A Texas registered agent is a person or business that receives legal mail and documents on behalf of a business entity. They’re also tasked with handling varying state matters like annual reports and franchise tax.
Generally, registered agents are available during business hours so that your business can pick up mail or have meetings without worrying about privacy issues. Some registered agent services even offer compliance form filing reminders to help businesses stay compliant.
1. Customer Service
All business entities doing business in Texas must designate a “registered agent” that is an individual or company who agrees to receive service of process and official mail for the entity. The registered agent must have a physical street address in the state of Texas where someone is available during business hours to accept legal documents.
When choosing a registered agent, you should look for an affordable service that has great customer support and a high level of privacy. A premium registered agent will also provide a suite of tools that can help you manage your business.
IncFile, for example, offers a bare-bones service starting at $119 per year that will give you a business address in the state of Texas and help with your Certificate of Formation. However, they don’t scan documents locally and they won’t remind you of compliance filing deadlines. Northwest Registered Agent, on the other hand, offers a more comprehensive service for a slightly higher price tag.
2. Pricing
A registered agent does a lot of small tasks, but the main purpose is to be able to receive tax or legal documents on behalf of a business. These are usually delivered by hand or via mail and could include service of process documents involving lawsuits against a company or compliance deadline notifications. Having a professional company handle this for a reasonable fee of $100-$299 yearly is well worth it in the long run.
Most registered agent services are nationwide, but there are a few good local options too. For example, Northwest Registered Agent is a great choice for those who want to work with a local company that has detailed knowledge of Texas’s unique business compliance requirements. Another good option is Harbor Compliance, which offers the same high-quality customer service of Northwest for a cheaper price of $99 per year. This makes them the best overall registered agent in Texas if you value affordability over premium services.
3. Ease of Use
The best Texas registered agents make it easy for you to stay on top of your business’s legal compliance requirements. They keep track of important deadlines and provide reminders, so you never have to worry about missing a filing or paying a fee.
A top registered agent will also help you avoid fines and the possibility of your business being disbanded by the state. While these tasks seem simple, they can be a nightmare if you’re not on top of them.
A good example of a company that does this well is LegalZoom, which offers the standard registered agent service for $299 per year or is included in their business formation packages. They provide a street address in the state of Texas, mail forwarding, document scanning and online access, service of process acceptance during normal business hours, and compliance alerts. They also keep your information private from the public and provide identity theft protection. However, their customer support team may not be as knowledgeable about the state of Texas nuances when it comes to business compliance.
4. Compliance Reminders
The right Texas registered agent can be a huge asset to your business. They can provide a dependable location for legal documents to be delivered, keep your personal information safe, and alert you of compliance deadlines so that you don’t miss them.
The best Texas registered agents will also scan and forward any documents to your online account so that you can access them whenever you want. Many of them can even help you form an LLC or corporation online, so that’s one less thing for you to worry about!
The top registered agent services in Texas will have great prices and premium services. Northwest Registered Agent and Harbor Compliance offer competitive pricing, a streamlined user experience, data privacy protection, and best-in-industry customer support. Meanwhile, LegalZoom has a big name in the industry, but their price point is high and they don’t have customer service to match that of Northwest or Harbor Compliance.
