Texas forms an LLC with a certificate of formation, not articles of organization. For an LLC the document is Form 205. It goes to the Texas Secretary of State, and the filing fee is $300.
Anyone searching for Texas articles of organization is looking for this form. This page describes the filing and is not advice. The rest of the office is covered in the Texas office guide.
Where do you file a Texas certificate of formation?
Online, through SOSPortal. It is open every day of the week at any hour, and it replaced the older SOSDirect and SOSUpload systems on September 29, 2026. The new portal pays by credit card or ACH. Client accounts are not available in it.
Paper still works. The Secretary of State continues to accept some documents by fax and mail, but the office says more and more arrive through the portal.
| LLC form | Form 205, Certificate of Formation for a Limited Liability Company (sos.state.tx.us, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Corporation form | Form 201, Certificate of Formation for a For-Profit Corporation (sos.state.tx.us, checked ) |
| State filing fee for an LLC | $300 (sos.state.tx.us, checked ) |
| State filing fee for a corporation | $300 (sos.state.tx.us, checked ) |
| Filing online | Yes, through SOSPortal, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (sos.state.tx.us, checked ) |
| Faster processing | $50 standard, $500 next day, $750 same day (sos.state.tx.us, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | An LLC that states a nonprofit purpose is still an LLC and pays the regular LLC fees. The LLC form is not built for tax exempt status. (sos.state.tx.us, checked ) |
| Faster processing (all filings) | Standard expedite $50; next day $500; same day $750; preclearance of a filing instrument $50; expedited certificate or certified copy request $10. (sos.state.tx.us, checked ) |
| Where to file online | webservices.sos.state.tx.us/termsandconditions/tac.html (sos.state.tx.us, checked ) |
What does Form 205 cover?
Form 205 creates a general purpose LLC. It sets out the LLC name, its registered agent and registered office, and how it is managed.
The management choice matters. An LLC is run by its members, by managers, or by both. Your certificate has to say which, and the Secretary of State will not decide for you. The office also notes that the form does not make an LLC exempt from tax.
Fees, and what speed costs
The base fee is $300 for Form 205 and also for Form 201, the for-profit corporation form. Nonprofit corporations use Form 202 at $25, and professional associations and limited partnerships pay $750.
Expedite fees are charged per document on top of that. Standard expedite is $50, next day is $500 and same day is $750. A name reservation costs $40 and lasts 120 days.
Naming rules and the registered agent
An LLC name must carry an accepted organizational designation, such as limited liability company, limited company, or an abbreviation of those words. Check the name in the business search first, because the Secretary of State says a final decision on a name comes at filing.
Every LLC needs a registered agent and a registered office. The agent can be a Texas resident or an entity registered in Texas. The LLC cannot be its own agent. The agent must have consented, in writing or electronically, and the office cannot be only a mailbox or an answering service.
After the certificate is filed
The Secretary of State does not run the yearly filing for most Texas companies. Franchise tax goes to the Comptroller, and the report and the Public Information Report are due May 15. See Texas annual report for how that works. Our general articles of organization guide explains how states differ.
You can file at the state yourself, and state fees are separate. If you want help, you can ask our private filing service.
Sources
- www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/forms/806_boc.pdf: LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, expedite fees. Checked .
- www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/index.shtml: online filing. Checked .
- www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/forms_boc.shtml: llc form, corporation form. Checked .
- www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/formationfaqs.shtml: filing online, worth knowing. Checked .
- www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/forms/806_boc.pdf: faster processing. Checked .