Checklist for Starting an LLC in Texas


A Texas limited liability company (LLC) offers the benefits of limited liability protection and tax options. We’re here to help you get started in just 5 steps with this Checklist for Starting an LLC in Texas.

Recommended: Start your LLC with Northwest for $29 (plus state fees).

Or, use our guide to help ensure that you have everything you need to start your Texas LLC:

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Texas LLC Formation Checklist

Launching an LLC for your small business but not sure where to begin? Just follow these 5 steps on our LLC checklist:  

  1. Naming Your Texas LLC
  2. Choosing a Registered Agent
  3. Filing Formation Documents with the State of Texas
  4. Drafting an LLC Operating Agreement
  5. Getting an EIN

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Step 1: Name Your LLC

Your business’s name is one of the first — and arguably most important — decisions you make when forming an LLC in Texas. When selecting the name for your LLC, there are a few things to keep in mind: 

  • Your state’s naming requirements 
  • Whether the name is available in Texas
  • Whether there is a matching domain name (URL) available

Naming Requirements

Each state has its own requirements for naming a business entity.

Texas LLC Naming Rules:

  • Your name must include the phrase “limited liability company” or one of the following abbreviations: “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” “Limited,” “Ltd.,” “Company,” or “Co.”
  • Your name cannot include words that could confuse your LLC with a government agency (e.g., FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.).
  • Restricted words (e.g., Bank, Attorney, University, etc.) may require additional paperwork and a licensed individual, such as a doctor or lawyer, to be part of your LLC.
  • Visit the state of Texas naming site for a complete list of naming rules.

Name Availability

The first step in naming your LLC is to make sure it is available. In Texas, your business name must be unique for you to use it. To make sure your business name meets this requirement, use our Texas LLC Name Search guide to confirm the availability of your chosen LLC name.

Domain Name Availability

Before you decide on a business name, it is important that you check if the matching web domain name is available.

Find a Domain Now

Need Help Naming Your Business?

Fortunately, choosing a business name for an LLC is super easy with the help of our free business name generator. Simply include a keyword and industry to explore potential business names with available domain names at no cost to you. 

For more help, visit our How to Name a Business in Texas guide.

Step 2: Choose a Registered Agent

A registered agent is responsible for accepting legal and tax documents on behalf of your business. Your Texas registered agent can be an individual or a business entity (such as a professional service). You can also be your own registered agent

If you’re not sure about serving as your own registered agent, you might consider hiring a registered agent service. Using a registered agent service ensures that your business never misses important mail or falls behind in legal obligations, while also maintaining your privacy.

Form an LLC and get free registered agent service for the first year with Northwest.

Step 3: File Formation Documents

To officially start a Texas LLC, you need to file the Articles of Organization with the state. You can form an LLC on your own or with the help of an LLC formation service.

You'll need to file Form 205 - Certificate of Formation with the Texas Secretary of State online, by mail, or in person, along with a nonrefundable $300 filing fee.

For help with completing Form 205, visit our Texas Articles of Organization guide.

Recommended: Check out our Best LLC Services review to learn more about choosing the right service to form your LLC.

Step 4: Draft an LLC Operating Agreement

Now that you’ve officially formed your LLC, the next step is to draft an LLC operating agreement, which Texas refers to as a company agreement.

An LLC operating agreement outlines the ownership and membership duties of your LLC. In essence, this document allows the business owner(s) to clearly define both the financial and working relationships between each business owner or “members” as well as the members and managers.

This makes managing your business not only easier but also more streamlined, thanks to a solidified set of rules that inform voting rights, ownership stakes, and more.

How to Draft an LLC Operating Agreement

Here’s the good news, drafting an LLC Operating Agreement is easy and free using our free operating agreement tool or by downloading this free operating agreement template. If you’d prefer to create your own operating agreement instead, here are the six articles you can generally expect to cover: 

  • Organization 
  • Management and voting
  • Capital contributions
  • Distributions
  • Changes to the membership structure
  • Dissolution

To learn more about drafting your LLC operating agreement, visit our full guide on How to File a Texas LLC Operating Agreement.

Step 5: Get an EIN

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is like a Social Security number for your LLC. Besides allowing the IRS to identify your business for tax reporting, an EIN allows you to get a bank account for your LLC. If you’re not sure if you need an EIN for your business, here are some circumstances that require LLCs to obtain an EIN. 

Your LLC is required to get an EIN if: 

  • Your LLC has employees 
  • Your LLC files excise tax 
  • Your LLC withholds taxes for nonwage income paid to a nonresident alien

The benefits of having an EIN outweigh the disadvantages and most banks require LLCs to have an EIN to open a checking account. Not to mention, it is free and easy to file for an EIN using the IRS website.

After You've Formed Your LLC

Your Texas LLC is official, and you’ve completed the LLC checklist; now what? There are plenty of important tasks you need to complete even after forming your LLC, from obtaining the right permits to developing a strong web presence.

There are some of the most important things you need to do after forming your LLC:

Open a Business Bank Account and Credit Card

Opening a business bank account and getting a business credit card before you start operating is one of the most important things to do to maintain your LLC’s liability protection — also known as its corporate veil.

Limited liability protection means that the personal assets of the owner are not in danger if the business is sued or goes into debt. This is one of the biggest benefits of forming an LLC.

The easiest way to lose personal liability protection is to mix your personal financial accounts with the business.

Hire an Accountant

You might be thinking about doing your own accounting and avoiding hiring a professional to save some money. While this might be possible (especially with the help of accounting software), hiring an accountant is likely to save you money in the long run — not to mention help you avoid potential legal troubles.

Some of the advantages of hiring an accountant for your LLC include:

  • Prevents the business from overpaying on taxes and helps it avoid penalties and fines
  • Gives you more time to focus on your growing business instead of doing accounting and bookkeeping
  • Can discover areas of unforeseen loss or extra profit

Take advantage of a free tax consultation with our trusted partners.

Research and Register for Business Licenses

Getting the right Texas business licenses and permits is one of the most important things to do after forming an LLC.

This can sometimes be an intimidating step, as the business license and permit requirements vary considerably from state to state and even between counties and cities. Different types of businesses may also have different licensing requirements, like seller's permits.

There are three main licensing jurisdictions: federal, state, and local.

To find out which business licenses you might need and how to get them, check out our How to Get a Business License state guides.

Get Business Insurance

Every LLC should have some type (or types) of business insurance.

At a minimum, your LLC should have general liability insurance, which is a broad insurance policy that protects your business from lawsuits. 

Before you decide on which business insurance to get for your LLC, check out our review of the Best Small Business Insurance Companies.

Establish Your Web Presence

All businesses should have an internet presence. This includes having:

  • A website
  • Social media accounts
  • A YouTube channel

The style of your website could vary greatly depending on the type of business you have as well as your own personal preferences.

If you don’t feel comfortable making your own website, there are a lot of tools and website builders that can help you create your own business website.

Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

How to Start an LLC

Forming an LLC is easy. There are two options for forming your LLC. You can use one of the Best LLC Services for a very low fee or use our free form an LLC guides.

Recommended: Use our free Texas LLC guide to Start an LLC in Texas yourself.

Texas LLC Checklist FAQ

How long does it take to get an LLC in Texas?

The average time it takes to process LLC formation documents in Texas is three business days if filed online or five to seven if filed by mail. However, you can expedite your filing to same-day processing for a fee of $25 per document.

What are the requirements for an LLC in Texas?

To form an LLC, you need to file a Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State online, by mail, by fax, or in person, along with a $300 filing fee. Learn more about how to form an LLC in Texas by visiting our full Texas LLC guide.

How much does an LLC cost per year in Texas?

In the state of Texas, LLCs are required to submit an annual franchise tax report. There is no filing fee to complete this requirement, but you may owe a franchise tax. Late filings are subject to a $50 fine and potential dissolution of their business.

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Texas?

If you are filing Texas LLC formation documents yourself, you will only need to pay the $300 filing fee. If you choose to hire an LLC formation service to complete your filing, you’ll be charged an additional fee.

What do you need to start a business?

To start a business, you’ll need a few things such as:  

  • A business idea 
  • A business name 
  • A business plan
  • A business structure
  • Funding 
  • Licensing and permits 
  • Business insurance 

In addition to this, you need to satisfy any state or federal requirements as well as any requirements unique to your business. For a more in-depth guide to starting a business, visit our How to Start a Business in Texas guide.

How do you set up your own LLC?

Starting an LLC on your own is simply done by submitting completed formation documents such as Articles of Organization to appropriate government agencies for your state (typically, the Office of the Secretary of State). This filing can usually be done online or by mail, depending on the state you’re located in. 

To ensure you don’t miss any important information when forming your own LLC, visit our guide on How to Form an LLC in Texas and select your state from the dropdown.

Do LLCs pay taxes in Texas?

Yes, LLCs pay taxes in Texas. LLCs are, by default, considered disregarded entities, which means they are subject to pass-through taxation. Unlike other business structures, this means that with an LLC, you avoid double taxation. LLCs in Texas are subject to sales tax, franchise tax, and employer taxes. 

To learn more about LLC taxation, visit our LLC tax guide.

Can I be my own registered agent in Texas?

Yes, Texas does allow you to be your own registered agent. However, before you decide to act as your own registered agent, there are a few things you need to consider: 

  • You’ll have to maintain normal (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) business hours at the address you provide.
  • If you run your business from home, you’ll be required to make your personal address public.
  • You must keep up on important notices, dates, and deadlines.
  • You could be served in front of your family or coworkers.

Check our Texas registered agent guide for more details.

What is better: a DBA or LLC?

Unlike an LLC, a “doing business as” (DBA) name is not a business structure. Therefore, it is difficult to compare DBA vs. LLC. Generally, however, we recommend forming an LLC for your business. If you choose to form as a sole proprietorship or would like to operate under a different business name than the one you have registered, filing a DBA is a great option.

Does a single member LLC need to file a Texas franchise tax return?

Yes, all limited liability companies in Texas must file a franchise tax return. For more information on annual filing requirements, visit our How to Form an LLC in Texas guide’s section on staying compliant.