You may need to know how to find Articles of Incorporation in Texas for a number of reasons related to your business. Fortunately, it is relatively easy to order these documents from the Texas Secretary of State.

Texas Articles of Incorporation

In the state of Texas, Articles of Incorporation are also sometimes referred to as:

  • Certificate of Incorporation
  • Certificate of Organization
  • Certificate of Formation

Regardless of the specific term you use, Articles of Organization are the documents that are filed with the office of the Secretary of State to incorporate a business in the state of Texas. In simple terms, Articles of Incorporation can be thought of as a license that has been issued by the state of Texas to form and operate a corporation within state borders. When forming a new company in the state of Texas, there are multiple possible forms that will be used, depending on the nature of the company being formed, including forms 201 through 208. Each of these forms includes five articles that require you to provide specific information:

  • The name of the company.
  • The company's registered agent.
  • The Company's registered office.
  • Names and addresses of all board members.
  • The total number of shares for which the company has been authorized.
  • The general type of business being formed.

Certified Copies of Articles of Organization in Texas

There are a number of reasons for which a company might need to obtain a certified copy of its Articles of Organization. Some banks, for example, might require you to produce a certified copy if you plan to open a financial account for your company. If you plan to operate your business as a "foreign entity" in another state, you might be required to undergo a process known as "foreign qualification." One of the requirements for foreign qualification is to provide a certified copy of your company's Articles of Organization.

Furthermore, if your company plans to do business outside the United States, you'll likely need to file either an Apostille or Embassy Certification and include a certified copy of your Articles of Organization. You can request a certified copy of your company's Articles of Organization via the following methods in the state of Texas:

  • Email
  • Fax
  • In person
  • Online

The easiest way to obtain your documents is by requesting them online through the Secretary of State's official website.

It will normally take up to two business days and a $15 fee, plus an additional $1 for each page of your certified copy, to process requests. However, keep in mind that requests submitted via mail will usually take longer to process. If time is an important factor, you can request expedited processing for an additional $10. This can speed up the process to take less than a day but there may be additional time involved in mailing the documents.

To order online, simply visit the Secretary of State's official website and follow its online instructions to create an account. From there, it's a simple matter of searching for and printing your certificate. Ordering online allows you to view, authenticate, and print your certificate immediately. Once you have paid with a valid credit card, your request will be processed within a few hours and emailed back to you as a PDF document.

Ordering by mail can only be expedited if you pay an additional fee and specifically request expedited service. You'll need to provide the following in your request:

  • The name of the company.
  • Full payment.
  • A return address.
  • The specific nature of your request.
  • A phone number at which you can be reached during business hours.

If you order by fax, your cover sheet should include the following:

  • The name of the company.
  • A phone number where you can be reached during business hours.
  • Your specific request.

It is possible to have the requested documents faxed directly to you, but there is a $10 expedited fee as well as an additional $2 per page charge for this service. You'll be billed for any applicable fees when submitting a request via fax.

To order via email, you'll need to provide:

  • The name of the company.
  • Your specific request.
  • A phone number at which you can be reached during business hours.

When submitting your request via email, you can also request to have the document sent to you via fax but the same fees discussed above will apply.

If you need help with how to find articles of incorporation in Texas, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies such as Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.