No.1
Our top pick
1. TX Registered Agent.org: best for companies that only add Texas
Expect $199 plus the state fee, then $99 each year for the agent
Score9.4out of 10
First place: TX Registered Agent.org. $199 over the state fee registers the company in Texas, and the agent renews at $99.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
Three-year cost is where it gains on Mainstay Filing, and that criterion is weighted heavily.
In the price
- Filing with the state
- Year-one registered agent service
Why pick it
- $199 to register, state fee on top
- The first year as registered agent is free
- The agent renews at $99 annually
Weak spots
- Serves Texas only; the home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.2
Best local option
2. Texas Registered Agent.ai: best for Texas registrations only
$199 for the registration work and the state's fee besides; the agent is $99 yearly after year one
Score9.0out of 10
Second place: Texas Registered Agent.ai. $199 over the state fee registers the company in Texas, and the agent renews at $99.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
The published prices and features of TX Registered Agent.org and Texas Registered Agent.ai are identical, which makes the order between them close.
In the price
- Filing with the state
- Year-one registered agent service
Why pick it
- $99 a year for the agent from the second year
- A $199 service charge plus the registration fee
- Covers the first year of registered agent service
Weak spots
- Serves Texas only; the home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.3
Fifty-state coverage
3. Mainstay Filing: best for businesses active in several states
$199 for the service, state fee on top; from year two the agent bills $149 annually
Score8.9out of 10
Third place: Mainstay Filing. $199 covers the Texas registration and the registered agent role is free the first year, then $149 annually.
Once the free year has passed, $149 a year applies in any state.
TX Registered Agent.org costs $100 less over three years, and Mainstay Filing trails it on that criterion.
In the price
- The registration prepared and lodged on your behalf
- Year one as your registered agent, at no charge
- No charge for scanning served papers within the same business day
Why pick it
- Service of process on the company scanned within the same business day, no charge
- One price in each of the fifty states
- A $199 service charge, with the state's fee added
- Year-one registered agent service costs nothing
Weak spots
- The agent is $149 a year after year one, $50 more than TX Registered Agent.org
The 3 rulings in brief
| Rank | Provider | Ruling score | Service charge | Year two | Suited to | Link |
|---|
| 1 | TX Registered Agent.org | 9.4 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit TX Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | Texas Registered Agent.ai | 9.0 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit Texas Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 3 | Mainstay Filing | 8.9 | $199 | $149/yr | Businesses spread over several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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The 10-point scores are editorial. They apply the criteria on
How we rank and do not draw on customer ratings.
Texas foreign registration service charges in 2026: year one, renewals and the three-year total
| Provider | Year one | Year two | Year three | Total over three years | Agent covered in year one |
|---|
| TX Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
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| Texas Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Free |
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Each charge was taken from the provider's own pages on November 12, 2026. Texas's $750 registration fee is payable in addition to every row below and is not in the totals.
How the ruling was reached
The decisive criterion in Texas was charge over three years. For reference, the method assigns 31% to charge over three years, 31% to work taken off the founder and 38% across renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight.
Over three years TX Registered Agent.org totals $397, $100 less than Mainstay Filing. Both providers include the first year, so the renewal charge carried the ruling.
Each criterion and its weight appear on How we rank.
Foreign LLC registration in Texas: the form, the office and the fee
Registration is lodged with the Texas Secretary of State using the Application for Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 304). The state fee is $750.
Once registered, the company's recurring filing is the Public Information Report, with a due date of May 15.
Items to gather before filing
- The exact legal name registered in the home state, along with the date it was formed.
- A registered agent whose street address is in the state. Any provider on this page can fill the role.
- The $750 state fee, remitted with the application.
- A date in your calendar for the Public Information Report.
Consequences of operating in Texas unregistered
Until it registers, an out-of-state LLC may not sue in Texas courts (BOC 9.051(b)). The contracts it makes stay enforceable (BOC 9.051(c)).
Questions on Texas foreign registration services
Is an out-of-state LLC required to register in Texas?
Yes, as soon as it conducts business there. Until it registers, it has no standing to sue in that state's courts.
What will foreign registration in Texas run in total?
The state fee is $750; service charges run $199.
What does Texas call its foreign registration form?
The Application for Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 304), lodged with the Texas Secretary of State.
Is a registered agent still needed after the company is registered?
Yes. A registered agent with a street address in the state stays on file for as long as the registration lasts.
Which foreign registration services were heard in this ranking?
TX Registered Agent.org ($199), Texas Registered Agent.ai ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), ruled upon in that order.
Which foreign registration service does the record favor in Texas?
TX Registered Agent.org, since it charges $199 beyond the state fee, including year-one registered agent service, then $99 a year for the agent.
The record
- Texas yearly filing: Annual report, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- Texas report due date, on the record as of August 2026
- Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 3.005, on the record as of August 2026
- Texas registered agent statute, on the record as of October 2026
- Texas Secretary of State, foreign entities FAQ, on the record as of October 2026
- Form 304 instructions, on the record as of October 2026
- Business Organizations Code, Chapter 9, on the record as of October 2026
- Texas Comptroller, franchise tax, on the record as of October 2026
- Texas Business Organizations Code, Chapter 9, on the record as of November 2026
- Exhibit: TX Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Texas Registered Agent.ai, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, Texas service page, November 12, 2026