How to Do a Texas Business Entity Search

Whether you are checking if a company name is free before you file, confirming that a Texas LLC is in good standing, or running due diligence on a supplier, the answer lives in Texas's public business records. The catch most guides miss: Texas runs two separate official search tools, and they serve different jobs. Pick the wrong one and you either pay for nothing or miss the detail you needed.

This guide walks through both tools, explains exactly which to use and when, decodes the status labels you will see, and lists the real filing fees and obligations attached to a Texas company. There is also a dedicated section for non-US founders, since searching and forming a Texas LLC from outside the country comes with its own quirks.

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Key Texas business search terms

Texas paperwork uses its own vocabulary. Here is what the terms on the search screens actually mean.

What are the Texas business entity search tools?

Texas splits its public records across two agencies, which is why there are two tools.

1. Texas Comptroller Taxable Entity Search , comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/franchise/account-status/search. This is free, needs no account, and you can use it instantly. It is built around franchise-tax accounts, so it is the fastest way to confirm a name exists and to check whether a company's right to transact business is active. For a quick check, start here.

2. SOSDirect (Texas Secretary of State) , sos.state.tx.us/corp/sosda/index.shtml. This costs $1 per search and requires you to set up an account. In exchange you get the most detailed official records: full filing history, registered-agent details, and the ability to order certified documents. Use SOSDirect when you need the authoritative record or copies of filings.

In short: Comptroller for a free quick look, SOSDirect for depth.

When to use a Texas business entity search

• Name availability check , before filing your Certificate of Formation, confirm your chosen name is not already taken.

• Status verification , see whether an existing LLC is active or has forfeited its right to transact business.

• Registered-agent lookup , find who is designated to receive legal mail for a company (SOSDirect).

• Due diligence , vet a vendor, partner, or acquisition target before signing.

• Finding a filing number , retrieve the Secretary of State filing number for your own or another company.

• Ordering official documents , pull a Certificate of Status or certified copies of formation filings (SOSDirect).

Step-by-step guide to searching Texas business entities

Step 1 , Choose and open the right tool

For a quick, free name or status check, open the Comptroller Taxable Entity Search. If you need filing history, agent details, or certified copies, log into SOSDirect instead and have $1 ready for each search.

Step 2 , Run your search

On the Comptroller tool you can search by entity name or by taxpayer/file number. Enter the company name (or part of it) and submit , no login, no fee. On SOSDirect, sign in, choose the business-organization search, and search by name or filing number.

Step 3 , Use Texas-specific search tips

Texas matches closely, so search a distinctive fragment of the name rather than the full legal string. Drop the entity designator ("LLC," "Inc.") from your query to widen results. If a name returns nothing on the Comptroller tool, try a shorter root word , punctuation and suffixes can throw off exact matches.

Step 4 , Read your results

The Comptroller returns the entity name, taxpayer number, and the right-to-transact-business status. Confirm the spelling matches exactly and note whether the status is Active or Forfeited. Multiple similar names may appear, so match on the file/taxpayer number when you can.

Step 5 , Access or download documents

The free Comptroller tool shows status only. To download or certify the underlying filings , the Certificate of Formation, amendments, the registered-agent record, or a Certificate of Status , switch to SOSDirect, where each search and document order is processed for a small fee.

Texas entity status definitions

• Active / In Existence , The entity is validly registered with the Secretary of State and recognized as existing.

• Right to Transact Business – Active , The Comptroller confirms franchise-tax filings are current; the company may legally operate.

• Forfeited (Right to Transact Business) , The company missed a franchise-tax or Public Information Report filing. It loses the legal right to do business, and owners/managers can become personally liable for debts incurred during forfeiture. This is reversible by curing the filings.

• Forfeited Existence / Terminated , The Secretary of State has ended the entity's registration, often following a prolonged Comptroller forfeiture.

• Pending , A filing has been submitted but not yet processed; the record is mid-update.

Texas-specific quirks and tips

1. Two agencies, two records. Because the Comptroller and the Secretary of State each hold part of the picture, a name can look "active" on one and show an issue on the other. For a complete view, check both.

2. No traditional annual report. Texas LLCs do not file the annual report most states require. Instead, you file a Franchise Tax Report plus a Public Information Report (PIR) with the Comptroller, due May 15 each year.

3. The PIR is free , but mandatory. Even when no franchise tax is owed, the PIR must still be filed. Skipping it triggers forfeiture.

4. Most small LLCs owe $0 in franchise tax. Franchise tax is due only if annualized revenue exceeds the no-tax-due threshold (around $2.47 million for 2026). Below that, you owe nothing , but you still file the PIR.

5. No state income tax. Texas has no personal state income tax, a major reason founders choose it.

6. Taxpayer number ≠ EIN ≠ filing number. Texas issues an 11-digit taxpayer number, the Secretary of State issues a filing number, and the IRS issues the EIN. They are three different identifiers.

7. Forfeiture has teeth. Lose your right to transact business and you can face personal liability plus loss of the ability to sue or defend in Texas courts until you reinstate.

What to do if the name is available , or taken

If your name is available: you can move straight to filing your Certificate of Formation (Form 205) with the Texas Secretary of State. The state filing fee is $300. Optionally, you can reserve the name first to lock it while you prepare, though many founders simply file once the name is confirmed clear.

If your name is taken: you have several routes.

• Modify it , add or change a distinctive word so it is no longer confusingly similar.

• Check the holder's status , if the existing entity has forfeited or terminated, the name may free up over time (confirm the current rules before relying on this).

• Use an assumed name (DBA) , register a different operating name while keeping your legal entity name.

• Choose a different structure or wording , sometimes a small change clears the conflict.

Either way, your core costs are the $300 Secretary of State filing fee to create the LLC, plus a registered agent and the free annual PIR going forward.

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Texas business entity search for non-US founders

You do not need to be a US citizen, resident, or visa holder to search Texas records or to own a Texas LLC. The Comptroller and SOSDirect tools are fully usable from anywhere in the world, and non-residents of any nationality can form and own a Texas company without ever visiting the US.

For founders abroad, Texas is attractive for concrete reasons: it has the second-largest US state economy, no state income tax, strong credibility with US customers and platforms, and it is well suited to founders who actually operate or sell within the US market.

The friction points are practical, not legal. As a non-resident you will need a registered agent with a physical Texas address (you cannot use a foreign address), a US mailing address for correspondence, and an EIN from the IRS , which you can obtain without an SSN, receiving the official CP-575 confirmation letter. You will also want help opening a US bank account, since most banks expect documentation that is easier to assemble with guidance.

This is exactly what Bastion handles end to end. A Texas LLC starts at $550 plus the state fee and includes a name check, the Certificate of Formation filing, your EIN with CP-575 (for non-residents without an SSN), registered agent for year one, a US mailing address with mail scanning for year one, your company agreement, US bank account assistance, and support over WhatsApp. The registered agent renews at $99/year after the first year.

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Next steps after your search

For a new formation:

1. Confirm your name is clear on the Comptroller tool.

2. Choose your structure (most non-residents pick an LLC).

3. File the Certificate of Formation (Form 205) , $300 state fee.

4. Get your EIN with CP-575 from the IRS.

5. Open a US bank account and start operating.

For researching an existing business:

1. Confirm the entity name and status on the Comptroller tool.

2. Note the filing/taxpayer number.

3. Pull detailed records and the registered agent via SOSDirect ($1/search).

4. Order a Certificate of Status or certified copies if you need proof.

Related Bastion guides

• Form a Texas LLC

• Texas LLC name search

• Texas Certificate of Good Standing

Business entity search guides for other states:

• Wyoming Business Entity Search

• Delaware Business Entity Search

• Florida Business Entity Search