Texas Registered Agent
When You Want More
A Texas registered agent is legally required for all business entities—including LLCs and corporations—registered with the Secretary of State. The registered agent can be an individual or company, but acts as the designated contact in Texas for service of process and official notices. Having a physical address in Texas is also a key requirement. If you hire Northwest as your registered agent, we immediately notify you and scan/upload all documents received at our office in Austin.
With our Texas registered agent service, get Privacy by Default®, business address, free mail forwarding, free Phone Service for 60 days, and local Corporate Guides®—only at Northwest.
Everything You Need To Know About Texas Registered Agents:

What Do Texas Registered Agents Do?
According to Texas’ Business Organizations Code Title 1 Sec. 5.201, a registered agent, at minimum, should do the following:
- Accept legal documents and official mail on behalf of your business in Texas and get them to you fast.
- Have a physical address (no P.O. boxes) in the state of Texas where they can accept legal documents (service of process) and official mail like tax notices. This location is called a registered office.
- Keep regular business hours.
In other words, your registered agent’s address acts as the official place where any service of process and official mail for your Texas LLC, Texas corporation or Texas nonprofit will be sent.
However, the right registered agent service can also do much more. At Northwest, we go above and beyond the minimum to ensure top speed, security, privacy and support.
How Do I Change My Texas Registered Agent?
There are two ways to change your registered agent in Texas.
- Hire us and we’ll complete the change of agent form for you for free.
- Do it yourself and file a Change of Registered Agent form with the Texas Secretary of State. There is a $15 fee to file this form.
What Makes Northwest Different From Other Services?
Northwest is the choice of professionals for registered agent service. But why? At Northwest, we do business the right way. We’re dedicated to getting you your docs fast, protecting your privacy and offering you support. Here’s how:
- Same-Day Scans, Instant Notifications: We accept and scan your docs at our local office the same day. We notify you instantly and reach out to you if your essential mail goes unread.
- Privacy by Default®: For every client and every service, we minimize the exposure of and access to your personal data. We never sell your data. We list our own business address on public docs to better keep your personal info safe. Our commitment to privacy puts our clients first.
- Free Limited Mail Forwarding: As your registered agent, we automatically accept and scan your state and legal mail. Sometimes, however, we receive personal or business mail from clients or companies trying to connect with your business. We’ll accept and scan these for you as well—up to 10 documents a year FREE. We’ll also scan additional mail at a per doc rate of $15.
- Unlimited Mail Forwarding: Expecting much more business mail? For $20 a month, we also offer unlimited Texas mail forwarding. Our unlimited option includes a Texas business address with a unique suite number—great for listing on your website, establishing a business presence, or giving a home or online business a more professional appearance. We even accept Amazon Verification Cards, but we can not be your Amazon return address since our offices aren’t equip to hold anything beyond regular sized mail.
- Corporate Guides®: Have questions? We have answers. Our guides are business experts whose sole job is to provide phone and email support for all your toughest business questions.
Texas Registered Agent FAQs
Why Do I Need A Texas Registered Agent?
- State law requires all legitimate, registered businesses to appoint one.
- The secretary of state will reject your business filing if you don’t appoint a registered agent.
- A registered agent requirement gives the public and the state a reliable way to contact your business.
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent In Texas?
Yes, you can be your own registered agent in Texas. However, after considering the registered agent requirements most business owners elect to hire a registered agent service instead. Why? Well although being your own registered agent will cost you $0, a Texas registered agent’s name and address becomes part of the public record. Additionally, the registered agent is required to be available to accept service of process during normal business hours 5 days a week.
Where Is Northwest’s Registered Office In Texas?
We accept and scan all of our Texas clients’ documents on-site at our registered office in Austin, TX.
Will You Let Me Know When My Texas Franchise Tax Is Due?
Yes! Each year, you have to file the Texas Franchise Tax with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. There are lots of penalties and fees if your Franchise Tax is past due, so you don’t want to forget to file! We always send reminders based on the May 15 Texas Franchise Tax due date. Our sophisticated business compliance reminder system does the work for you programmatically on the backend and provide you not only with a reminder, but the forms to file populated with your info on them. This is all included with our Texas registered agent service!
Can I Use Your Texas Registered Office Address For Everything On My State Business Filing?
Definitely! We’re the only national registered agent service that allows our clients to list our address for everything on a filing to help keep your address private.
Can I Have My Business’s Mail Delivered To Your Texas Office?
Yes! Just sign up for our unlimited Texas Mail Forwarding option ($20/month). You’ll get a unique suite number and a Texas business address you can use for mail, advertising and more. While you can use our address, we are not a return depot for online or Amazon sellers, though we’d love to accept your foosball tables.
Don’t need a unique suite number? Our Texas registered agent service comes with free limited mail forwarding. We’ll list our business address (no unique suite number) on your public docs to better protect your privacy. And, we’ll scan the occasional business mail we receive—up to 10 documents a year, for FREE. You can request any additional documents to be forwarded at a per document rate of $15.
Do I Hire A Registered Agent Before Or After I Start My Business In Texas?
You should hire us first and then form your LLC or corporation. The Texas Secretary of State will reject your business registration filing if you don’t already have a registered agent. You’ll instantly find all the forms and instructions you need to complete your filing after you place an order.
How Do Texas Registered Agents Receive Service Of Process?
Serving a registered agent is legal proof of notification. Whether you receive the documents your Texas registered agent signs for or not, once they accept the documents, you’ve legally been notified. This is a serious responsibility and we don’t take it lightly. Here’s how it works:
- A process server, the county sheriff, or any third party will walk into our office and hand us the documents (service of process), and then we sign for them.
- The process server then gives an affidavit (a receipt of service) to the court which states that they “served” us.
- If you’ve hired us, long before the server hands in their affidavit to the court, you’ve received your documents, because we scanned them to your online account within minute of having been served.
How Do I Search For A Texas Registered Agent?
- You can do a Texas business name search on the state’s website
- Type in the company name you are trying to look up.
- Look at the TX registered agent name and registered office street address.
If you want to legally notify someone through their Texas registered agent service, just send a certified letter directly to the registered agent name and registered office address.
How Do I Resign From Being A Registered Agent In Texas?
In Texas, to resign as a registered agent, you need to submit two copies of the Resignation of Registered Agent to the Texas Secretary of State, Corporations Division. For a more detailed walkthrough, you can refer to our guide on how to resign as a registered agent in Texas.
How To Order Texas Registered Agent Service:
You sign up online, clicking on one of the buttons or links that says “HIRE US.”
We collect the first year’s fee for registered agent service up front.
For new businesses, once your business registration filing with the Texas Secretary of State is complete, we’ll become your Texas registered agent.
About a year later, we’ll send an invoice for another year of Texas registered agent service. If you want to keep using us, great; if you don’t, you can easily cancel.
It’s easy to add registered agent services in other states if your business expands. We have offices in every state. We don’t farm out work (or your info) to other companies—wherever you are, WE are your registered agent.
We make your account a real go-to resource for you, not just for Texas registered agent service or paying a bill but for keeping up with Texas corporate paperwork formalities.
Information Your Texas Registered Agent Should Help You Understand:
- Domestic Texas corporations have one of the highest fees in the country of $300. So as far as Texas fees to run a business go, yes, it’s bigger in Texas.
- Domestic Texas LLCs require a registered agent in Texas and cost $300.
- Registering an out of state business entity in Texas will cost $775. Basically one of the highest fees in the US. The good news is that Texas has no personal income tax.
- Filings take about 3-5 days to get completed. You can fax file anything with a credit card, or you can file online. Your registered agent does not need to sign your filing. If you’re qualifying an out of state entity, you need a 90 day or less old certificate of good standing from your home state of incorporation. This does not have to be an original certificate.
At Northwest, we can also form your LLC or form your corporation in Texas for $100 plus state fees. As part of our commitment to Privacy by Default®, we put our business address on your filings to better protect your privacy. And you always have the support of our Corporate Guides®.