it does not sell your information. Registered agent customers are enrolled by default in annual report filing at $100 plus state fees, which you can cancel.
You want year one free and the cheaper renewal after it
Our pick: Bizee
Registered agent is free for year one on every Bizee plan and renews at $149/yr, $50/yr less than ZenBusiness, the other service listed here that includes year one free. Northwest renews lower still at $125/yr, but its first year comes inside a paid $39 formation package rather than free. Tradeoff: a C rating from the BBB, which cites a pattern of complaints about charges and cancellation, so read every auto-renewal term.
Complex legal needs alongside your filing
Our pick: LegalZoom
The only one of the services listed here with licensed attorney consultations, and the most expensive registered agent listed here at $249/yr, which is never included in their plans.
Ready to file your annual report?
Go directly to the Texas Secretary of State portal.
Best for: Home-based businesses where privacy isn't a concern and you're consistently available
Friend or family member
Pros
Usually free or low cost
Someone you trust
Keeps your personal address private
Cons
Relies on their availability and reliability
May strain personal relationships
They become responsible for your legal documents
Best for: Small businesses with trusted contacts who understand the responsibility
Professional service
Pros
Maximum privacy protection
Guaranteed availability and reliability
Professional handling of legal documents
Mail forwarding services
Cons
Annual fee typically $100-300
Less direct control
Need to maintain relationship with service provider
Best for: Any business prioritizing privacy, reliability, and professional document handling
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It reports what each state publishes about filing deadlines, fees, and the consequences of missing them, with the sources this page cites. It cannot tell you what your own company owes: the date turns on when and where you formed, states change these rules between our reviews, and in several states an entity-level tax falls due in a year when no report does. Confirm your own dates with the filing office named on this page before you rely on one here, because the penalty for missing a deadline can be administrative dissolution of the company.
Frequently Asked Questions
A registered agent in Texas is a person or business entity designated to receive official documents, legal notices, and government correspondence on behalf of your LLC. Under Texas Business Organizations Code § 5.201, every LLC must appoint and maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in Texas, not a P.O. box. Who is available during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. central time. Your registered agent receives service of process, tax documents from the Texas Secretary of State, lawsuit notices, and compliance correspondence. This role is critical because failing to maintain a registered agent can result in administrative dissolution of your LLC by the Texas Secretary of State. You can serve as your own registered agent if you maintain a Texas office, or hire a professional registered agent service, which typically costs $100 to $300 annually. Your choice directly impacts how quickly you respond to legal matters and regulatory deadlines. Start by confirming your current agent's contact information on your Certificate of Formation with the Texas Secretary of State.
Operating without a registered agent exposes your Texas LLC to immediate legal jeopardy and potential loss of liability protection. The Texas Secretary of State's office will administratively dissolve your LLC if you fail to maintain a registered agent, as required under Texas Business Organizations Code § 5.201. This means your LLC loses its legal status, and you become personally liable for business debts and obligations. Additionally, you'll miss critical documents like lawsuits, regulatory notices, and tax correspondence, often without realizing it until damage is irreversible. The state charges a $300 reinstatement fee (Form 401-R) to restore your LLC after dissolution, plus potential back fees and penalties. Your business operations halt during this process, affecting contracts, bank accounts, and credibility with partners. To protect your LLC immediately, designate either a Texas resident, a licensed attorney, or a professional registered agent service with a physical office address in Texas. File Form 4.001 with your designation through the Texas Secretary of State's online filing system to document compliance.
In Texas, registered agent costs depend entirely on your approach. Serving as your own registered agent through the Texas Secretary of State costs nothing, but your business address becomes part of the public record accessible to anyone. Professional registered agent services in Texas typically charge $100 to $300 annually, with established providers like Northwest, LegalZoom, and Registered Agent Inc. operating at the lower and upper ranges respectively. This fee covers a private business address, document receipt and forwarding to you, and compliance monitoring for deadline notices from the Texas Secretary of State. The practical benefit is significant: using a professional agent keeps your personal address confidential, shields you from unsolicited solicitations, and ensures you never miss critical state filings or legal documents due to missed mail. Before selecting a provider, verify they maintain a physical Texas address and offer same-day document scanning, as Texas requires agents to be available during business hours. Compare your top three choices' renewal terms and included services, then register your agent choice on your Certificate of Formation or file a separate Statement of Change with the Texas Secretary of State.
Yes, using a professional registered agent in Texas significantly protects your privacy by keeping your personal home address off public records. When you file your Certificate of Formation with the Texas Secretary of State, your registered agent's business address, not your residential address, appears on all public filings accessible through the Texas Business Entity Search database. This separation means your home address won't be visible to competitors, creditors, or the general public searching corporate records.
However, understand this protection has practical limits: the Texas Secretary of State still maintains your personal information in non-public files, and you must disclose your actual address on your initial Certificate of Formation (Form 205) submitted to the state, though this document isn't publicly searchable. Professional registered agent services in Texas typically cost $75 to $300 annually and provide this privacy benefit while ensuring you receive critical legal documents and compliance notices on time.
Your next step: select a registered agent before filing. You can't add one retroactively without amending your formation documents through the Secretary of State, which requires additional fees and processing time.
Yes, you can change your registered agent in Texas at any time without dissolving your LLC. To do this, file Form 404. Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Registered Office, with the Texas Secretary of State. The filing fee is $0 (no fee required), though you'll need to pay $1 if filing online through the Secretary of State's website. Submit the form to the Texas Secretary of State, Business Filings Section, P.O. Box 13697, Austin, TX 78711-3697, or electronically via their online portal at sos.texas.gov. The change becomes effective immediately upon acceptance by the state, which typically occurs within 1 to 2 business days. This is essential because your registered agent receives legal documents and compliance notices on your behalf; delays in changing this information could cause you to miss critical deadlines or legal service. If your current agent is unresponsive or unreliable, prioritize this change immediately. Visit the Texas Secretary of State website and download Form 404 today to initiate your registered agent change.
Sources
Each entry below is a document recorded in our verified Texas sources, and each entry says what the document is. Some statutory text is read from an accurate mirror rather than from the state's own host, and those say so.
See how Northwest Registered Agent, Bizee, ZenBusiness and LegalZoom, the formation services we partner with, compare on 3-year cost, BBB rating and Trustpilot score before you choose.
Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.
