Best Texas Registered Agent in 2023

For 21 years in a row, over 700 CEOs across America have voted Texas as the best state for business. It is the 9th largest economy in the world, with a GDP of $2 trillion and a labor force of over 14 million highly skilled and diverse workers. The business advantages in Texas are top-notch: no corporate or income tax, low operating costs, and various incentive programs that encourage entrepreneurs to invest in the state. If you want to start an LLC in the Lone Star State, keep in mind that you will need to appoint a trusted and reliable Texas registered agent.

#1. ZenBusiness

BEST FOR: Best LLC filing service

Pros & Cons

ZenBusiness is one of the most reliable LLC formation and registered agent service with thousands of positive reviews and high ratings. ZenBusiness is our top pick for a variety of great reasons, from their automated workflow system, expert advice, and simple, no-nonsense web interface. They even package the whole LLC process into a single product, making your experience smooth, fast, and worry-free.

With Zen Business, you also get a virtual dashboard, so you have 100% visibility of the forms and documents of your company. You can go through them, download them, and even print them to have a personal copy for any business or legal reasons.

Visit ZenBusiness.com

#2. Northwest Registered Agent

BEST FOR: Multiple-states registered agent and ongoing registered agent support

Pros & Cons

You can use Northwest Registered Agent as your designated Registered Agent service. You can easily assign it to multiple states and if you use the service to incorporate your business then you can also take advantage of access to online scan docs and a very intuitive online dashboard.

Visit NorthwestRegisteredAgent.com

#3. IncFile

BEST FOR: Affordable LLC and registered agent value package

Pros & Cons

You can register your LLC or corporation with IncFile for free (+State fees) using InFile filing service and receive a free registered agent service for the first year. The free package will not cover all the essentials for your business but it includes preparing & filing the Articles of Organization, unlimited name searches and free Registered Agent service for a year. The yearly renewal cost of the registered agent service with incile is $119.

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What is a registered agent?

A registered agent is an individual or company designated to receive all legal and tax documents on behalf of your company. The primary function of the agent is to receive service of process notices, government correspondence, compliance-related documents and also to take care of various documentary processes.

It is a requirement under the law to have a registered agent when officially launching a business in Texas. The TX registered agent must have an official address in Texas. Starting a business is a complex process. As a business owner, you should not have to worry about the legal intricacies. You should focus on your operations, growing your business and generating profit.

I think that partnering with a professional registered agent service is undoubtedly advantageous. The agent will help you comply with all local regulations and license requirements, and will always be available during office hours. And on top of all this, the professional registered agent service is quite affordable.

You need a Texas registered agent if you are registering any of the following business structures:

• Corporation
• Limited liability company (LLC)
• Limited partnership (LP)
• Limited liability partnership (LLP)

There is no need to register a sole proprietorship or general partnership in Texas.

Who can you designate as a registered agent in Texas?

You can appoint yourself, use a professional registered agent service, a member or owner of the company or a Lawyer.

There are specific requirements before a person can be appointed as a registered agent:

• At least 18 years old
• Texas resident
• Should have a physical address or registered office in Texas
• Must be available to receive paperwork and official documents during business hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A registered agent does not have to be a single person. It can be a company that handles the duties of a registered agent in TX. The entity can be a domestic or foreign company as long as they are authorized to do business in Texas.

Can I act as my own registered agent in Texas?

Yes. The cheapest and quickest person to appoint as a registered agent is yourself—and yes, that is allowed in Texas, as long as you meet the general requirements. However, the myriad responsibilities may be too much for most business owners, who would likely prefer to concentrate on scaling their business instead. Plus, are you always going to be available during office hours to receive important mail?

Professional registered agent service

Hiring a professional service company as a registered agent is a practical choice because they make their bread and butter on fulfilling these tasks repeatedly on behalf of their clients. The services listed on our best registered agent list below are also always available during office hours to receive your business mail and support all 50 US states.

Member or owner of the Texas company

You can appoint someone from your company as your TX registered agent: an incorporator, partner, LLC member, company officer, or manager. It may be financially practical to just choose one of your employees to do double duty. However, there is a steep learning curve to becoming a registered agent and ensuring that all legal bases are covered.

Lawyer

Some business owners hire lawyers who can easily handle all legal communications and actions. Texas lawyers are well-versed with state laws, making the task quite simple on their part.

Reasons to hire a professional service for Texas registered agent

Hiring a professional registered agent means extra expenses for your business. However, you may end up saving money because of the following:

Allows you to focus on business operations and growth

Texas business owners prefer to spend their time and energy on their company’s daily operations, ensuring things are done right. Taking on the role of a registered agent will take quite a bit of time away from business operations because ensuring compliance can be labor-intensive. Hiring a registered agent allows the Texas business owner to focus on what they truly love: business planning and growth to increase revenue and build brand awareness.

Avoid non-compliance

One of the duties of a registered agent is to ensure compliance with all legal requirements in Texas. Getting a compliance partner in a registered agent will help you avoid sanctions like hefty penalty fees. Failure to comply with requirements may also tarnish a business’s reputation. A TX registered agent will remind you of deadlines for compliance with state and federal regulations.

Ensure confidentiality of lawsuits and other legal documents

If the business is embroiled in a legal issue in Texas, you don’t want it publicized. As such, you don’t want the papers delivered to your business office by authorities. Instead, the registered agent will receive the documents and forward them to you within a day.

Reduce receipt of unsolicited mail

The registered agent’s Texas address is public, but your business address is not. This comes in handy if you operate your business at home. Since the address is not on public databases, you won’t receive unsolicited mail, but your registered agent will.

Helpful when incorporating in a state

If your physical business is located in one state and you want to incorporate it in Texas, the amount of legal paperwork you need to accomplish can be overwhelming. You can use the professional service as your registered agent in Texas while you concentrate on managing your business in another state.

Always available during office hours

A Texas registered agent is available during office hours, which is crucial for businesses that don’t abide by regular office or working hours. If the staff is not reachable for critical legal and business communications, the registered agent will be there to receive them. Legal communication from the Office of the Secretary of State and other federal offices is delivered during office hours.

Appoint a registered agent using a professional service

Northwest Registered Agent (NWRA) provides professional registered agent service in Texas. NWRA will act as your designated contact in Texas with a legal business address within the state. It provides all the services you need in a registered agent including privacy and availability during TX office hours.

Now, if you want more than just a registered agent service, ZenBusiness provides all-around business assistance. ZenBusiness can help you form your LLC in Texas, appoint a TX registered agent, file the Texas Certificate of Formation, create an operating agreement, and apply for an EIN (employer identification number) as well as help you manage your money and invoices with their ZenBusiness Money service.

Foreign qualification

Foreign qualification is when the company is registered outside of Texas but wants to do business in Texas. Every foreign entity must have a registered agent and office in Texas for the same reasons as domestic ones: to receive legal process, government communication, and for the business to remain in compliance with local regulations.

The process of appointing a registered agent for foreign entities is similar to a domestic entity. Our recommended registered agent service for a foreign entity is Northwest Registered Agent. They support all 50 states and offer a simple-to-use interface that allows you to add multiple states to their registered agent service.

Texas registered agent for non-citizens

The United States is one of the most foreigner-friendly countries in the world. Because of this, even non-citizens can establish a business in the country. However, the non-citizen should have a registered agent based in Texas. Northwest Registered Agent can assist non-U.S. citizens in their business registration. The first few steps in forming an LLC in Texas as a non-citizen include hiring a registered agent, creating an operating agreement, and choosing the name for your business.

For non-U.S. citizens who don’t have an office address within the state or country, Northwest Registered Agent will provide the official address. They will be available during Texas office hours to receive all communications on the behalf of the LLC owned by a non-citizen.

Bottom Line

If you are opening a business in Texas, you should put all your time and effort into planning, running, and growing your business and not have to worry about legal correspondence with the state. While a business owner can act as Texas registered agent, hiring a professional service is more practical. They ensure your business remains compliant with regulations while you focus your attention on growing your enterprise.

A Texas registered agent will also guarantee confidentiality and protect your privacy as it becomes the official representative on behalf of your business. It will receive all communications, including essential documents from the Texas Secretary of State. In short, a reliable registered agent in Texas will be your partner in managing and growing your business.