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Learn the basics · Texas

3 Best Registered Agents in Texas (2026): What You Get

We recommend Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), Texas Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year) and TX Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) for registered agents in Texas in 2026, in that order. Pricing starts at $99 to $149 for the first year and reaches $297 to $447 by year three.
Formation Explained editorial team

The essentials

Required by the state?
Must be named
Name in state law
Registered agent
Cost per year
$99 to $149 yearly
Our picks in order
Mainstay Filing, Texas Registered Agent.ai then TX Registered Agent.org

Who we recommend in Texas

Prices come from each company's own pricing page. The ranking is explained on how we pick.
1 Top recommendation

1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies in more than one state

Pay $149 annually; it renews at $149

Why Mainstay Filing? $149 a year covers an agent in this state and in any state you add.

Over three years this is $150 more than Texas Registered Agent.ai, a difference that reach across states justifies.

Includes

  • Office address on file with the state
  • Free scanning of three government mailings per year
  • Works for LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits

Points in its favor

  • $149 a year, unchanged at renewal
  • Covers every state you might add

Where it falls short

  • Costs $50 more annually
  • Reports are not part of the agent plan
2 Texas focus

2. Texas Registered Agent.ai: best for one-state companies

Pay $99 annually; it renews at $99

In second place is Texas Registered Agent.ai, because it charges $99 a year, renewing at $99, for an LLC that remains in Texas.

Includes

  • A street address in the state
  • Legal papers scanned to your account

Points in its favor

  • Priced under the national pick
  • A fixed $99 each year

Where it falls short

  • Another state needs another agent
  • Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report is up to you
3 Texas focus

3. TX Registered Agent.org: best for a second local choice

Pay $99 annually; it renews at $99

In third place is TX Registered Agent.org, because it charges $99 a year, renewing at $99, for an LLC that remains in Texas.

The prices match Texas Registered Agent.ai, so pick the one you prefer.

Includes

  • A street address in the state
  • Legal papers scanned to your account

Points in its favor

  • A fixed $99 each year
  • Priced under the national pick

Where it falls short

  • Another state needs another agent
  • Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report is up to you

How they stack up

#ProviderYear oneRenewal priceTotal, 3 yearsIncluded in the price
1 Mainstay Filing $149$149/yr$447office address on file with the state; free scanning of three government mailings per year; Works for LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits Learn more at Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Texas Registered Agent.ai $99$99/yr$297A street address in the state; legal papers scanned to your account Learn more at Texas Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 TX Registered Agent.org $99$99/yr$297A street address in the state; legal papers scanned to your account Learn more at TX Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Figures come from company pricing on November 13, 2026; three years means year one plus two renewals.

Key questions

Is a registered agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Read the law: Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.201. (sos.texas.gov, October 2026)

Can just anyone act as agent?

A Texas resident, including an owner, officer or employee, or an organization registered or authorized in Texas with a business office at the registered office. The company cannot be its own agent, and the agent has to consent.

Qualify, and you do not need to pay for an agent.

What is the price of agent service?

Prices start at $99 to $149 a year and total $297 to $447 for three.

Whichever agent you choose, the state charges the same.

Why does the state require one?

It stands in for the LLC in Texas when legal papers or state mail show up.

A good agent lets you know quickly when something arrives, so deadlines are not missed. What does service of process mean?

Are there yearly state charges?

Chiefly the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report, filed every year. Fee: none. Due date as the state words it: May 15, so mark the calendar.

(comptroller.texas.gov, October 2026)

Why is the first pick first?

The deciding factor is how much work the price handles (28% of the weight), where Mainstay Filing is strongest.

Most of the score, 62%, comes from what three years cost and how much work the price handles.

Texas Registered Agent.ai is the smaller bill but serves Texas alone.

Read how we pick

Texas: rules and fees at a glance

RequirementWhat the state saysWhere it comes from
Filing fee$300(sos.texas.gov, October 2026)
Registered agentMust be named(sos.texas.gov, October 2026)
Report after formationNo fee(comptroller.texas.gov, October 2026)
What the state collects in three years$300Sum of the figures above
The three-year line combines the filing fee, the reports for years two and three and any yearly minimum tax. Costs with no set amount, like a newspaper notice, are not counted.

Other things people ask

Do I have to pay anyone for an agent?

You may, once you meet the state's rules on who can serve and where.

Where must the agent be?

The address has to be a street address where papers can be handed to the agent during normal business hours. A mailbox service or answering service alone does not qualify.

How much is each one after three years?

Mainstay Filing comes to $447; Texas Registered Agent.ai comes to $297; TX Registered Agent.org comes to $297

What are your sources?

State fees come from Texas's official sources, cited by each figure. Service prices come from each company's own pricing page.

Does the law require a service?

Not required. Services charge to do the paperwork for you.

Which company ranks first in Texas?

Mainstay Filing comes first: $149 a year is its price in this state, and it does not change anywhere else. After it come Texas Registered Agent.ai and TX Registered Agent.org.

Where the facts come from

  1. October 2026 confirmation of Texas yearly filing: Annual report at comptroller.texas.gov
  2. August 2026 confirmation of Texas report due date at statutes.capitol.texas.gov
  3. August 2026 confirmation of Tex at sos.texas.gov
  4. October 2026 confirmation of Texas registered agent statute at sos.texas.gov
  5. Texas service page from Mainstay Filing, prices as of November 13, 2026
  6. pricing page from Texas Registered Agent.ai, prices as of November 13, 2026
  7. pricing page from TX Registered Agent.org, prices as of November 13, 2026