A Texas Secretary of State business search now runs through SOSPortal, which replaced SOSDirect on September 29, 2026. It requires an account and charges $1 per search. For a free check, use the Texas Comptroller’s Franchise Tax Account Status Search, which lists entities by name, taxpayer number or SOS file number.
If no existing Texas entity has a name that is the same as yours apart from its ending, the name is likely available, but the Secretary of State decides only when you file. A 120-day reservation costs $40, and assumed names (DBAs) cost $25 for entities, filed with the Secretary of State.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in Texas (2026)
If you’d rather not handle forming your LLC once your name is clear in Texas yourself, these are the services we recommend, in order. The table compares price and what’s included.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Forming an LLC with the agent, EIN and annual report included | $199/year + state fee at cost | LLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing |
| 2 | TX Registered Agent.org | Texas registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
| 3 | Texas Registered Agent.ai | Texas registered agent service only | $99/year | in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Texas. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. TX Registered Agent.org
TX Registered Agent.org is a Texas registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
3. Texas Registered Agent.ai
Texas Registered Agent.ai is a Texas registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
Texas business name search at a glance
| Item | Texas details (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Texas Secretary of State, Business & Public Filings Division |
| Official search | SOSPortal: account with multi-factor login; $1 per search |
| Free alternative | Comptroller Franchise Tax Account Status Search |
| LLC Certificate of Formation | $300 (Form 205) |
| Name reservation | $40 (Form 501); 120 days; renewable |
| Assumed name (DBA) | Entities: $25 with the SOS (Form 503). Sole proprietors and general partnerships: county clerk |
| Annual report | No SOS annual report; Franchise Tax Report and Public Information Report due May 15 to the Comptroller |
Fees come from the Secretary of State’s fee schedule (Form 806). Card payments carry a statutory convenience fee. For a full budget, see Mainstay Filing’s Texas LLC cost guide.
How to do a Texas Secretary of State business search
Option 1: SOSPortal (official, $1 per search)
Go to the Secretary of State’s SOSPortal page, accept the rules of use, and sign in. SOSPortal replaced SOSDirect and SOSUpload as part of the office’s modernization project, and the old client accounts were discontinued, so you’ll need a new account with multi-factor authentication. Each search costs $1 by statute, waived if you place an order or filing from the results.
Option 2: Comptroller search (free)
The Comptroller’s Franchise Tax Account Status Search (formerly the Taxable Entity Search) is free and needs no login. Search by entity name (2 to 50 characters), 11-digit taxpayer number, FEIN or SOS file number. Because every Texas LLC and corporation has a franchise tax account, this is a practical way to spot conflicts.
Option 3: Ask the Secretary of State
For a preliminary opinion on a name, call the Secretary of State at (512) 463-5555 or email [email protected]. The office notes that the final decision is made only when a filing is reviewed (name filing FAQs).
What to look for
Search the distinctive words without LLC or Inc. Texas requires names to be distinguishable in the Secretary of State’s records, and a name that matches an existing one except for the designator won’t pass unless the other entity gives written, notarized consent.
Need more candidates? Namechk’s business name generator can produce options to check.
Texas business name rules
Texas name rules are in Business Organizations Code § 5.053 and the Secretary of State’s rules in 1 Tex. Admin. Code ch. 79. The Form 205 instructions and name FAQs summarize them:
- LLC: include “Limited Liability Company,” “Limited Company,” or an abbreviation such as LLC, L.L.C., LC, L.C. or Ltd. Co. Punctuation in the abbreviation is optional. Professional LLCs use PLLC or P.L.L.C.
- Corporation: Corporation, Incorporated, Company or Limited, or Corp., Inc., Co. or Ltd.
- Banking terms: “bank,” “bank and trust” or “trust” need a letter of no objection from the Banking Commissioner.
- Engineering: “engineer” and “engineering” are restricted under the Occupations Code.
- No false impressions: a name can’t falsely imply government affiliation or a purpose the entity isn’t authorized to pursue.
How to reserve a business name in Texas
- Form: Form 501, Application for Reservation or Renewal of Reservation of an Entity Name, filed online through SOSPortal or on paper.
- Fee: $40.
- Term: 120 days.
- Renewal: refile during the 30 days before the reservation expires ($40 each time); Texas doesn’t cap the number of renewals.
- Flexibility: a reservation isn’t tied to an entity type, and it can be transferred (Form 506, $15) or withdrawn (Form 507, free).
Check trademarks, domains and social handles
Neither SOSPortal nor the Comptroller search covers trademarks. Run a USPTO trademark search, and remember that Texas also registers state trademarks with the Secretary of State ($50 per class).
Then confirm the online side. Namechk checks domains and social handles in one search, and the domain name generator suggests close alternatives when the .com is gone.
We created a tool that makes it easy.
How to file an assumed name (DBA) in Texas
Texas calls a DBA an assumed name certificate (Business and Commerce Code chapter 71). Where you file depends on who you are, as the Secretary of State’s assumed name FAQ explains:
| Who is filing | Where | State fee |
|---|---|---|
| LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and other filing entities | Secretary of State only (Form 503) | $25 |
| Sole proprietors, general partnerships | County clerk in each county where you have a business office | Set by each county |
- Term: up to 10 years.
- Changes: certificates can’t be amended. File a new one within 60 days of a material change; abandoning an assumed name costs $10 (Form 504).
- No exclusivity: the Secretary of State doesn’t reject an assumed name certificate because another business uses the same name.
Entities stopped filing assumed names with counties in 2019, so an LLC files only with the Secretary of State.
After the search: forming your Texas business
Ready to file? Our Texas LLC guide covers each step in detail.
- File a Certificate of Formation (Form 205) through SOSPortal or by mail. The fee is $300 (Form 806).
- Appoint a registered agent: a Texas resident or an entity authorized to do business in Texas, with a Texas street address. The LLC can’t act as its own registered agent. Mainstay Filing includes registered agent service in its formation package (Texas costs); our Texas registered agent guide has the details.
- Get an EIN from the IRS (free).
- File franchise tax reports. Texas has no annual report with the Secretary of State, but LLCs file a Franchise Tax Report and a Public Information Report with the Comptroller by May 15 each year. For 2026 and 2027 reports, entities with revenue at or below $2.65 million owe no tax. The Texas start-a-business guide covers sales tax and licenses.
FAQs
Is the Texas Secretary of State business search free?
Not anymore through the Secretary of State. SOSPortal, which replaced SOSDirect on September 29, 2026, charges $1 per search by statute and requires an account with multi-factor login. The fee is waived if you place an order from the results. The Texas Comptroller’s Franchise Tax Account Status Search is free and needs no login.
What happened to SOSDirect?
The Texas Secretary of State retired SOSDirect and SOSUpload on September 29, 2026, and replaced them with SOSPortal. Old client accounts were discontinued, so users must create a new SOSPortal account with multi-factor authentication. You reach it from the Secretary of State’s SOSPortal page after accepting the rules of use.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name in Texas?
A Texas name reservation costs $40 using Form 501 and lasts 120 days. You can renew it by refiling during the 30 days before it expires, paying $40 each time, with no limit on renewals. A reservation can be transferred for $15 or withdrawn for free, and it isn’t tied to a particular entity type.
Where do I file a DBA in Texas?
It depends on the business. LLCs, corporations and other filing entities file an assumed name certificate only with the Texas Secretary of State, using Form 503 and a $25 fee. Sole proprietors and general partnerships file with the county clerk in each county where they have a business office, and county fees vary.
Does Texas require an annual report for LLCs?
Texas has no annual report filed with the Secretary of State. Instead, LLCs file a Franchise Tax Report and a Public Information Report with the Texas Comptroller by May 15 each year. For reports due in 2026 and 2027, entities with total revenue at or below $2.65 million owe no franchise tax but still file.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Texas?
The Texas Secretary of State charges $300 to file a Certificate of Formation for an LLC (Form 205). Paying by card adds a statutory convenience fee. Optional extras include a $40 name reservation and a $25 assumed name certificate. Texas has no state annual report fee, though franchise tax reports are required.
Does a Texas business search show trademarks?
No. SOSPortal and the Comptroller’s search show entities, not trademarks. Search the USPTO database for federal marks, and note that Texas registers state trademarks separately at $50 per class. Check domains and social media handles too, since another business may already be using the name online.
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