4 checks on a Texas entity record from the Austin filings office

What to take away

What the Texas Secretary of State Business Filings Section holds

The Texas Secretary of State Business Filings Section in Austin maintains the state's central registry of business entities. It holds formation documents, amendments, mergers, and annual reports for corporations, LLCs, and partnerships. It also records assumed names and registered agent filings.

The office does not hold tax records, licenses, or ownership details. Those live elsewhere. The Business Filings Section is a filing warehouse, not an enforcement agency. It accepts documents that meet statutory form requirements and stamps them filed.

Austin's startup scene generates a steady stream of new registrations, so the database changes daily. A record you pulled last month may already be outdated. That is why the four checks below should be run close to the date you rely on them.

See the State registration lookup - Small Business Administration. It explains that each state runs its own system and that no single national database covers all entities.

A secretary of state search is the starting point for any Texas entity record. But it is only one of four checks.

What the record does not tell you

The Business Filings Section record does not show whether the entity paid its franchise tax. It does not show whether the entity is in good standing with the Comptroller. It does not show whether the registered agent is still alive or willing to serve. Those gaps are filled by the other three checks.

Check one: SOSDirect search

SOSDirect is the Texas Secretary of State's online portal for business filings. The portal is at sosdirect.texas.gov. A SOSDirect search returns the entity's filing number, formation date, status, and a list of documents on file. You can view and download most documents as PDFs for a small fee.

The search results page shows the entity name, the file number, the status (active, forfeited, or terminated), and the registered agent's name and address. It also shows the principal office address and the names of managers or directors.

Here is how to run the search:

The SOSDirect search is authoritative for what was filed. It is not authoritative for what is true today. A status of active means the entity has filed its required reports and paid the Secretary of State's fees.

For a deeper look at what search results can and cannot tell you, read secretary of state search facts. It covers common misreadings of status codes.

Reading status codes

Active means the entity is in good standing with the Secretary of State. Forfeited means the entity lost its right to do business in Texas, usually for failing to file a report or pay a fee. Terminated means the entity has dissolved. A forfeited entity can still be sued and can still owe debts.

Check two: franchise tax status

The Texas franchise tax is a privilege tax on the right to do business in Texas. It is administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, not the Secretary of State. A Texas entity record from SOSDirect will not show franchise tax status.

To verify franchise tax status, use the Comptroller's online taxability portal. The portal address is mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/coa/. You can search by entity name or taxpayer number. The portal shows whether the entity is in good standing, has a forfeited status, or has an active payment plan.

A franchise tax forfeiture is serious. It can void contracts and expose officers to personal liability. If you are signing a contract with a Texas entity, check the Comptroller's portal on the same day you sign.

See the Department of Revenue lookup - Small Business Administration. It explains that tax registration is separate from business formation.

How to check franchise tax status

A clean SOSDirect record with a forfeited franchise tax status is a red flag. The entity can file documents but cannot legally do business.

Check three: assumed names and expiry

An assumed name is a name a business uses that is different from its legal name. In Texas, assumed names are filed with the Secretary of State for entities and with county clerks for sole proprietorships. The SOSDirect search shows assumed name filings for registered entities.

Assumed names in Texas expire. A filing is valid for 10 years from the date of filing. After that, the entity must renew it. If the assumed name is not renewed, the entity can no longer legally use that name.

When you check a Texas entity record, look at the assumed name filing date. If it is close to 10 years old, the name may expire soon. An expired assumed name can void a contract signed under that name.

For a state-by-state guide to DBA checks, see fictitious business name search by state. It covers how to verify a DBA before you sign.

Checking assumed names

Check four: registered agent and registered office

A registered agent is the person or company designated to receive legal papers on behalf of the entity. The registered office is the physical Texas address where the agent can be served. Both are listed in the Texas entity record.

The registered agent must have a physical address in Texas. A P.O. box is not acceptable. The agent must be available during business hours to accept service of process. If the agent moves or resigns, the entity must file a change with the Secretary of State.

When you check a Texas entity record, verify that the registered agent's address is current. An outdated address can mean the entity never received a lawsuit or a tax notice. That can lead to default judgments.

For more on reading agent data, see registered agent lookup data. It explains how to spot commercial agents and what their records show.

What to verify

A registered agent entry that lists a commercial service is common and legal. But you should know who you are dealing with. If the agent is a shell company, service of process may be delayed.

Reading the four checks together before you sign

No single check is enough. A record can have a current assumed name but a registered agent who resigned last month.

Before you sign a contract, run all four checks in one sitting and rely only on that run. Texas sets no fixed re-check window, so treat any 48-hour gap as a rule of thumb. Save dated screenshots or PDFs. If any check fails, ask the entity to fix it before you sign. If it cannot, walk away.

For a general overview of business registration and lookup steps, see the Small business | USAGov hub. It links to state and federal resources. For startup registration steps, see How to start and fund your own business | USAGov.

A worked example

Suppose you are contracting with Austin-based "Lone Star Widgets LLC." You run the four checks:

Two checks fail, so the contract waits until the entity fixes both.

Common questions