Texas LLC Cost Calculator

What does it cost to form a Texas LLC?

The Texas LLC cost calculator estimates the money you may spend to form an LLC and cover selected first-year costs. The state charges $300 to file a Certificate of Formation, Form 205. Your total can change if you pay online by card, reserve a name, file an assumed name certificate, use a commercial registered agent or add other startup expenses.

The estimate is not the same as a complete business budget. It focuses on the formation charges and costs you enter. It does not predict expenses such as supplies, insurance or professional services unless you include them under other startup costs.

Why your Texas LLC formation cost matters

Knowing the upfront cost helps you decide how much cash to set aside before launch. It can also help you compare the cost of acting as your own registered agent with paying a service, and decide whether you need optional filings now or can wait.

Keep formation spending separate from ongoing tax and reporting obligations. Texas has no annual LLC fee, but LLCs file a franchise tax Public Information Report by May 15 each year. For 2026–2027 reports, businesses at or below the $2,650,000 no-tax-due threshold owe no franchise tax; a report is still filed. Consider asking a tax professional how the rules apply to your business.

How to use the Texas LLC cost calculator

1. Choose how you will pay the state. If you select an online card payment, the calculator adds a convenience fee of $0.25 plus 2.25% of the state fees.
2. Select your registered-agent arrangement and enter the agent’s annual fee if you use a commercial service. Every LLC must have a registered agent with a Texas street address. You can serve as your own agent at no cost if you are available at that address during business hours.
3. Answer the optional yes-or-no questions about additional state filings. A name reservation costs $40. An assumed name certificate costs $25 at the state, and a county clerk may charge an additional amount. Expedited handling costs $25 per document, and a Certificate of Fact costs $15.
4. Enter your expected company agreement cost and any other startup costs you want included. Use $0 if you do not want to add an amount in either field.
5. Review the estimated first-year total and the itemized rows. The total reflects the choices and amounts you entered, not every cost your company may face.

Texas LLC cost calculator example

How to read your Texas LLC cost estimate

The estimated first-year cost combines the state filing charges, the payment fee when applicable, the registered-agent cost and any optional expenses you selected or entered. The itemized rows show which choices contribute to the total.

The $300 Certificate of Formation charge is the core state filing fee. In the sample, the $7 card convenience fee brings state filing fees alone to $307. The commercial agent adds $125, bringing the displayed first-year total to $432. If your county charges a fee for an assumed name certificate, include that amount in the relevant calculator field; county clerk fees vary.

How to reduce your Texas LLC startup costs

1. 01

   Serve as your own registered agent if it fits your situation

   You can avoid a commercial agent fee by serving as your own agent, provided you have a Texas street address and are available there during business hours. Consider whether that availability and the privacy trade-off work for you before choosing.

2. 02

   Pay only for filings you need

   A name reservation, assumed name certificate, expedited handling and Certificate of Fact each add a charge. Check which filings fit your plans before selecting optional items. If you plan to use a business name different from the LLC’s name, confirm the filing requirements with a qualified professional.

3. 03

   Check the payment fee before submitting

   Online card payments add $0.25 plus 2.25% of state fees. Compare the payment methods available to you and include the applicable charge in your launch budget.

4. 04

   Keep a separate compliance budget

   Do not treat the formation estimate as a forecast of all future costs. Set aside money for reporting, tax preparation and operating expenses. For legal-entity and tax questions, confirm your choices with a qualified attorney or tax professional.

Common Texas LLC cost calculator mistakes

• Leaving out the online card convenience fee

  The $300 filing fee is not the full state-payment amount when you pay online by card. The calculator adds $0.25 plus 2.25% of state fees.

• Forgetting county charges for an assumed name

  The state fee is $25, but county clerk fees vary. Include your county’s fee when you know it so the estimate reflects that cost.

• Treating the estimate as a full-year operating budget

  The calculator includes only the choices and costs entered. It does not automatically include every expense of running a company or every future tax obligation.

• Assuming no annual LLC fee means no yearly filing

  Texas has no annual LLC fee, but LLCs file a franchise tax Public Information Report by May 15 each year. Check your filing responsibilities and confirm tax questions with a qualified professional.

The texas LLC cost formula

Key terms

Certificate of Formation

The filing used to form a Texas LLC. The state fee for Form 205 is $300.

Registered agent

The person or service that represents the LLC at a Texas street address and is available there during business hours.

Assumed name certificate

A filing associated with using a name other than the LLC’s legal name. The state fee is $25; county clerk fees vary.

Public Information Report

A report Texas LLCs file by May 15 each year as part of franchise tax reporting.