The short answer
The Texas Secretary of State's instructions for Form 205 set the Certificate of Formation filing fee at $300, and you pay it whether you file through SOSDirect yourself or a service files for you. If you pay by card, the state adds a 2.7% convenience fee. A service does not get you a faster or different filing from the state. What you are buying is someone else doing the paperwork.
ZenBusiness's Starter plan is $0 plus the state fee, Pro is $199 a year, and Premium is $299 a year. On every tier, including Premium, the registered agent is a separate service at $199 a year, discounted to $99 for the first year when you form with ZenBusiness. So Starter with the agent comes to $399 in year one, including the $300 state fee, and $199 a year after that.
Filing yourself costs $300, or $308.10 by card, plus whatever you arrange for a registered agent. The Secretary of State's registered agent FAQ says an entity cannot serve as its own registered agent, so a person or a company has to fill the role. If you or someone you trust can do that, filing yourself wins on cost. If you would rather not, the agent becomes the real expense, and ZenBusiness's first-year discount makes the bundle a reasonable choice.
Texas fees and requirements at a glance
| Item | Figure or requirement | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formation (Form 205) | $300.00 | Texas Secretary of State, Form 205 instructions |
| Card payment convenience fee | 2.7% of total fees | Texas Secretary of State, Form 205 instructions |
| Assumed name certificate (Form 503) | $25.00 | Texas Secretary of State, Form 503 instructions |
| Online filing | Available through SOSDirect | Texas Secretary of State, formation FAQs |
| Registered agent | Required. The entity cannot serve as its own agent | Texas Secretary of State, registered agent FAQs |
| Failing to maintain an agent | Risks involuntary termination of the LLC | Texas Secretary of State, registered agent FAQs |
| General business license | Texas has none | Texas Secretary of State, out-of-state entities page |
| EIN | $0. Form the entity with the state first | IRS, Get an Employer Identification Number |
| Federal BOI report | US-formed companies are exempt | FinCEN, Beneficial Ownership Information |
What each path costs
The table below is listed alphabetically, not ranked. First-year totals for ZenBusiness include the $300 state fee and the discounted $99 agent.
| Option | Plan price | Texas filing fee | Registered agent | First year | Each later year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIY (file yourself) | $0 | $300, or $308.10 by card | You arrange it | $300 plus agent | Agent only, if paid |
| ZenBusiness Premium | $299/yr | $300 | $99, then $199/yr | $698 | $498 |
| ZenBusiness Pro | $199/yr | $300 | $99, then $199/yr | $598 | $398 |
| ZenBusiness Starter | $0 | $300 | $99, then $199/yr | $399 | $199 |
These figures cover only the items above. Texas has ongoing state obligations for LLCs that this page does not list because they were not verified for this update, so check the Texas Secretary of State and the Texas Comptroller before budgeting past year one.
What filing yourself involves
The self-filing path is shorter than many people expect. You complete Form 205 online through SOSDirect, name a registered agent, and pay the $300 fee. Once the state has accepted the filing, you apply for an EIN directly with the IRS at no cost. The IRS is explicit that you should never pay a third party for an EIN, which is worth remembering when comparing packages. If a tier's selling point is an EIN, that part of its value is something you can get free.
If you plan to trade under a name other than the LLC's legal name, Texas charges $25 for an assumed name certificate on Form 503. That fee applies to whichever route you choose. There is no general state business license to buy, according to the Secretary of State, although local or industry-specific permits may still apply to your line of work.
Where ZenBusiness is the better call
ZenBusiness earns its cost when the registered agent question is a real problem for you. Common reasons include not wanting your home address on the public record, not being reliably available at a fixed address during business hours, or running the business from outside Texas. In those cases you will pay someone to be your agent anyway, and the first-year price of $99 makes Starter plus the agent a straightforward way to get the LLC filed and the agent in place in one step.
It also suits people who would rather not deal with state forms at all and want a single company tracking the paperwork. The stakes are real, since the Secretary of State warns that failing to keep a registered agent can lead to involuntary termination. If you want to see how the plans are set up, ZenBusiness's LLC formation page lays out the current tiers.
Be clear about what the higher tiers cost over time. Pro and Premium are annual charges, not one-time fees, so their cost repeats every year on top of the agent. Decide whether you will use the extras each year, not just in the first month.
Where filing yourself is the better call
If you, a co-owner, or someone you trust can serve as registered agent, filing yourself saves $99 in year one and $199 each year after, compared with ZenBusiness Starter with its agent. The filing itself is the same form, the same fee, and the same state review.
If you file yourself but do not want to act as your own agent, a standalone registered agent company is the relevant comparison, not a formation package. Northwest Registered Agent is one such option. Agent prices change, so check its current rate as of 2026 against ZenBusiness's $199 annual agent fee.
A note on this page
This site earns a commission on some links, including ZenBusiness. That does not change which option the page recommends, and for many readers the recommendation here is to file yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Texas LLC filing fee in 2026, and can I file online?
The Secretary of State lists the Certificate of Formation fee as $300. You can file online through SOSDirect. Paying by card adds a 2.7% convenience fee.
How much does ZenBusiness charge for a Texas LLC, registered agent and annual compliance in 2026?
Starter is $0 plus the $300 state fee, Pro is $199 a year, and Premium is $299 a year. The registered agent is $199 a year on every tier, discounted to $99 for the first year when you form with ZenBusiness. This page does not detail what each tier includes for ongoing compliance, so check ZenBusiness's plan page for the current contents.
Is ZenBusiness Premium $299 or $399?
Premium is $299 a year, with the registered agent sold separately. Older sources, including some of ZenBusiness's own help pages, still show a $399 Premium with the agent bundled. That pricing is out of date.
Do I need a business license to start an LLC in Texas?
Texas has no general business license, according to the Secretary of State. Local or industry-specific permits may still apply.
Does my Texas LLC need to file a BOI report?
No. FinCEN states that companies formed in the United States are exempt from federal beneficial ownership reporting.
Sources
- Texas Secretary of State, “Form 205 - Instructions for Certificate of Formation - Limited Liability Company”
- Texas Secretary of State, “Registered Agent FAQs”
- Texas Secretary of State, “Form 503 - Instructions for Assumed Name Certificate”
- Texas Secretary of State, “Formation of Texas Entities FAQs”
- Texas Secretary of State, “Foreign or Out-of-State Entities”
- Internal Revenue Service, “Get an employer identification number”
- Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, “Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting”
This is general information, not legal advice, and requirements vary by state and change over time.