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Texas Business Entity Search

Texas Secretary of State business searches are done through SOSPortal, which launched for business filings on September 29, 2026 and replaced SOSDirect and SOSUpload. Unlike a free lookup, the official entry page states a $1 fee per search, and an account with multi-factor authentication is required.

Official agency: Texas Secretary of State

Open Official Government SearchOpens www.sos.state.tx.us in a new tab. This is the official government site, not EntityLocator.

Direct links on the official site

Search methods offered

  • Entity NameConfirmed by the official guide and copy instructions.
  • File NumberConfirmed by the official guide and copy instructions.

How to search

  1. Start at the official Texas Secretary of State SOSPortal entry page using the button above and review the rules of use. Accessing the portal from the rules gateway counts as accepting them.
  2. If you decide to proceed, access SOSPortal and sign in with an existing account, completing multi-factor authentication.
  3. Choose Business Filings, then Search & Order Records.
  4. Choose +New Search, review the fee, select a payment method and complete payment if you want to proceed.
  5. Continue, then select Business Filings.
  6. Select the search option you want. The official guidance confirms entity name and file number. Enter the value and select Search.
  7. Select the File Number in the results to open the organization record.

What you can expect to find

  • The official guide describes a File Number link in the results that opens the organization record.
  • We did not see a populated Texas result, so this guide does not list result or record fields.

Limitations, fees and notices

  • This is a paid search. The official entry page states $1 per search. Payment processing charges may apply, so $1 may not be your final total. We did not confirm the current processing formula.
  • An SOSPortal account and multi-factor authentication are required. The official guide describes the portal as available 24/7.
  • Do not start a filing just to look up an entity.
  • The ordering instructions list plain copies at $0.10 per page, and say the $1 search fee is waived if you place an order from the search results. We do not say that a standalone lookup is free.
  • Certificates are separate. The official instructions list a certificate of fact-status at $15, and certified copies at $15 per certificate plus $1 per page, separate from filing fees.
  • A Texas Comptroller certificate of account status concerns franchise-tax account status. It is different from the Secretary of State’s certificate of fact-status, which concerns an entity’s existence and authority.
  • An entity lookup is not name approval. The official guide describes a separate preliminary name-search workflow, and the official name FAQ describes availability inquiries by phone or email.
  • These steps describe what the official guidance says. The portal’s search screen and a populated record were not reviewed, so the screens may differ.

Sources and research notes

Sources reviewed: . Official sites change; always confirm current details on the government site.

This guide is based on a review of official Texas pages and guidance in a web browser. The rules-of-use gateway was inspected, but no account was created and no search or payment was made, so the paid search was not tested.

Related state guides