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Researched and written by the Launchwise Review editorial team
Launchwise Review

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

Launch guide · Texas · foreign registration

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Texas (2026)

Researched and written by the Launchwise Review editorial team
For a 2026 launch in Texas, Launchwise Review grades foreign registration services this way: Mainstay Filing ($199), TX Registered Agent.org ($199) and Texas Registered Agent.ai ($199). Mainstay Filing earns the top grade here: the Texas registration costs $199, the first registered agent year is free, and later years are $149.
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Top pick on this page

1. Mainstay Filing: best for founders working in several states

Service $199, state fee extra; the agent then costs $149 each year

Our mark 9.1 out of 10

Top grade, Mainstay Filing: $199 beyond the state's fee in whichever state you enter, with year-one registered agent service free.

When the free year is over, expect $149 a year for the agent anywhere.

It runs $100 above TX Registered Agent.org across three years; the extra paperwork it handles is worth that to us.

In the price

  • Your foreign registration, handled
  • Your registered agent free for the first year
  • Papers served on the company scanned and uploaded the same business day, no charge

Pros

  • One price in every state
  • $199 for the service, with the state fee added
  • Registered agent service is free the first year
  • Papers served on the company are scanned the same business day, free

Less good

  • The agent costs $149 a year after year one, $50 above TX Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Mainstay Filing launch review
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Best for a Texas-only company

2. TX Registered Agent.org: best for companies adding only Texas

$199 service charge and the state's fee; the agent runs $99 annually after year one

Our mark 8.7 out of 10

Next up is TX Registered Agent.org: $199 beyond the state fee gets the company into Texas, with the agent renewing at $99.

You get an in-state street address for the registered office, and any papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.

In the price

  • Registration prepared and filed
  • A first year as your registered agent

Pros

  • Keeps your agent for $99 yearly
  • Year-one registered agent duty is covered
  • $199 to register, plus the state fee

Less good

  • Texas only; the home state needs its own agent
  • EIN application costs extra ($99)
Visit TX Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the TX Registered Agent.org launch review
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Best value here

3. Texas Registered Agent.ai: best for Texas registrations only

Pay $199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent

Our mark 8.5 out of 10

Rounding out the list is Texas Registered Agent.ai: $199 beyond the state fee gets the company into Texas, with the agent renewing at $99.

You get an in-state street address for the registered office, and any papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.

Their posted prices and features match, so TX Registered Agent.org and Texas Registered Agent.ai grade as a near tie.

In the price

  • Registration prepared and filed
  • Year-one registered agent service

Pros

  • A $199 service price plus the registration fee
  • $99 each year for the agent from year two
  • Your first registered agent year comes at no cost

Less good

  • Texas only; the home state needs its own agent
  • EIN application costs extra ($99)
Visit Texas Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Texas Registered Agent.ai launch review

The 3 grades at a glance

Place Company Launch grade Service price Second year Best fit Go
1 Mainstay Filing 9.1 $199 $149/yr Founders opening a second state Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 TX Registered Agent.org 8.7 $199 $99/yr The lowest agent renewal on this page Visit TX Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Texas Registered Agent.ai 8.5 $199 $99/yr The lowest agent renewal on this page Visit Texas Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Launchwise Review assigns every grade out of 10 itself using the criteria on How we rank; no customer ratings go into it.

Texas foreign registration service cost in 2026: first year, renewals, three-year total

Company Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Three years, total Agent covered, year one
Mainstay Filing $199 $149 $149 $497 Free
TX Registered Agent.org $199 $99 $99 $397 Included
Texas Registered Agent.ai $199 $99 $99 $397 Included
Prices were copied from each company's own pages on November 12, 2026. Add Texas's $750 registration fee to any row; it is not in the totals.

The thinking behind the order

At Launchwise Review, cost to launch and stay and launch paperwork handled each count for 26% of a grade, and renewal behavior, state match and price transparency split the remaining 48%. In Texas, launch paperwork handled made the call.

Adding a second state means dealing with two states, and one provider at one price in both earned the stronger coverage grade, ahead of TX Registered Agent.org.

Every criterion and weight is listed on How we rank.

Opening in Texas as a foreign LLC: fee, form and office

Your registration goes to the Texas Secretary of State, on the Application for Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 304). Budget $750 for the state.

Calendar item for later: the Public Information Report, due May 15.

Before you file, get these together

  • Your company's exact legal name and the date it was formed at home.
  • A registered agent with a street address in the state; every company graded on this page can serve.
  • The $750 state fee, ready to pay with the filing.
  • A calendar reminder for the Public Information Report.

What skipping Texas registration can cost you

Without registration, an outside LLC cannot bring a lawsuit in Texas courts (BOC 9.051(b)). Contracts it signs remain valid (BOC 9.051(c)).

Quick answers about Texas foreign registration services

When does an LLC from elsewhere have to register in Texas?

Once it does business there. Until then it cannot bring a lawsuit in the state's courts.

What should I budget to bring an existing LLC into Texas?

The state fee is $750; add a service fee of $199.

Which form brings a foreign LLC into Texas?

Ask the Texas Secretary of State for the Application for Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 304).

Does the foreign LLC still need a registered agent?

Yes. Keep a registered agent with a street address in the state for as long as the company is registered there.

Which foreign registration services are graded on this page?

Mainstay Filing ($199), TX Registered Agent.org ($199) and Texas Registered Agent.ai ($199), top grade first.

Which service is the best way to register a foreign LLC in Texas?

Mainstay Filing, because $199 on top of the state fee, a free first year as registered agent and the same price in any state.

Related pages

Sources and dates

  1. Texas yearly filing: Annual report, official source, dated October 2026
  2. Texas report due date, dated August 2026
  3. Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 3.005, dated August 2026
  4. Texas registered agent statute, dated October 2026
  5. Texas Secretary of State, foreign entities FAQ, dated October 2026
  6. Form 304 instructions, dated October 2026
  7. Business Organizations Code, Chapter 9, dated October 2026
  8. Texas Comptroller, franchise tax, dated October 2026
  9. Texas Business Organizations Code, Chapter 9, dated November 2026
  10. From Mainstay Filing: Texas service page, copied November 12, 2026
  11. From TX Registered Agent.org: pricing and service pages, copied November 12, 2026
  12. From Texas Registered Agent.ai: pricing and service pages, copied November 12, 2026