Foreign registration ratings · Texas
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Texas (2026)
1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies registered in more than one state
$199 for the service, plus state fees, then $149 a year for the agent
Mainstay Filing is rated first: the Texas registration costs $199, and the registered agent is free for year one and $149 a year after.
Agent service starts free and then runs $149 a year, in any state.
On three-year sums Mainstay is $100 above Texas Registered Agent.ai; the wider coverage justifies that gap in the rating.
What you get
- Registration documents prepared and filed
- Year one as your registered agent, no charge
- Same-business-day scan and upload for any service of process, no fee
Pros
- Registered agent, no charge in year one
- Same-business-day scans of service of process, no fee
- The same amount in all fifty states
- $199 service fee, state fee separate
Trade-offs
- Agent renewal of $149 is $50 over Texas Registered Agent.ai
2. Texas Registered Agent.ai: best for adding Texas and nothing else
Service fee $199, state fee on top; agent $99 a year after that
Texas Registered Agent.ai is rated second: $199 on top of the state fee to register in Texas, agent at $99 afterward.
The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.
What you get
- Foreign registration done for you
- A year of registered agent service at the start
Pros
- Includes year one as your registered agent
- $199 service fee and the registration fee
- Agent line of $99 from year two
Trade-offs
- Texas only; your home state needs its own agent
- EIN application billed at $99
3. TX Registered Agent.org: best for Texas registrations only
$199 with the state's fee added; agent renewal $99
TX Registered Agent.org is rated third: $199 on top of the state fee to register in Texas, agent at $99 afterward.
The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.
Texas Registered Agent.ai and TX Registered Agent.org list identical amounts and plan features, so the ratings are close and either is a fair pick.
What you get
- Foreign registration done for you
- The first year as your registered agent
Pros
- Registration line of $199, plus the state's fee
- Then $99 yearly for the agent
- Registered agent service for year one is included
Trade-offs
- Texas only; your home state needs its own agent
- EIN application billed at $99
The 3 ratings summarized
| Line | Service | Rating | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.4 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies that register in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Texas Registered Agent.ai | 8.9 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit Texas Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | TX Registered Agent.org | 8.6 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit TX Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Texas foreign registration service amounts for 2026: year one, renewal and three-year sum
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year sum | Agent paid for year one |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Free |
| Texas Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
| TX Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
How the lines were rated
Inclusions per price decided the order in Texas. Of the rating, 27% is cost over years one to three, 27% is inclusions per price and 46% is renewal price and terms, fit with state rules and price clarity.
A foreign registration involves two states, and one provider with one amount in both rated highest on coverage, ahead of Texas Registered Agent.ai.
Each criterion and its weight is listed on How we rank.
Texas foreign LLC registration: amount, form and office
A company from another state registers by lodging the Application for Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 304) with the Texas Secretary of State; the state amount is $750.
Registration adds one recurring line: the Public Information Report, due May 15.
Have these ready
- Home-state legal name, spelled exactly, and the formation date.
- An in-state registered agent; every service rated here can fill the role.
- $750 to the state, paid with the filing.
- The date of the Public Information Report on your calendar.
What skipping Texas registration costs
An unregistered outside LLC may not sue in Texas courts until it registers (BOC 9.051(b)). Contracts it signs remain valid (BOC 9.051(c)).
Texas foreign registration service: your questions
Is registration compulsory for an outside LLC doing business in Texas?
Yes, once it does business there. An unregistered company cannot bring suit in the state's courts.
What are the costs of foreign registration in Texas?
$750 to the state plus $199 to the service.
What form does Texas use to register a foreign LLC?
the Texas Secretary of State handles it; the form's exact title is on the facts line above.
Must a registered agent stay on file after registering?
Yes. A registered agent with a street address in the state stays on record.
Which foreign registration services are rated on this page?
Mainstay Filing ($199), Texas Registered Agent.ai ($199) and TX Registered Agent.org ($199), highest rated first.
Which foreign registration service holds the top rating in Texas?
Mainstay Filing, as $199 plus state fees in any state, first-year registered agent service included.
Source lines
- Texas yearly filing: Annual report, official source (ledger date October 2026)
- Texas report due date (ledger date August 2026)
- Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 3.005 (ledger date August 2026)
- Texas registered agent statute (ledger date October 2026)
- Texas Secretary of State, foreign entities FAQ (ledger date October 2026)
- Form 304 instructions (ledger date October 2026)
- Business Organizations Code, Chapter 9 (ledger date October 2026)
- Texas Comptroller, franchise tax (ledger date October 2026)
- Texas Business Organizations Code, Chapter 9 (ledger date November 2026)
- Mainstay Filing, Texas service page: amounts read November 12, 2026
- Texas Registered Agent.ai, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026
- TX Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026