The $300 state fee, the paperwork, the registered agent requirement — here's exactly what it costs, how long it takes, and the fastest legitimate path to an approved LLC.
Texas keeps this straightforward — get the order right and you're filed within days, not weeks.
Must include "LLC" or "L.L.C." — run it through SOSDirect first, since a taken name is the #1 reason filings bounce.
Non-negotiable under Texas law. Needs a real street address, staffed during business hours — no P.O. boxes.
Your Certificate of Formation, filed online or by mail with the $300 state fee. This is the step that makes it official.
Free straight from the IRS — you'll need it before a bank will let you open a business account.
Franchise Tax + Public Information Report, due every May 15 — miss it and Texas can forfeit your LLC.
Northwest handles all five steps above and includes your Texas registered agent free for year one.
Wrong entity designator, missing registered agent info, and name conflicts account for most bounced filings. Here's what changes with a formation service handling it.
| What matters | Filing it yourself | Using a formation service |
|---|---|---|
| Time spent | 3–5 hours of research + filing | ~10 minutes |
| Total cost | $300 state fee only | $300 state fee + service fee |
| Registered agent | Separate purchase, $100–$300/yr | Often included year one |
| Compliance reminders | You track manually | Automated deadline alerts |
| Rejection risk | Common on first attempt | Reviewed before submission |
Northwest handles the filing, includes your registered agent for the first year, and flags common Texas rejection triggers before you submit — no add-ons to track down separately.
Files your Certificate of Formation directly with the Texas Secretary of State, includes a Texas-address registered agent for the first year at no extra cost, and flags common rejection triggers before you submit.
"Filed on a Tuesday, approved by Thursday. Didn't expect the registered agent to already be set up when the confirmation came through."
"I tried filing myself first and got rejected over the entity name format. Second time, went through a service and it was fixed before submission."
"Didn't realize the Public Information Report was even a thing until the reminder email showed up in April. Would've missed it otherwise."
Northwest Registered Agent, $39 plus your $300 state fee, no long-term contract.