Texas Registered Agent Reviews

A registered agent is a person or business that receives legal documents and notifications on behalf of a company. In Texas, business owners can choose their own registered agents or hire a service to help them stay in compliance.

While LegalZoom is a well-known brand that serves millions of customers, they charge a high price for their Texas registered agent services. ZenBusiness has received 8,200 online reviews and is a good option if you value affordability and convenience.

1. Reliability

A Texas registered agent is a person or business that receives legal mail and documents, including service of process, on behalf of an entity. The agent must be a resident of Texas or an entity authorized to do business in the state. The agent is tasked with handling varying state matters like annual reports and franchise tax, and they must be trustworthy and reliable.

You can choose to be your own registered agent or hire a professional service to handle this important task for you. A good service will protect your privacy and make it easy to comply with state requirements.

ZenBusiness is a newer registered agent service with a great reputation. They offer a premium service for $199 per year that includes mail forwarding, scanned documents with online access, and compliance alerts for annual report filing deadlines and more. They also have a helpful website and a phone number that connects you to a real person during normal business hours.

2. Pricing

The best Texas registered agents offer premium services, but they are not cheap. Northwest Registered Agent, which earned the top spot on this list, charges $125 per year for their service. Harbor Compliance, which is cheaper than Northwest, offers all of the same services (minus identity theft protection) for $99 per year.

Using a service to serve as your registered agent can also save you money on legal fees. Moreover, you can avoid the embarrassment of papers being served to you at your office in front of clients by having someone else act on your behalf.

Several of the best registered agent services in Texas offer compliance reminders and other state-specific documents to help you stay in good standing with the State. This can save you a lot of time and trouble. These services also tend to charge more than national providers such as LegalZoom, but their industry-leading customer support and privacy guarantees are well worth the extra cost.

3. Customer Service

Choosing a Texas registered agent is a critical component of your business's legal compliance. A registered agent handles seemingly simple tasks that, if done incorrectly, can cost your company significant fines and even result in the state disbanding your business.

As such, a registered agent needs to be easy to work with and have computer systems that are easy to use. Those that had streamlined processes got higher ranks on my list, while those with outdated and slow systems went straight to the bottom.

Northwest Registered Agent's computer system makes it quick and easy to fill out forms and provides a helpful online dashboard. It also scans all documents locally, which is a nice touch. They offer a full suite of services, including identity theft protection, and have excellent customer service. Another good choice is Harbor Compliance, which offers a similar level of service for slightly cheaper prices. However, they don't include the same premium services as Northwest.

4. Features

A registered agent handles many small tasks that are crucial to your company’s legal standing. They also serve as your liaison for receiving legal documents and compliance documentation. The best Texas registered agents offer a transparent pricing model, premium services, a data privacy guarantee, and top-notch customer support.

Northwest Registered Agent offers a great value for your money, combining competitive pricing with high-quality service and a premium online portal. They also offer a free year of service when you form your LLC with their Gold Package.

LegalZoom is another popular choice for a Texas registered agent, with millions of customers served and advanced legal services. However, their price point is a bit steep at $299 per year, and they exclude some important features from their registered agent packages. You can find better value with other options on this list, including ZenBusiness and Incfile. Using one of these national businesses can help you cut down on paperwork and focus on growing your business.