Texas Registered Agent Requirements for Your LLC
Every Texas LLC must have a registered agent with a physical street address in the state. Learn who qualifies, what the address rules are, and how to appoint or change your agent.
Bizee Editorial Staff
Editorial Team
Texas LLC at a glance
Filing fee: $300 (online) / $300 (by mail)
Processing time: 3–5 business days (online); 5–7 business days (by mail)
State agency: Texas Secretary of State
Annual report due: No annual report required; franchise tax report due May 15 each year
State tax rate: No state income tax; franchise tax applies to most entities
Texas registered agent requirements
Every LLC formed or registered to do business in Texas must maintain a registered agent at all times. The agent must have a physical street address in Texas — not a P.O. Box — and be available during normal business hours to receive legal documents and official correspondence on behalf of your business.
This requirement applies to both domestic LLCs formed in Texas and foreign LLCs registered to do business here. There's no grace period — your LLC needs a registered agent from the moment it's formed, and it can't go without one at any point while it's active.
Most business owners don't think much about their registered agent until they need one — and by then, getting it wrong can mean missed legal notices or a lapse in good standing with the state.
Who can serve as a registered agent in Texas
A Texas registered agent can be an individual or a business entity. Each option has its own eligibility rules, and knowing which applies to your situation makes the appointment process straightforward.
Individual registered agents
An individual serving as a registered agent in Texas must be at least 18 years old and a resident of Texas. Non-residents can't serve as a registered agent unless they maintain a business office in the state.
You can serve as your own registered agent if you meet these requirements. That said, your name and address become part of the public record, and you need to be physically present at that address during business hours — which isn't always practical.
Business entity registered agents
A business entity — such as a corporation, LLC, limited partnership, or limited liability partnership — can serve as a registered agent in Texas, provided it's authorized to transact business in the state. The entity must maintain a physical office address in Texas.
Professional registered agent services fall into this category. They maintain a permanent Texas address, handle service of process, and forward documents to you — so you don't have to be tied to a specific location during business hours.
Address rules for a Texas registered agent
The registered agent's address must be a physical street address in Texas. A P.O. Box doesn't meet the requirement, and neither does a mailbox service or virtual office address that isn't a genuine physical location.
The address is where the state and opposing parties in a lawsuit will send legal documents — things like service of process, tax notices, and official correspondence. The agent must be reachable at that address during normal business hours. If they're not there when documents arrive, your LLC could miss a legal deadline without knowing it.
This is one of the practical reasons many business owners use a professional registered agent service rather than listing their home or office address. It keeps personal information off the public record and ensures someone is always available to receive documents.
How to appoint or change your registered agent
You appoint your registered agent when you file your Certificate of Formation (Form 205) with the Texas Secretary of State. The agent's name and address go directly on that form — there's no separate appointment filing.
If you need to change your registered agent after formation, you file a Statement of Change of Registered Agent or Registered Office with the Texas Secretary of State. Your LLC can't have a gap in registered agent coverage — the new agent needs to be in place before the old one steps down.
- Appoint your registered agent on Form 205 at the time of LLC formation
- To change agents after formation, file a Statement of Change of Registered Agent or Registered Office with the Texas Secretary of State
- Your LLC must have a registered agent at all times — no gap in coverage is allowed
- The registered agent must consent to the appointment before being named
How to search for a registered agent in Texas
If you need to find the registered agent for another Texas LLC — to serve legal documents or check a business's standing — you can look it up through the Texas Secretary of State's business entity search at sos.state.tx.us. The registered agent's name and address are part of the public record for every active entity in the state.
FAQ
Yes. Every LLC formed or registered to do business in Texas must have a registered agent at all times. This is a requirement under the Texas Business Organizations Code, and it applies from the moment your LLC is formed. There's no exception for small businesses or single-member LLCs.
Yes, but there are trade-offs worth knowing. You must be at least 18, a Texas resident, and available at a physical Texas address during normal business hours. Your name and address also become part of the public record. Many business owners prefer a professional registered agent service to keep personal information private and ensure someone is always available to receive documents.
The registered agent must use a physical street address in Texas. P.O. Boxes, mailbox services, and virtual office addresses that aren't genuine physical locations don't meet the requirement. The agent must be reachable at that address during normal business hours to receive service of process and official state correspondence.
If your LLC loses its registered agent and doesn't replace one, the state can administratively terminate your LLC. Beyond that, if legal documents are sent to an agent who's no longer in place, your business could miss a lawsuit deadline without knowing it — and that can mean a default judgment against you. Keeping a registered agent in place at all times protects your LLC's standing.
File a Statement of Change of Registered Agent or Registered Office with the Texas Secretary of State. You can do this online through the SOS business portal or by mail. The change takes effect once the state processes the filing. Your LLC must have a registered agent in place at all times, so make sure the new agent is confirmed before the old one steps down.
Yes. When you form your LLC through Bizee, your first year of registered agent service is included at no extra cost. After the first year, registered agent service is $119 per year. That covers a permanent Texas address, document handling, and forwarding — so you don't have to list your personal address on public state records.
