What Is the Cost of a Registered Agent in Texas?
The total cost of a registered agent in Texas falls into two distinct and separate categories: state filing fees paid to the Texas Secretary of State, and commercial service fees paid to a private registered agent provider. Understanding the difference between these two cost types is essential for accurately budgeting the ongoing cost of maintaining a Texas business entity.
State filing fees are fixed, set by the Texas Secretary of State fee schedule (Form 806), and are paid only when a filing is submitted, such as at formation or when changing a registered agent. There is no annual state fee imposed solely for maintaining a registered agent in Texas. The registered agent designation itself carries no recurring fee payable to the state.
Commercial service fees are the annual fees charged by professional registered agent companies in exchange for serving as the entity’s registered agent. These fees are set privately and vary by provider. Most commercial registered agent services in Texas charge between $50 and $300 per year. An entity that designates an individual Texas resident—such as an owner, officer, or employee—as its registered agent pays no commercial service fee.
Texas law imposes no requirement to use a commercial registered agent service. The obligation under BOC §5.201 is only that the entity continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical Texas street address, available during normal business hours, who has consented to serve.
Texas State Filing Fees for Registered Agent Appointments
The registered agent designation is made as part of the entity’s certificate of formation or application for registration. There is no separate state filing fee assessed solely for designating a registered agent at the time of formation. The registered agent information is included within the same formation document, and the total filing fee for that document covers the entire filing.
State filing fees by entity type at formation:
| Entity Type | Form | Total Formation Filing Fee (includes registered agent designation) |
| For-Profit Corporation | Form 201 | $300 |
| Professional Corporation | Form 203 | $300 |
| Limited Liability Company (LLC) | Form 205 | $300 |
| Professional LLC (PLLC) | Form 206 | $300 |
| Nonprofit Corporation | Form 202 | $25 |
| Limited Partnership (LP) | Form 207 | $750 |
| Professional Association | Form 204 | $750 |
| Foreign For-Profit Corporation | Form 301 | $750 |
| Foreign Nonprofit Corporation | Form 302 | $25 |
| Foreign LLC | Form 304 | $750 |
All state filing fees are payable to the Texas Secretary of State. A 2.7% convenience fee applies to credit card payments made through SOSDirect. Payments may also be made by check, money order, or cash.
State Filing Fee to Change a Registered Agent (Form 401)
When an entity changes its registered agent or registered office address after formation, it must file Form 401 – Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Registered Office with the Texas Secretary of State.
State filing fees for registered agent actions:
| Action | Form | Filing Fee |
| Change of registered agent and/or registered office (for-profit entity) | Form 401 | $15 |
| Change of registered agent and/or registered office (nonprofit or cooperative association) | Form 401 | $5 |
| Consent of registered agent to appointment (for-profit entity) – if filed as a standalone | Form 401-A | $15 |
| Consent of registered agent to appointment (nonprofit or cooperative association) – if filed as a standalone | Form 401-A | $5 |
| Change of registered office address by registered agent (same agent, new address) | Form 408 | $15 per entity |
| Resignation of registered agent | Form 402 | $0 |
| Rejection of appointment as registered agent | Form 428 | $0 |
A 2.7% convenience fee applies when paying state filing fees by credit card. The complete fee schedule is published in Form 806 (PDF).
What Is Included in a Registered Agent Service Fee?
The annual registered agent service fee paid to a commercial provider typically covers the following core services, though specific inclusions vary by provider and pricing tier:
Core services (generally included at all price levels):
- A Texas physical street address to serve as the entity’s registered office on file with the Texas Secretary of State.
- Receipt of service of process, legal notices, tax correspondence, and other official state communications during normal business hours.
- Same-day or next-day scanning and uploading of received documents to an online account.
- Email notification alerts when a document is received on behalf of the entity.
- Secure online account or dashboard for viewing and retrieving received documents.
Additional services (included by some providers or at higher tiers):
- Compliance reminders for Texas franchise tax report deadlines, periodic report due dates, and other filing requirements.
- Use of the registered agent’s address on formation documents to keep the owner’s personal or business address off the public record (privacy protection).
- Mail forwarding for general business correspondence beyond legal and government documents.
- Multiple mail scans per year for non-legal mail (Northwest Registered Agent includes five mail scans per year; some budget providers include three).
- Multi-state compliance dashboard for entities registered in more than one state.
- Document storage and retrieval.
What is NOT included in a standard registered agent service fee:
- Texas Secretary of State filing fees (Form 401, formation fees, etc.) — these are paid separately to the state.
- Preparation or filing of franchise tax reports or periodic reports.
- Legal advice or representation.
- Expedited processing of state filings.
Registered Agent Cost When Forming a New Texas Business
When forming a new Texas business entity, the registered agent is designated within the certificate of formation. There is no separate state line-item fee for the registered agent at formation; the designation is part of the same document submitted with the formation filing fee.
Total state cost at formation by entity type (registered agent designation included):
| Entity Type | State Formation Fee | Commercial Registered Agent (Year 1) | Estimated Total Year 1 Cost |
| LLC | $300 | $0–$300 | $300–$600 |
| For-Profit Corporation | $300 | $0–$300 | $300–$600 |
| Professional LLC or Corporation | $300 | $0–$300 | $300–$600 |
| Nonprofit Corporation | $25 | $0–$300 | $25–$325 |
| Limited Partnership | $750 | $0–$300 | $750–$1,050 |
| Foreign LLC | $750 | $0–$300 | $750–$1,050 |
| Foreign For-Profit Corporation | $750 | $0–$300 | $750–$1,050 |
Many commercial registered agent services offer the first year of service as part of a formation package. When comparing formation service pricing, confirm whether the quoted price includes:
- The Texas Secretary of State filing fee (the state’s mandatory fee).
- The registered agent service fee for year one.
- The renewal price for registered agent service in subsequent years.
Some providers advertise low introductory formation fees but charge significantly higher renewal rates for the registered agent service beginning in year two.
Cost of Serving as Your Own Registered Agent in Texas
Under BOC §5.201, an individual Texas resident who meets the eligibility requirements may serve as the registered agent for a Texas entity. An owner, officer, director, or employee of the entity may serve in this role if they are a Texas resident with a physical Texas street address. The entity itself, however, cannot serve as its own registered agent.
Cost of self-designation:
- Commercial service fee: $0 — no annual fee is paid to a third-party provider.
- State filing fee at formation: Included in the standard certificate of formation fee ($300 for most entities, $25 for nonprofits). No additional state fee is charged for designating an individual as a registered agent.
- State filing fee to update address: If the registered agent’s address changes, Form 401 must be filed with the Secretary of State at a cost of $15 ($5 for nonprofits).
Tradeoffs of self-designation:
| Factor | Self as Registered Agent | Commercial Service |
| Annual cost | $0 | $50–$300/year |
| Privacy | Personal/business address is on the public record | The agent’s address appears on the public record instead |
| Business hours availability | Must be physically present at the registered address during all normal business hours | Service handles availability; no disruption during travel or relocation |
| Service of process delivery | Delivered directly to the owner, potentially in front of clients or employees | Delivered privately to the agent’s office; owner notified by scan/email |
| Address updates | Must file Form 401 ($15) each time address changes | Agent updates its own address via Form 408; no action required from the entity in most cases |
| Compliance monitoring | The owner must independently track all deadlines | Some services provide compliance alerts and reminders |
| Eligibility requirement | Must be a Texas resident | No residency requirement for owner |
The Texas Secretary of State’s registered agent FAQs confirms that an entity’s officer, director, or employee may serve as registered agent in their individual capacity, provided all eligibility and address requirements are met.
Frequently Asked Questions About Registered Agent Costs in Texas
Is there a fee to designate a registered agent when forming a Texas LLC or corporation?
There is no separate state filing fee solely for designating a registered agent at the time of formation. The registered agent designation is made in Article 2 of the certificate of formation, and the cost is included within the standard formation filing fee: $300 for a Texas LLC (Form 205) or for-profit corporation (Form 201), $25 for a nonprofit corporation (Form 202), and $750 for a limited partnership (Form 207). See the Texas Secretary of State fee schedule for a complete listing.
How much does it cost to change a registered agent in Texas?
The state filing fee to change a registered agent in Texas is $15 for most entities, filed using Form 401. The fee is $5 for nonprofit corporations and cooperative associations. A 2.7% convenience fee applies to credit card payments. Form 401 may be filed online through SOSDirect, by mail to P.O. Box 13697, Austin, TX 78711-3697, or in person at the James Earl Rudder Office Building, 1019 Brazos, Austin, TX 78701. Instructions.
Can I designate myself as a registered agent to avoid the annual service fee?
Yes, provided you meet the eligibility requirements under BOC §5.201. You must be an individual resident of Texas, have a physical Texas street address (not a P.O. Box) where you are available to receive service of process during normal business hours, and you must consent to serve in written or electronic form. Designating yourself eliminates the annual commercial service fee. However, your personal or business address will appear in the public record maintained by the Texas Secretary of State, and you must file Form 401 (at a cost of $15) each time your address changes.
What is the annual cost of Northwest Registered Agent in Texas?
Northwest Registered Agent charges $125 per year for registered agent service in Texas. Northwest states that its pricing is consistent with no surprise increases. The annual fee includes a Texas physical street address as the registered office, receipt and same-day scanning of legal documents and official state mail, email notification alerts, online account access, and limited mail forwarding (five mail scans per year). Northwest also uses its own address on formation documents to keep the owner’s address off the public record.
Does the registered agent service fee include the state filing fee?
No. The annual registered agent service fee paid to a commercial provider is entirely separate from the filing fees charged by the Texas Secretary of State. State filing fees—such as the $300 formation fee for a Texas LLC or the $15 fee to change a registered agent using Form 401—are paid directly to the Secretary of State. When a commercial service forms an entity on your behalf, the total cost will include both the provider’s service fee and the state’s filing fee; these should be listed separately on any invoice. Always confirm whether a quoted price includes or excludes the state filing fee before purchasing.
Is there a fee to file Form 401-A (Consent to Serve as Registered Agent)?
Form 401-A – Consent of Registered Agent to Appointment is not routinely filed with the Texas Secretary of State. Under BOC §5.2011, the consent must be obtained before the agent is designated in any filing instrument, but the consent document itself is retained in the entity’s internal records. When Form 401-A is submitted to the Secretary of State as a standalone document, the Texas Secretary of State’s registered agent FAQs confirm the fee is $15 for most entities and $5 for nonprofit corporations and cooperative associations.
Is there a fee for the registered agent to resign?
No. A registered agent who wishes to resign files Form 402 – Statement of Resignation of Registered Agent with the Texas Secretary of State at no charge. Per BOC §5.204, the agent must give written notice to the entity before filing Form 402, and the resignation does not become effective until the 31st day after the Secretary of State receives the notice. The Secretary of State will then notify the entity of the need to designate a replacement agent. The entity must subsequently file Form 401 ($15) to appoint a new registered agent.
How does the cost compare for a nonprofit corporation versus a for-profit corporation?
Texas law provides reduced state filing fees for nonprofit corporations across all registered agent-related transactions:
| Transaction | For-Profit Corporation | Nonprofit Corporation |
| Certificate of Formation | $300 (Form 201) | $25 (Form 202) |
| Change of Registered Agent/Office | $15 (Form 401) | $5 (Form 401) |
| Consent of Registered Agent (standalone) | $15 (Form 401-A) | $5 (Form 401-A) |
| Resignation of Registered Agent | $0 (Form 402) | $0 (Form 402) |
| Foreign entity registration | $750 (Form 301) | $25 (Form 302) |
Commercial registered agent service fees are not set by state law and do not differ based on entity type; providers typically charge the same annual fee regardless of whether the represented entity is a for-profit or nonprofit corporation.
Are there any hidden fees associated with registered agent services?
State filing fees charged by the Texas Secretary of State are fixed and publicly available in the official fee schedule. There are no hidden state fees. However, commercial registered agent services may include pricing structures that result in unexpected costs:
- Renewal price increases: Some providers offer a low introductory rate for the first year that increases significantly upon renewal. For example, some services advertise $99 for the first year but renew at $199 or more per year. Confirm the renewal rate before signing up.
- Upsells during formation: Many services bundle registered agent service with LLC formation packages that include add-on services. Review all line items carefully to distinguish required state fees from optional service fees.
- Mail forwarding beyond basic scans: Basic plans at some providers may include only a limited number of mail scans per year; physical forwarding of non-legal mail may cost extra.
- Convenience fees: The Texas Secretary of State charges a 2.7% convenience fee on credit card payments for state filings made through SOSDirect.
Does the cost change if I move my business to a new address in Texas?
The impact on cost depends on whether the address change affects the registered agent’s registered office address.
- If the entity is changing its own principal office address only (not the registered agent’s address): No filing with the Secretary of State is required for the principal office address alone. No fee applies.
- If the registered agent’s registered office address is changing: The entity must file Form 401 to update the registered office address with the Secretary of State. The filing fee is $15 for most entities and $5 for nonprofits and cooperative associations.
- If the registered agent itself is relocating its office address (same agent, new address, covering multiple entities): The registered agent may file Form 408 directly with the Secretary of State at $15 per entity, after giving at least 10 days’ written notice to each represented entity.
- If using a commercial registered agent service: Relocating the entity’s principal office typically does not affect the commercial service fee, as the registered office address on file with the Secretary of State is the agent’s address, not the entity’s own address.