Form Your Texas LLC
in 9 Simple Steps
The step-by-step interactive guide that walks you through everything — from choosing your name to staying compliant. No lawyer needed.
Steps 1-2 free · Full guide $19
What will my Texas LLC cost?
State filing fee: $300 · EIN: Free
Your estimated startup cost
$300
vs. $199–$299 in service fees plus the $300 state fee with a filing company.
Your Personal Roadmap
Track every step from idea to filed LLC.
Log in and get a personal dashboard showing exactly where you are in the process — with 35 interactive checkpoints across 10 chapters, auto-saved progress on any device, and a printable checklist you can share with your bank or accountant.
- Progress auto-syncs across your phone, tablet, and desktop
- Cost estimator adds up filing + agent + license fees for you
- Downloadable completion certificate when you finish
Overall Progress
11 of 35 done
31%
Prerequisites — Address & Phone
2/2
Choose a Unique LLC Name
5/5
Appoint a Registered Agent
3/3
File Certificate of Formation
1/4
Create an Operating Agreement
0/3
Before you file
Is an LLC right for me?
Texas has no personal income tax, so the choice comes down to liability protection and how much paperwork you want. Here's the honest comparison.
Sole Proprietorship
Just start selling — you and the business are the same thing.
$0 to start
Optional $25 DBA filing with your county
- Personal liability protection
Your house, car and savings are on the line
- Texas state filingNone
No Certificate of Formation
- Ongoing paperworkMinimal
No franchise tax report
- TaxesSchedule C
All profit hit with 15.3% self-employment tax
- Looks credible to banks & clients
Best for: Testing an idea with little risk and no employees
Texas LLC
A separate legal entity that shields your personal assets.
$300 one-time
State filing fee · no annual report fee in Texas
- Personal liability protection
Business debts stay with the business
- Texas state filingForm 205
Certificate of Formation via SOSDirect
- Ongoing paperworkLight
Annual franchise tax report (usually $0 owed)
- TaxesPass-through
Same as sole prop by default — no double tax
- Looks credible to banks & clients
Best for: Almost every freelancer, contractor, online or local business in Texas
LLC + S-Corp election
Same LLC, different tax treatment — file IRS Form 2553 later.
$300 + payroll
Election is free; expect $500–$1,500/yr for payroll & tax prep
- Personal liability protection
Identical to a regular LLC
- Texas state filingSame LLC
Nothing extra with the state
- Ongoing paperworkHeavier
Payroll, W-2 for yourself, Form 1120-S
- TaxesSalary + distributions
Can save on self-employment tax above ~$60k profit
- Looks credible to banks & clients
Best for: Established LLCs netting $60k+ per year — you can elect it any time
Rule of thumb: if you'll sign contracts, take payments or have any chance of being sued, form the LLC. You can add the S-Corp election later once profit justifies payroll — the guide shows you where that decision point is.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm your situation with a Texas CPA or attorney.
What's Inside
9 actionable chapters with checklists, pro tips, and direct links to every resource you need.
Choose a Unique LLC Name
FREEAppoint a Registered Agent
FREEFile Certificate of Formation
Create an Operating Agreement
Get an EIN from the IRS
Open a Business Bank Account
Understand Texas Franchise Tax
Get Licenses and Permits
Stay Compliant Annually
Built for Action
Not just information — interactive tools to keep you on track.
Progress Tracking
Check off tasks as you go. Your progress is saved automatically.
Interactive Cost Estimator
Calculate your exact startup costs with our dynamic calculator.
Step-by-Step Locking
Complete each step before moving on. No skipping, no confusion.
Bookmarks & Notes
Save important chapters and add personal annotations.
Completion Certificate
Get a branded PDF certificate when you finish all 9 steps.
Dark Mode
Easy on the eyes. Read comfortably day or night.
Free download
Get the Texas LLC Startup Checklist — free.
The printable 2-page checklist we hand to every founder: every task from picking your name to filing your first franchise tax report, in order. Drop your email and it's yours in seconds.
- 43 checkboxes across all 9 steps
- Print it or check it off on your phone
- Official fees & agencies at a glance
Texas LLC Startup Checklist
PDF · 2 pages · 9 steps
Why Texas LLC Guide
A no-brainer next to the alternatives.
Same outcome. A fraction of the cost — and built specifically for Texas.
| DIY Alone | Attorney | Texas LLC Guide | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Cost | $0 (research only) | $800 – $2,000+ | $19 one-time |
| Time to Complete | 10+ hrs research | 2 – 4 weeks | ~2 hours guided |
| Texas-Specific Guidance | Scattered online | Yes | 100% Texas-only |
| Keeps 100% of Fees | Yes | No — hourly | Yes — flat $19 |
| Interactive Checklist | No | No | Yes — 35 checkpoints |
| Progress Saved to Cloud | No | No | Yes — any device |
| Lifetime Access | N/A | One-time filing | Yes — forever |
DIY Alone
- Total Cost
- $0 (research only)
- Time to Complete
- 10+ hrs research
- Texas-Specific Guidance
- Scattered online
- Keeps 100% of Fees
- Yes
- Interactive Checklist
- No
- Progress Saved to Cloud
- No
- Lifetime Access
- N/A
Attorney
- Total Cost
- $800 – $2,000+
- Time to Complete
- 2 – 4 weeks
- Texas-Specific Guidance
- Yes
- Keeps 100% of Fees
- No — hourly
- Interactive Checklist
- No
- Progress Saved to Cloud
- No
- Lifetime Access
- One-time filing
Texas LLC Guide
- Total Cost
- $19 one-time
- Time to Complete
- ~2 hours guided
- Texas-Specific Guidance
- 100% Texas-only
- Keeps 100% of Fees
- Yes — flat $19
- Interactive Checklist
- Yes — 35 checkpoints
- Progress Saved to Cloud
- Yes — any device
- Lifetime Access
- Yes — forever
What Others Are Saying
“This guide made the whole process way less intimidating. I had my LLC formed in under a week just following the steps.”
Marcus J.
E-commerce Founder
“I saved hundreds of dollars by doing it myself instead of hiring a service. The checklist kept me on track and the cost estimator was super helpful.”
Sarah T.
Freelance Designer
“Clear, no-fluff instructions. The pro tips alone saved me from making costly mistakes with my registered agent and operating agreement.”
David R.
Real Estate Investor
B. Lewis
Founder, Lewis Expert Enterprise
Texas, USA
Meet the Founder
I built the guide I wish I'd had when I formed my first Texas LLC.
When I formed my first LLC, I nearly paid a filing service hundreds of dollars for paperwork the State of Texas lets you file yourself in an afternoon. The information was out there — it was just scattered across a dozen government sites, forums, and upsell-heavy blogs.
So I wrote everything down: every form, every fee, every deadline, in the order you actually need it. That checklist became this guide. It's Texas-only on purpose, and it's built so a first-time founder can go from idea to a filed, compliant LLC without a lawyer.
I run this independently, and I personally read every email. If something in the guide is unclear, tell me — I'll fix it for you and for the next founder.
100+
Texas founders guided
35
Checkpoints, start to finish
<24h
Personal email reply time
Choose Your Package
Start free. Upgrade when you're ready.
Free Preview
$0
forever
Try the first 3 chapters before you buy.
- Step 0 prerequisites + Steps 1–2
- Progress tracking & bookmarks
- Cloud-synced account
- Steps 3–9 locked
Full Guide
$19
one-time
Everything you need to form your Texas LLC yourself.
- All 9 steps + prerequisites unlocked
- Interactive cost estimator
- 35 checkpoint checklist + notes
- Downloadable completion certificate
- Lifetime access & updates
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Not helpful? Email us within 30 days for a full refund. No questions asked.
Done-For-You
$199
one-time
We handle the filing. You stay focused on your business.
- Everything in the Full Guide
- Certificate of Formation filed for you
- Custom Operating Agreement
- EIN application handled
- 1-on-1 concierge over email
All prices in USD · State filing fee ($300) is paid directly to the Texas Secretary of State · No monthly subscriptions, ever · Full Guide backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Compare packages, feature by feature
Everything that's in each option — no surprises.
Show tableHide table
Compare packages, feature by feature
Everything that's in each option — no surprises.
| Feature | Free $0 | Full Guide $19 | Done-for-you $199 + state fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step 0–2: prerequisites, name, registered agent | |||
| Steps 3–9: filing, operating agreement, EIN, bank, franchise tax, licenses, compliance | |||
| Interactive checklists & saved progress | |||
| Startup cost estimator | Preview | ||
| AI assistant (answers from the guide) | Steps 0–2 only | ||
| Official links, fees & pro tips for every step | Steps 0–2 | ||
| Printable checklist + PDF progress report | |||
| Completion certificate (LinkedIn-ready) | |||
| We file your Certificate of Formation for you | |||
| Operating agreement drafted for you | Add-on $50 | ||
| 1 year registered agent service | Add-on $75 | ||
| EIN obtained for you | Free DIY walkthrough | ||
| Personal email support (24h) | Priority | ||
| 30-day money-back guarantee | — | ||
| Lifetime access, no subscription | |||
Popular add-ons
Do it yourself — or hand off the parts you don't want to.
Every add-on is optional, one-time or yearly, and available from inside your guide. No subscriptions sneak in.
Registered Agent Service
We act as your Texas registered agent — a real Texas street address on public record instead of your home, with mail forwarding.
Best if you work from home or move often
Operating Agreement Drafting
A custom operating agreement for your single- or multi-member LLC, written for Texas and delivered in 3 business days.
Best for LLCs with partners or investors
Done-for-you Formation
We prepare and file your Certificate of Formation, obtain your EIN, draft your agreement and include a year of registered agent.
Best if you'd rather not touch the paperwork
Real Help From a Real Person
Questions? I'll personally answer.
Reply directly to info@texasllcguide.llc — I read every message and respond within 24 hours. No support tickets, no chatbots, no offshore call centers. Just a founder helping another founder.
FAQ
Common questions, answered.
Everything most Texas founders ask before they get started.
If you file online through SOSDirect, processing typically takes 2-5 business days. Filing by mail takes longer. The entire process from start to finish (choosing a name, filing, getting an EIN, etc.) can be done in 1-2 weeks if you stay focused.
Ready to Start Your LLC?
Join hundreds of Texas entrepreneurs who've used this guide to launch their businesses.
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