Operate in Texas. Keep your home-state LLC.
Register your existing entity to do business in Texas. We review your filing requirements and confirm the scope, fees, and estimated timing before you proceed.
- Keep your EIN, bank, and contracts. Nothing about your home-state entity changes.
- Avoid penalties for operating in Texas without registration.
- Confirm your scope upfront. Review selected services, state fees, and recurring costs in your quote.
A passport for your business — not a new entity.
Formed in California, Delaware, New York — anywhere outside Texas? To legally operate, hire, lease, or sell here, Texas requires you to register as a "foreign entity." ("Foreign" = out-of-state, not immigration.)
Once filed: same entity, same EIN, same bank, same investor docs, same contracts. You're granted permission to operate in Texas and start paying Texas franchise tax (in addition to or instead of your home state).
Leasing space, employing Texas workers, holding inventory, signing contracts, or actively soliciting Texas customers. Any of these? You need to qualify.
If any of these are true, you need to qualify.
Operating without a required registration can lead to penalties and other restrictions. Review your obligations before starting business in Texas.
Start your Foreign Qualification
Filing assistance with timing confirmed after review.
Two paths. One simple rule.
Keep your home state? Qualify. Want Texas as your home state? Domesticate.
Foreign Qualification
Keep your home-state entity. Register Texas as a second jurisdiction.
- Best when you want to keep your home-state filings
- Best for funded startups (cap-table stays clean)
- Two state franchise/income taxes (Texas has no income tax, only franchise)
- Two annual reports to file
- Same EIN, same bank, same contracts
Texas Domestication
Move your entity to Texas entirely. Texas becomes your home state.
- Best when you're fully relocating the business
- Review any remaining obligations in your former state
- Texas becomes your formation state
- Cap-table preserved, but more paperwork up front
- Same EIN, same bank, but new state charter
Four steps. A clear registration plan.
Order & intake
Entity name, state of formation, Texas plans. Signed intake in 10 minutes.
Certificate of Existence
Certified Certificate of Existence ordered from your home state. Must be dated within 90 days.
SOS filing
Form 304 (LLC) or 301 (Corp) filed with Texas SOS. State processing times vary.
Comptroller & agent
Comptroller WebFile setup, sales tax permit if needed, registered agent activated. Done.
Five documents, one clean handoff.
- Stamped Application for Registration (Form 304/301)
- Texas SOS file number & Certificate of Authority
- Certified Certificate of Existence (home state)
- Texas Comptroller WebFile account activated
- Sales tax permit (if applicable)
- Texas registered agent service (1 year)
- Franchise tax calendar & first-year reminders
- Compliance handbook (PDF, 28 pages)
All-in, itemized.
State fees vary by entity type. We confirm applicable charges before filing. Expedited state review may be available for an additional fee; approval dates are not guaranteed.
Foreign qualification, answered.
Have a question not listed here? Talk to a concierge.
Email support →No. Home-state LLC stays as-is — same EIN, operating agreement, bank. You're granted permission to do business in Texas. Two annual filings (one per state), nothing else changes.
Qualification = keep home state, add Texas. Domestication = move entity to Texas, leave home state. Qualification is faster and reversible; domestication is cleaner long-term if you've fully relocated.
Timing depends on document readiness, your home state, and Texas review. We confirm an estimated schedule after reviewing your entity. Expedited state review may be available for an additional fee; approval is not guaranteed.
Yes — required by law for every foreign entity. First year included in your $219 package, then $99/year.
Texas has no personal state income tax, but businesses may owe franchise tax. For 2026 and 2027 reports, the no-tax-due threshold is $2.65 million in annualized total revenue. Eligible entities at or below the threshold do not file a No Tax Due Report, but generally must still file a Public Information Report or Ownership Information Report by May 15. Other taxes and filing duties may apply.
Not in trouble — but fix it. Unregistered operation exposes you to back-taxes, late fees ($250+/year), and potential bar from Texas courts. We help prepare the filings needed to bring your entity into compliance. For penalty abatement, consult a licensed attorney or CPA.
Yes — Form 304/301 is public. Most hire us because (a) you need a registered agent anyway, (b) the Certificate of Existence expires in 90 days and is easy to botch, (c) Comptroller + sales tax setup is its own rabbit hole.
"Houston is an attractive market to recruit and retain future diverse talent."
Hewlett Packard Enterprise moved its global headquarters from San Jose to Spring, TX — citing access to diverse talent, lower costs, and a state-of-the-art campus environment. Many Fortune 500 companies start by qualifying in Texas before making a full move.
