How To Get a Certificate of Authority in Texas
Learn how to get a Certificate of Authority in Texas. Step-by-step guide covering the application form, filing fees, registered agent requirements, and processing times for foreign entities.
Bizee Editorial Staff
Editorial Team
Introduction
To get a Certificate of Authority in Texas, you file an Application for Registration with the Texas Secretary of State, pay the required state fee, and designate a registered agent with a physical Texas address. The process takes 5–7 business days for standard processing, or about 2 business days with expedited service.
What you need before you file
Before you submit your Application for Registration, you need 3 things in place: confirmation that your business name is available in Texas, a certificate of good standing from your home state, and a registered agent with a physical Texas address. Getting these ready before you open the form saves time and reduces the chance of rejection.
Name availability in Texas
Your business name must be distinguishable from other registered names in Texas. Check availability through SOSDirect, the Texas Secretary of State's online search system. A name search costs $1 per search and the system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If your name is already taken, you'll need to register under an alternate name that meets Texas naming rules.
Certificate of good standing from your home state
Texas requires proof that your business is validly formed and in good standing in its home state. Order a certificate of good standing — sometimes called a certificate of existence or certificate of status — from the filing office in the state where your business was originally formed. This document confirms your entity is active and not in default on required reports or fees.
A registered agent with a Texas address
Every foreign entity registering in Texas must designate a registered agent with a physical street address in Texas — not a P.O. box. The registered agent receives service of process and official state notices on your behalf. Your agent can be an individual Texas resident, a Texas-based employee or officer of your business, or a commercial registered agent service authorized to do business in Texas. Your business cannot serve as its own registered agent.
How to file your Application for Registration
The Texas Secretary of State uses entity-specific forms for foreign registrations. The form you need depends on your business type: Form 304 for foreign LLCs, Form 301 for foreign for-profit corporations, Form 302 for foreign nonprofit corporations, Form 303 for foreign professional corporations, Form 306 for foreign limited partnerships, and Form 307 for foreign LLPs. All forms are available at the Texas Secretary of State's forms page.
Every form asks for the same core information: your entity's exact legal name as it appears in your home state, your jurisdiction and date of formation, your principal office address, and the name and Texas street address of your registered agent. If your business name isn't available in Texas, you'll also need to provide an alternate name on the form. Errors or missing information are the most common reason applications get rejected — read through the form carefully before submitting.
How to submit your application
Texas accepts applications through 4 channels. Online filing through SOSDirect is the fastest option and available for most foreign entity types. You can also file by mail, in person, or by fax.
- Online: SOSDirect at sos.state.tx.us — available 24/7 for most entity types
- Mail: Secretary of State, P.O. Box 13697, Austin, Texas 78711-3697
- In person or courier: James Earl Rudder Office Building, 1019 Brazos, Austin, Texas 78701
- Fax: check the Texas Secretary of State website for the current fax number
If you're sending documents by courier or FedEx, use the physical delivery address — not the P.O. box. Credit card payments through SOSDirect carry a 2.7% convenience fee on top of the base filing fee.
Filing fees and processing times
The state fee for a foreign for-profit LLC or corporation is $750. Foreign nonprofit corporations pay $15. Other entity types have their own fee amounts set by the Secretary of State's fee schedule — check the current schedule before filing, since fees can change.
Standard processing takes 5–7 business days. Expedited processing is available for an additional fee and typically cuts the turnaround to about 2 business days. If your timeline is tight, the expedited option is worth it — waiting a week to find out your application had an error can push your Texas launch back significantly.
Once your application is approved, you can order a certified copy of your registration or a certificate of fact confirming your entity's status through SOSDirect, by email at [email protected], or by mail to the Secretary of State's Certifying Team at P.O. Box 13697, Austin, Texas 78711-3697.
FAQ
A Certificate of Authority — officially called an Application for Registration in Texas — is the document that gives an out-of-state business legal permission to operate in Texas. It lets your foreign LLC or corporation work with vendors, lease property, open bank accounts, and get the licenses Texas requires. Without it, your business isn't authorized to transact business in the state.
No. A Certificate of Authority is issued by the Texas Secretary of State and authorizes your out-of-state business to operate in Texas. An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is issued by the IRS and identifies your business for federal tax purposes. They serve different functions and you may need both — but getting one does not get you the other.
Standard processing takes 5–7 business days. Expedited processing is available for an additional fee and generally takes about 2 business days. Online filing through SOSDirect is the fastest submission method. If your application has errors or missing information, it will be rejected and you'll need to refile — which resets the clock.
It depends on your entity type. Foreign LLCs use Form 304. Foreign for-profit corporations use Form 301. Foreign nonprofit corporations use Form 302. Foreign professional corporations use Form 303. Foreign limited partnerships use Form 306. Foreign LLPs use Form 307. All forms are available on the Texas Secretary of State's business organization forms page.
Texas requires 4 things: a business name that's available and compliant under Texas naming rules, a certificate of good standing from your home state, a designated registered agent with a physical Texas street address, and a completed entity-specific Application for Registration form with the correct state fee. Missing any of these will result in rejection.
Yes. You can file your Application for Registration online through SOSDirect, the Texas Secretary of State's online filing system. Online filing is available for most foreign entity types and is the fastest submission method. You can also file by mail, in person at the Rudder Office Building in Austin, or by fax. Credit card payments through SOSDirect carry a 2.7% convenience fee.
Yes. Texas law requires every foreign entity registering in the state to designate a registered agent with a physical street address in Texas — not a P.O. box. Your registered agent receives legal notices and service of process on your business's behalf. You must maintain a registered agent in Texas for as long as your business is registered there.
