Texas Secretary of State expedited filing runs on a three-tier schedule under the Texas Express program: $50 per document for standard expedited processing, $500 for next-business-day service, and $750 for same-day service, each charged on top of the regular filing fee for the document you’re submitting.1Texas Secretary of State. Introducing Texas Express Expedited Business Filings The tier you pick controls how you’re allowed to submit the document, so the price and the delivery method are linked decisions.
The Three Expedited Tiers
Texas Express replaced the older flat-fee expedited service. Each tier is a per-document charge added to the standard filing fee:1Texas Secretary of State. Introducing Texas Express Expedited Business Filings
- Same-day service — $750 per document. Processed the same business day it’s received.
- Next-day service — $500 per document. Completed by the end of the following business day.
- Standard expedited — $50 per document. Moved ahead of the regular queue, typically within two to three business days.
The premium tiers add up quickly. Forming a standard LLC with same-day processing costs $750 in expedited fees plus the $300 base filing fee, totaling $1,050.2Texas Secretary of State. Filing Fees – SOSDirect Standard expedited gets the same LLC filed for $350 total, a couple of days later. Unless a closing, merger, or federal deadline actually falls inside that gap, standard expedited is usually the practical choice.
Two related requests use different pricing. Certified copies and certificates of status or existence carry a $10 expedited fee rather than the tiered rates. Preclearance, where the office reviews your instrument for errors before you formally submit it, costs $50.2Texas Secretary of State. Filing Fees – SOSDirect
How to Submit at Each Tier
The submission channel depends on the tier. Same-day and next-day both require in-person delivery. Standard expedited accepts mail, courier, or personal delivery.1Texas Secretary of State. Introducing Texas Express Expedited Business Filings Online submissions through SOSDirect and SOSUpload are also accepted for business entity filings.3Texas Secretary of State. Frequently Asked Questions
In Person
The office is temporarily located at 400 W. 15th Street, Austin, Texas 78701, while the James Earl Rudder Building is renovated. All public-facing business filing services are available at the temporary location.4Texas Secretary of State. Temporary Location Notice If you’re sending a courier or agent for same-day or next-day service, email TexasExpress@sos.texas.gov ahead of time so the office knows when to expect delivery.1Texas Secretary of State. Introducing Texas Express Expedited Business Filings
Mail or Courier
For standard expedited requests sent by mail or courier, include a cover letter with your email address and daytime phone number. The cover letter must specifically request expedited processing. Without that explicit request, the filing can land in the regular queue.1Texas Secretary of State. Introducing Texas Express Expedited Business Filings
Online
SOSDirect handles record searches and certain filings; SOSUpload is for submitting filing instruments electronically.5Texas Secretary of State. SOSDirect – Online Searching and Filing Payment through SOSDirect can be made using a pre-funded client account.
Fax Is No Longer Accepted
Fax delivery was eliminated as of September 15, 2025. The accepted methods are now SOSDirect, SOSUpload, in person, mail, and courier.3Texas Secretary of State. Frequently Asked Questions
Base Filing Fees You’ll Add the Expedited Charge To
The expedited fee is on top of the base filing fee, so total cost depends on both. Common base fees:2Texas Secretary of State. Filing Fees – SOSDirect
- Certificate of formation for an LLC, corporation, or similar entity: $300
- Certificate of formation for a professional association or limited partnership: $750
- Certificate of formation for a nonprofit corporation or cooperative association: $25
- Foreign entity registration (except nonprofits, LLPs, cooperatives, or credit unions): $750
- Foreign nonprofit, cooperative, or credit union registration: $25
- LLP registration or renewal: $200 per partner
- Certificate of existence or status: $15
- Certified copies: $1 per page plus $15 per certificate
What Qualifies for Texas Express
Texas Express covers business entity filings handled by the Corporations Section: certificates of formation for corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and professional associations, along with amendments, foreign entity registrations, mergers, conversions, and terminations.6Texas Secretary of State. Corporations Section
Not every filing the Secretary of State handles moves through the same expedited track. Uniform Commercial Code filings go through a separate division with its own timelines,7Texas Secretary of State. Uniform Commercial Code and trademark registrations follow a distinct path. For priority handling on either, contact those divisions directly.
Avoiding a Rejection After Paying for Speed
Once a filing clears, the Secretary of State issues confirmation to the submitter. Online submissions receive electronic notification with file-stamped documents; paper filings receive a response through the channel they came in on.
A document with errors or missing information gets a rejection notice, and a rejected filing drops out of the priority queue. You correct the errors and resubmit from scratch. The office confirms that credit cards and client accounts are not charged for rejected UCC documents,8Texas Secretary of State. Uniform Commercial Code Section Reasons for Refusal but confirm fee treatment for rejected business entity filings directly with the Corporations Section, particularly at the $500 and $750 tiers.
Preclearance exists to reduce that risk. For $50, the office reviews your instrument for errors before formal submission.2Texas Secretary of State. Filing Fees – SOSDirect When you’re already paying $750 for same-day processing, $50 of upfront review is cheap insurance.
Federal Deadlines That Usually Drive the Decision
Most people don’t pay for expedited service out of impatience. They pay because a downstream deadline depends on the state filing being complete.
Getting an EIN
The IRS wants your entity formed with the state before you apply for a federal Employer Identification Number, and applying before the state formation is on file can slow the EIN application.9Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number Your filing speed controls how quickly you can open a business bank account, hire employees, or set up tax accounts.
S-Corporation Election
Businesses electing S-corporation tax treatment must file IRS Form 2553 no later than two months and 15 days after the beginning of the tax year the election takes effect. For a new entity, that clock starts on the earliest of the date the corporation first had shareholders, first had assets, or first began doing business.10Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 2553 Slow state processing can push you past the window.
Beneficial Ownership Reporting for Foreign Entities
As of March 2025, domestic reporting companies are exempt from filing Beneficial Ownership Information reports with FinCEN. Foreign reporting companies still must file within 30 calendar days of the earlier of receiving actual notice of their registration or the registration appearing in a public registry.11Federal Register. Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Requirement Revision and Deadline Extension If you’re a foreign entity registering in Texas, the 30-day BOI clock may start the moment your record goes public, not when your confirmation arrives.