When Do I Need To Register My Business in Texas

Filing the registration of your business in Texas needs to be done as soon as you have determined which type of commercial enterprise you will be forming and prior to opening for business.  Filing your registration with the County Clerk or Secretary of State not only ensures that you and you alone will be entitled to operate under the name you have chosen for your business, but it also provides the State of Texas with an overview of the proprietary taxes and personal liabilities that you will assume as a business owner. 

For business formation legal assistance, call 281-715-7781 now.

When you register your business with the County Clerk or the Secretary of State, you are officially announcing your intentions to provide goods and services to the general public or targeted corporate consumers or wholesalers.  To protect consumer interests, your business registration provides the general public with the names and contact information of the registered agents responsible for the formation of the enterprise. 

DO YOU REGISTER WITH THE COUNTY CLERK OR THE SECRETARY OF STATE?

The registration of your business will be made through either the County Clerk or the Secretary of State depending on the type of commercial entity you have chosen to establish.  Sole proprietorships and general partnerships, for instance, can be registered through the County Clerk.  These types of businesses generally have very localized markets, and the owners are fully liable for any debts, contracts and civil judgments brought against them.

Businesses that must register through the Secretary of State include:

• Limited Partnerships
• Registered Limited Liability Partnerships
• Limited Liability Companies
• Corporations
• Professional Corporations
• Non-Profit Corporations
• Professional Associations

Limited liability companies and corporations are far more complex than sole proprietorships and general partnerships, because the obligations to asset and debt liabilities are not balanced – or equally shared by all of the members of the limited liability company or corporation.  Profit distributions and taxes are calculated based upon the organization of the business.  This means that all profits and losses are sustained by the individual partners of a company based upon their percentage of ownership.

So, when do you need to register your business in Texas?  As soon as you have solidified your business plan and resolved to pursue the formation of your commercial enterprise.  If you have any questions pertaining to the registration of your business, get in touch with a local attorney, accountant or professional tax consultant.  Starting out on the right foot can help you achieve the success you’ve always dreamed of.

For business law services, call The Law Office of Mark A. Sanders PC in Houston, Katy, West Houston, Sugar Land, Stafford, Jersey Village, West University and Piney Point Village, Texas.