Texas · Start a business

How to start a business in Texas

Texas has no general license; entities register with the Secretary of State or the county clerk's office instead.

As of 4 min readVermilion Vitez Team

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STATE FILING FEE$300FILEDSECRETARY OF STATEEINMAYOPENTEXAS · 10 STEPSFrom structure to open door

Short answer

To start a business in Texas, pick a structure and file with the Secretary of State: $300 for an LLC, $300 for a corporation's articles. Then name a registered agent, get an EIN and register for state taxes. Texas has no general state business license.

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What do you file before you open in Texas?

  1. Pick a structure

    Most owners choose an LLC or a corporation; the S corp or C corp tax choice comes later. See Texas LLC guide, Texas corporation guide, S corp or C corp in Texas. By trade: cleaning business, handyman.

  2. Check and register the name

    Search the Secretary of State records before you pick a name: state name search. In Texas, a sole proprietorship that does business under a name other than the owner's surname files an Assumed Name Certificate, commonly called a DBA, with the county clerk in the county where a business premise is maintained. 1 See Texas name search guide.

  3. File with the state

    Texas charges the state filing fee once: an LLC costs $300 2 and a corporation's articles of incorporation cost $300 3. See LLC cost.

  4. Name a registered agent

    A Texas corporation's registered agent must be an organization or an individual who lives in Texas. 4 Our registered agent service runs through our partner Registered Agents Inc (RAI), the registered agent of record. See Texas registered agent rules.

Which accounts do you open after you file in Texas?

  1. Get an EIN

    An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one. 5

  2. Open your state tax accounts

    The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts takes new permit applications through its Texas Online Tax Registration Application, which registers a business for sales and use tax and the 911 surcharge and fees. 6 See Sales tax permit.

  3. Register as an employer

    Texas employers register with the Texas Workforce Commission for unemployment tax within 10 days of becoming liable, which includes paying $1,500 or more in gross wages in a calendar quarter. 7 Texas employers report each new hire and rehire to the Office of the Attorney General within 20 calendar days from the date the employee starts earning wages, using its online Employer Website portal. 8 The Texas Department of Insurance says private employers in Texas can choose to carry workers' compensation insurance coverage, but it is not required in most cases. 9

What keeps your Texas business in good standing?

  1. Check licenses and permits

    The Texas Governor's Business Permit Office states that Texas does not require a general license, and entities that transact business in the state register with the Secretary of State or the county clerk's office. 10

  2. Calendar the yearly filings

    Texas franchise tax / Public Information Report, due May 15 every year. 11 See Texas annual report.

  3. Use free local help

    Small business advising in Texas runs through the Small Business Development Centers. 12 The Texas Governor's office runs the Small Business Resource Portal, where five short questions produce a tailored list of federal, state and local resources, including licensing and permitting information. 13

What it costs to start a business in Texas

$300to file an LLC 2
$300to file a corporation's articles 3
$25for an assumed name certificate 2
546,586business applications filed in Texas in 2025 14

Do you need a business license in Texas?

Not from the state. Texas has no general state business license. 10 Where to look up licenses: Governor's Small Business Resource Portal.

How to register a business name in Texas

QuestionTexas
Where it is filedWith the county 1
OfficeCounty clerk
What it is calledassumed name certificate

Check that the name is free first: state name search.

Also in Texas

  • Business personal property report. Texas business owners report inventories, equipment and machinery to their county appraisal district for local property tax, and the district, not the state, assesses and collects that tax. 15
  • Notice when an employer has no workers' compensation coverage. Texas employers that choose not to carry workers' compensation coverage must report to the state that they do not have coverage, and must report work-related injuries with more than one day of lost time. 16

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Common questions

What are the steps to start a business in Texas?

Pick a structure, file with the Secretary of State, name a registered agent, get an EIN, register for state taxes with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, then handle hiring, licenses, yearly filings and local help.

What does it cost to register a business in Texas?

In Texas, an LLC filing is $300 and a corporation's articles of incorporation are $300.

Can I start a business in Texas with no money?

Texas charges $300 to file an LLC. An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one. Texas Small Business Development Centers are a partnership between the SBA and universities that give free advice on marketing, financing, and business growth to local businesses, start-ups, and entrepreneurs.

Are there small business grants in Texas?

The Texas Governor's Office of Small Business Assistance points owners to SBA loans, nonprofit lenders and the Texas Workforce Commission's Skills for Small Business training grant for businesses with fewer than 100 employees.

What is the Texas SBDC?

Texas Small Business Development Centers are a partnership between the SBA and universities that give free advice on marketing, financing, and business growth to local businesses, start-ups, and entrepreneurs.

Sources 17 links, checked Nov 13, 2026
  1. DBA or trade name registration gov.texas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  2. Official state fee schedule for LLC filings direct.sos.state.tx.us, checked Oct 17, 2026
  3. Corporation filing sos.state.tx.us, checked Nov 7, 2026
  4. Registered agent rule sos.state.tx.us, checked Nov 7, 2026
  5. IRS: employer identification number irs.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  6. State tax registration comptroller.texas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  7. Unemployment insurance registration gov.texas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  8. New hire reporting texasattorneygeneral.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  9. Workers' compensation coverage tdi.texas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  10. General business license gov.texas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  11. Texas franchise tax / Public Information Report comptroller.texas.gov, checked Sep 1, 2026
  12. Small Business Development Center gov.texas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  13. State business portal gov.texas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  14. US Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly file, 2025 added up) census.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  15. Business personal property report gov.texas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  16. Notice when an employer has no workers' compensation coverage tdi.texas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
  17. State small business funding gov.texas.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026

Last verified Nov 13, 2026.

This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.

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