Texas LLC Certificate of Formation Fee: $300, Confirmed Official

How and Where to Pay It

The $300 goes directly to the Texas Secretary of State — not to any third party — through one of two official channels:

• Online, through SOSDirect: file Form 205 and pay by credit card or SOSDirect account.
• By mail: submit the paper Form 205 with a check or money order made out to the Texas Secretary of State.

There is no separate "processing fee" or second state charge layered on top of the $300 for a standard filing. The only additions are the optional services below (name reservation, certified copies, expedited processing) — and none of those are required to form your LLC.

Why Some Websites Show a Different Price

If you've seen a formation website advertise a total that isn't $300 — sometimes higher, sometimes advertised as "$0 + state fees" — here's what's actually happening:

• Above $300: the extra amount is that company's own fee for preparing and submitting the paperwork for you. It never changes the $300 the state itself collects.
• "$0 + state fees": the company is waiving its own service charge and passing through only the state's $300 — you still owe the $300 to Texas either way.

Filing Form 205 yourself, directly through SOSDirect or by mail, means you pay exactly $300 and nothing else — the same $300 a paid service passes through, minus their markup.

Related Fees You Might Also See

None of these are required to form your LLC — they're optional extras some owners choose, also confirmed on the Secretary of State's fee schedule read September 15, 2026:

None of these are billed automatically — you'd only see one on your receipt if you specifically request that service when you file.

Expedited Processing Options

Standard processing time for the Certificate of Formation isn't fixed by statute — it depends on the Secretary of State's current filing volume. If you need it faster, the office's Texas Express program offers three paid tiers, added on top of the $300 filing fee (confirmed on the Secretary of State's expedited filing page, read September 15, 2026):

• Standard Expedited — $50 per document: processed ahead of regular submissions, typically within 2-3 business days.
• Next-Day — $500 per document: filings received by 12:00 p.m. are processed by close of business the next business day.
• Same-Day — $750 per document: filings received by 12:00 p.m. are processed by close of business that same day.

All three are optional. Most LLC owners who aren't in a rush pay only the base $300.

What Happens After You File

Once the Secretary of State approves your Certificate of Formation, your LLC legally exists. You'll receive a filed, stamped copy back from the state as your proof of formation.

From there, two things come up next for most Texas LLCs:

• Confirming your registered agent is set up correctly, since that's who receives official notices at the address on file.
• Marking your calendar for the Public Information Report — it's free, but it's still a required annual filing.

For the full cost picture beyond the initial $300 — franchise tax, the Public Information Report, and what Texas doesn't charge — see our Texas LLC taxes & fees breakdown.