Texas state government forms are published on the websites of the agencies that administer them: the Secretary of State for business formation and registration documents, the Comptroller of Public Accounts for tax permits and returns, and the Department of Public Safety and Department of Motor Vehicles for driver and vehicle paperwork. Most forms can be downloaded as PDFs or completed through each agency’s online portal, and working from the current revision is what keeps a filing from being rejected on sight.
Where Each Agency Posts Its Forms
The Secretary of State hosts every business filing form on its “Forms” page, organized by entity type. Each PDF carries a revision date in the footer. If you are working from a copy someone handed you, check that date against the version posted online before you fill anything in. The Secretary of State also runs SOSDirect, the portal for searching business records and submitting certain filings electronically.1Office of the Texas Secretary of State. SOSDirect – Online Searching and Filing
Tax forms are on the Comptroller of Public Accounts website. Sales and use tax forms, including Form 01-339 (the resale and exemption certificate), sit on a dedicated sales tax forms page.2Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Texas Sales and Use Tax Forms Returns and permit applications are filed through the Comptroller’s Webfile system, reached through eSystems.3Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. File and Pay
Driver licensing and vehicle registration documents live on the Department of Public Safety and Department of Motor Vehicles portals. Each site has a “Forms” or “Publications” tab you can browse by category.
The Business Formation Forms Most Filers Need
The certificate of formation is what legally creates a Texas business entity. Which form you use depends on the entity type: Form 201 for a for-profit corporation, Form 205 for a limited liability company. Both carry a $300 filing fee.4Texas Secretary of State. Business Filings and Trademarks Fee Schedule
Form 201 asks for the entity name, registered agent information, the names and addresses of initial directors, the number of authorized shares, and a statement of purpose. A for-profit corporation’s name must include “corporation,” “company,” “incorporated,” “limited,” or an abbreviation of one of those terms.5Texas Secretary of State. Certificate of Formation For-Profit Corporation Form 201 Most filers state the purpose broadly as any lawful activity permitted under the Texas Business Organizations Code.6Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Form 201 – Instructions for Certificate of Formation – For-Profit Corporation
Form 205 collects the entity name, registered agent details, the names and addresses of initial managers or members, and a governing authority designation (manager-managed or member-managed). An LLC’s name must comply with Chapter 5 of the Texas Business Organizations Code, which requires it to be distinguishable from any existing filing entity on the Secretary of State’s records.7Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Form 205 – Instructions for Certificate of Formation – Limited Liability Company
Every Texas filing entity, domestic or foreign, must designate and continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in the state.8Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Registered Agents The registered agent is the person or entity authorized to receive legal documents and official notices for the company. Have the agent’s full legal name and a physical Texas street address (no P.O. Boxes) in hand before you start any formation document.
Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)
A business entity operating under a name different from its legal name files Form 503 with the Secretary of State. The fee is $25.9Texas Secretary of State. Assumed Name Certificate Form 503 The form asks for the assumed name, the entity’s legal name, its Secretary of State file number, the principal office address, the counties where business will be conducted under the assumed name, and the period of use, which cannot exceed ten years. Mail the completed form in duplicate to P.O. Box 13697, Austin, TX 78711-3697.
Sales Tax Permit and Resale Certificate
Any business that sells taxable goods or services in Texas needs a sales tax permit from the Comptroller. The online application requires your federal Employer Identification Number (or Social Security number for sole proprietors), the physical location where taxable transactions occur, and a NAICS code describing your business activity.10Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Texas Online Tax Registration Application Corporations must also supply the Secretary of State file number and Social Security numbers for each officer or director.11Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Texas Application for Sales Tax Permit
Form 01-339, the resale and exemption certificate, does not go to the Comptroller. You give it to your supplier to document that a purchase qualifies for resale or another exemption, and the supplier keeps it on file as proof.12Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Texas Sales and Use Tax Resale Certificate / Exemption Certification A seller who accepts the certificate in good faith is generally not liable for uncollected tax on the transaction, so accuracy matters for both sides.
Franchise Tax Report and Public Information Report
Texas does not impose a corporate income tax, but it does levy a franchise tax on most business entities. The annual report is due May 15 (or the next business day if that date falls on a weekend or holiday), and a $50 penalty applies to late filings. For the 2026 report year, entities at or below $2,650,000 in annualized total revenue owe no tax but still have to file.13Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Franchise Tax
Alongside the franchise tax report, every corporation and LLC organized in Texas or with nexus in the state must file Form 05-102, the Public Information Report. The PIR is required even when the entity falls below the no-tax-due threshold and owes nothing.14Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Texas Franchise Tax Public Information Report and Ownership Information Report File through Webfile or mail to Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, P.O. Box 149348, Austin, TX 78714-9348.
Skipping these reports is where businesses get into real trouble. An entity that fails to file can forfeit its right to transact business in Texas, lose the ability to sue or defend in Texas courts, and expose its officers, directors, or members to personal liability for certain debts of the entity.14Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Texas Franchise Tax Public Information Report and Ownership Information Report
Termination and Reinstatement
To formally dissolve a Texas entity, file Form 651, the certificate of termination, with the Secretary of State after winding up the entity’s affairs under Chapter 11 of the Texas Business Organizations Code. The fee is $40.15Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Instructions for Certificate of Termination of a Domestic Entity Before the Secretary of State will accept Form 651, you need a certificate of account status (Comptroller Form 05-305) showing that all state taxes are paid and the entity is in good standing for termination. That tax clearance must remain valid through the effective date of your Secretary of State filing. A terminating, converting, or merging entity also has to file a final franchise tax report and pay anything owed to the Comptroller in the year of the action.13Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Franchise Tax
If an entity has been forfeited for failing to file franchise tax reports, reinstatement runs through the Comptroller first and the Secretary of State second: file the overdue returns and PIRs, pay the tax, penalties, and interest, request a tax clearance letter using Form 05-391, and then submit the clearance letter (Form 05-377) along with the Secretary of State’s reinstatement forms and fees.16Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Reinstating or Terminating a Business
Statutory Durable Power of Attorney
Texas provides a statutory financial power of attorney form under Section 752.051 of the Estates Code. The principal grants an agent authority over categories of financial and property matters, such as real estate, banking, taxes, and digital assets, by initialing the categories granted (or a single line to grant all listed powers). The form offers two durability options, one effective immediately and one effective only on the principal’s disability or incapacity, and execution requires acknowledgment before a notary public.17State of Texas. Texas Estates Code EST 752.051 A power of attorney used for real property transactions will need to be recorded with the county clerk, so notarization is not optional in practice.
Employer New Hire Reporting
Texas employers must report newly hired and rehired employees within 20 calendar days of the date the employee starts earning wages. Reports go to the Attorney General’s office, most easily through the Employer Website at employer.oag.texas.gov.18Office of the Attorney General. New Hire Reporting A useful rule of thumb: if an employee has to fill out a W-4, that employee has to be reported. A first-time reporting employer should submit everyone hired in the prior 90 days.
Submitting Forms to the Secretary of State
Business filings reach the Secretary of State three ways: SOSUpload for electronically submitting a PDF of a signed document, SOSDirect for certain online transactions, and traditional mail.1Office of the Texas Secretary of State. SOSDirect – Online Searching and Filing When using SOSUpload, submit only the completed and signed document. Do not include duplicate copies, payment information, or personal identifying information in the upload.
For mail, send the completed form in duplicate with the filing fee to:
Secretary of State
P.O. Box 13697
Austin, TX 78711-369719Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Contact the Corporations Section
In-person delivery goes to the James Earl Rudder Office Building, 1019 Brazos, Austin, TX 78701.7Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Form 205 – Instructions for Certificate of Formation – Limited Liability Company
Fees are payable by personal check, money order, LegalEase debit card, or credit card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa). Credit card payments carry a 2.7 percent convenience fee.20Cornell Law Institute. 1 Texas Administrative Code 71.14 – Credit Card Payment Option Filing fees are non-refundable even if your document is rejected for errors, so review before you send.
Mailed documents generally take at least one business day after receipt to show as “Received” in the system, and total processing time runs from a few days to several weeks depending on volume.21Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Business Filings – Status
Information to Pull Together Before You File
A handful of items come up across most state filings. Having them ready saves a second trip through the form:
- Social Security number or Texas driver’s license number for individual applicants, and Social Security numbers for corporate officers and directors on tax-related forms.
- Federal EIN, required on nearly all business tax filings and many formation documents.10Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Texas Online Tax Registration Application
- Registered agent name and a physical Texas street address (no P.O. Boxes).8Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Registered Agents
- Both physical and mailing addresses. A mismatch with other state records can trigger processing delays.
- Secretary of State file number if the entity is already on file. Several forms, including the assumed name certificate and the sales tax permit application, require it.
What False or Inaccurate Filings Can Cost You
Knowingly making a false entry in a governmental record, or presenting a document you know to be false, is a Class A misdemeanor under Section 37.10 of the Texas Penal Code, and a state jail felony if the intent is to defraud or harm another person.22State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 37.10 – Tampering With Governmental Record The Texas Business Organizations Code carries a parallel provision for signing or directing the filing of a materially false document with the Secretary of State, with the same Class A misdemeanor baseline and state jail felony enhancement for intent to harm or defraud.15Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Instructions for Certificate of Termination of a Domestic Entity Accuracy on every form you file protects you from criminal exposure and from the slower, more common headache of filings bouncing back for correction.