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Plain CharterLLC questions, short answers.

Short answers · Texas

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Texas (2026), Plainly Answered

Our 2026 answer for Texas: Mainstay Filing ($199), Texas Registered Agent.ai ($199) and TX Registered Agent.org ($199), best first. Every option pays Texas's $750; three years of service run $397 to $497.

By the Plain Charter editorial team ·

The short answer

State fee to register
$750
Good standing needed?
None asked
After registering
Free, Public Information Report
Who to hire
Mainstay Filing, Texas Registered Agent.ai then TX Registered Agent.org

Our Texas list

Ranked by how we choose: three-year cost first, then what the price covers.
1We'd start here

1. Mainstay Filing: best for one price in any state

$199 plus the $750 state fee; renewal $149

Mainstay Filing is the one we'd hire first in Texas, because its $199 fee is the same in any state, with year one of registered agent service included.

It costs $100 more than Texas Registered Agent.ai over three years; the difference buys one provider in every state.

There is no registered agent charge in year one; $149 a year follows.

The price covers

  • The registration filing
  • Registered agent, first year free
  • Available in all fifty states

Upsides

  • First agent year free
  • All fifty states
  • $199 over the state fee

What to weigh

  • Higher agent renewal ($149)
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Texas specialist

2. Texas Registered Agent.ai: best for a budget registration

$199 plus the $750 state fee; renewal $99

Our number 2 is Texas Registered Agent.ai, since it charges $199 plus the state fee, agent included for year one, then $99 a year.

The price covers

  • Registration, filed
  • Year-one agent

Upsides

  • Agent renews at $99
  • No agent fee in year one
  • Registers for $199

What to weigh

  • A second provider for the home state
Visit Texas Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Texas specialist

3. TX Registered Agent.org: best for another local option

$199 plus the $750 state fee; renewal $99

Our number 3 is TX Registered Agent.org, since it charges $199 plus the state fee, agent included for year one, then $99 a year.

Price for price it ties Texas Registered Agent.ai.

The price covers

  • Registration, filed
  • Year-one agent

Upsides

  • Registers for $199
  • No agent fee in year one
  • Agent renews at $99

What to weigh

  • A second provider for the home state
Visit TX Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Compare at a glance

#ProviderFirst yearRenewalBy year threeCovers
1Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497the registration filing; registered agent, first year free; available in all fifty statesVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Texas Registered Agent.ai$199$99/yr$397Registration, filed; Year-one agentVisit Texas Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3TX Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Registration, filed; Year-one agentVisit TX Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Each company's published prices, November 12, 2026. State fees come on top and do not change by pick.

Questions, answered plainly

Who has to register here?

If an LLC formed in another state does business in Texas, it registers first.

Without it: it loses access to the state's courts as a plaintiff (BOC 9.051(b)).

comptroller.texas.gov, confirmed October 2026

What are the fees?

Budget $750 for the state and $199 for a service.

Over three years the state's fees reach $750, counting any recurring report. sos.state.tx.us, confirmed October 2026

Which form, and where does it go?

The Texas Secretary of State accepts the Application for Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 304) from LLCs formed elsewhere.

You do not attach a certificate from the home state.

Any ongoing fees?

You keep filing the Public Information Report (no fee).

Deadline: May 15.

What put the first pick first?

Mainstay Filing leads on what the price takes off your plate, which weighs 30% in our order.

The two biggest criteria are three-year cost and what the price takes off your plate, at 35% and 30%.

With two states in play, a provider for every state made the difference over Texas Registered Agent.ai.

Read our criteria

Texas requirements checklist

ItemAnswerFrom
Application fee$750sos.state.tx.us, confirmed October 2026
Home-state documentNone askedcomptroller.texas.gov, confirmed October 2026
State fees, first three years$750Sum of the rows
Every amount links to its official source. The three-year line is our own sum of filing, reports and any minimum tax.

A few more questions

Does the home state still need an agent?

Usually, yes. One national provider can serve both; a local one cannot.

Over three years, what does each charge?

Mainstay Filing $497, Texas Registered Agent.ai $397 and TX Registered Agent.org $397 in service fees.

What sources do you use?

Texas's own publications for the state side, published company prices for the rest.

Must I hire anyone?

No. The state accepts filings from owners; a service saves time and handles the agent role.

Will these services file it?

Each of our picks prepares and files it; the state fee stays the same.

What is the best foreign registration service for Texas?

Mainstay Filing first: it costs $199 plus Texas's fee, with a free first year of registered agent service and $149 a year after. Texas Registered Agent.ai and TX Registered Agent.org follow.

Where these answers come from

  1. Texas yearly filing: Annual report: comptroller.texas.gov (October 2026)
  2. Texas report due date: statutes.capitol.texas.gov (August 2026)
  3. Tex: sos.texas.gov (August 2026)
  4. Texas registered agent statute: sos.texas.gov (October 2026)
  5. Texas Secretary of State, foreign: sos.state.tx.us (October 2026)
  6. Form 304 instructions: sos.state.tx.us (October 2026)
  7. Business Organizations Code, Chapter 9: statutes.capitol.texas.gov (October 2026)
  8. Texas Comptroller, franchise tax: comptroller.texas.gov (October 2026)
  9. Texas Business Organizations Code, Chapter: tcss.legis.texas.gov (November 2026)
  10. Prices from the Mainstay Filing Texas service page on November 12, 2026
  11. Prices from the Texas Registered Agent.ai pricing page on November 12, 2026
  12. Prices from the TX Registered Agent.org pricing page on November 12, 2026