Form 205 — Texas Certificate of Formation (Limited Liability Company)

What is Form 205?

Form 205, Certificate of Formation, is how you form a Texas limited liability company. It is filed with the Texas Secretary of State and gives the entity's name, its registered agent and registered office, whether it has managers and the name and address of each initial manager or member, the initial mailing address the Comptroller uses for franchise tax correspondence, any supplemental provisions, and when the filing takes effect. The organizer signs it; it does not need to be notarized.

The form sets out a general purpose: any lawful purpose a limited liability company may be organized for under the Texas Business Organizations Code. Use the supplemental provisions for a more specific purpose or extra articles, and attach an addendum for anything longer. The filing fee printed on the form and in the instructions is $300. The current edition is Form 205 (Revised 09/26).

FileIt asks each question in plain English, prints your answers into the agency's own official PDF, keeps the finished PDF in your vault, and can send it for e-signature. You then file or deliver it yourself: FileIt never submits anything for you.

Who needs to fill out Form 205?

• Anyone starting a Texas limited liability company.
• Business owners and their attorneys or accountants preparing the filing for a client.
• Founders who want to file on paper rather than through SOSPortal.
• Not for a professional limited liability company (that is Form 206).

When to use Form 205

• When you are ready to create the entity and have chosen an available name and a registered agent who has agreed to serve.
• When you want the entity to exist from the filing date, from a later date within 90 days of signing, or from a future event.

What you need before you start

• The entity name, with the designator the form requires.
• The registered agent's name (an organization, or an individual Texas resident) and a Texas street address for the registered office.
• Whether the LLC has managers, and the name and address of each initial manager or member (individual or organization).
• The initial mailing address for franchise tax correspondence.
• The organizer's name and address.

What’s on Form 205

The 2026 edition has 3 pages. FileIt asks for it in 11 parts, and it is signed by Organizer:

1. Article 1: Entity name and typeOrganizer
2. Article 2: Registered agent and registered officeOrganizer
3. Article 3: Governing authorityOrganizer
4. Initial governing person 1Organizer
5. Initial governing person 2Organizer
6. Initial governing person 3Organizer
7. Initial mailing addressOrganizer
8. Supplemental provisions / informationOrganizer
9. OrganizerOrganizer
10. Effectiveness of filingOrganizer
11. ExecutionOrganizer

How to fill out Form 205, step by step

1 Article 1: Entity name

Enter the name with its required designator. It must be distinguishable from names already on file. The secretary of state can give a preliminary view of availability by phone or email, but the instructions warn not to spend money or sign documents on a preliminary clearance.

2 Article 2: Registered agent and office

Choose an organization or an individual Texas resident as registered agent, never the entity itself, and give the registered office: a Texas street address where the agent can be served in person during business hours, not just a mailbox or answering service. The agent must have consented, but you don't attach the consent.

3 Article 3: Governing authority

Say whether the LLC initially has managers (option A, list the managers) or not (option B, list the members). At least one person is required. For an individual, give the name without prefixes, and use the suffix only for Jr., Sr. or III; for an organization, its legal name; never both. Every governing person needs an address.

4 Initial mailing address and supplemental provisions

Give the mailing address for state franchise tax correspondence (a PO box is fine). Add any supplemental provisions, such as a specific purpose or a limited duration; an attached addendum is incorporated by reference.

5 Organizer, effectiveness and execution

Enter the organizer, choose when the certificate takes effect (on filing, on a later date within 90 days of signing, or on a future event, with the 90th day after signing), date it and print the organizer's name. The organizer signs.

Common mistakes to avoid

• A name without the required designator, or one too close to a name already on file.
• Naming the entity itself as its own registered agent.
• A registered office that is only a mailbox service or outside Texas.
• Choosing managers but listing members, or listing both a person's and an organization's name for one governing person.
• A delayed effective date more than 90 days after signing.
• Including personal identifying information or the instructions pages, which the instructions say may get the filing rejected.

After you fill it out

The organizer signs. Send it with the $300 fee by mail to P.O. Box 13697, Austin, TX 78711-3697, deliver it to 400 W. 15th St., Austin, or file the same information online through SOSPortal. Payment on paper is by check or money order.

Keep the PDF FileIt saves in your vault with the entity's records. Texas entities are subject to state franchise tax; contact the Texas Comptroller for franchise tax information, and the IRS for an EIN (Form SS-4).

Keep a registered agent and registered office in Texas, and file a change with the secretary of state if either changes.

Form 205: frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Blank form (PDF), published by Texas Secretary of State: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/forms/205_boc.pdf
• Official instructions and guidance: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/instructions/205.shtml
• Edition shown on this page: Form 205 (Revised 09/26) (checked 2026-10-25).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Texas Secretary of State or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-25.

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