Tex. Codes » Business Organizations Code · TITLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS · CHAPTER 5. NAMES OF ENTITIES; REGISTERED AGENTS AND REGISTERED OFFICES
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Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.251 (2026)

Failure To Designate Registered Agent

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Sec. 5.251. FAILURE TO DESIGNATE REGISTERED AGENT. The secretary of state is an agent of an entity for purposes of service of process, notice, or demand on the entity if:

(1) the entity is a filing entity or a foreign filing entity and:

(A) the entity fails to appoint or does not maintain a registered agent in this state; or

(B) the registered agent of the entity cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the registered office of the entity; or

(2) the entity is a foreign filing entity and:

(A) the entity's registration to do business under this code is revoked; or

(B) the entity transacts business in this state without being registered as required by Chapter 9.

Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 182, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2006.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 64 cases (36 in the last 5 years), 2007–2026 · leading case: NETCO, INC. v. Montemayor, 352 S.W.3d 733 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2011).
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NETCO, INC. v. Montemayor, 352 S.W.3d 733 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2011). · cites it 4× “See *741 TEX. BUS. ORGS.CODE ANN. §§ 5.201, 5.202 (West 2010).”
Wachovia Bank of Delaware v. Gilliam, 215 S.W.3d 848 (Tex. 2007). “07 (nonresident sellers and distributors of alcoholic beverages); Tex Health & Safety Code § 221.”
BLS Dev., LLC v. Manuel Lopez, 359 S.W.3d 824 (Tex. App.—Eastland 2012). “” Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code Ann. § 5.251 (1)(B) (West 2011).”
Bank of New York v. Chesapeake 34771 Land Trust, 456 S.W.3d 628 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2015). “See Tex.Bu.sOrgs.Code Ann. § 5.251(l)(West 2012); Tex.”
In re FDB Pools, Inc. D/B/A Amarillo Custom Pools, Relator, 541 S.W.3d 391 (Tex. App.—Amarillo 2018). “TEX. BUS. ORGS. CODE ANN. § 5.251 (West 2012) (Emphasis added).”
Katy Venture, LTD v. Cremona Bistro Corp., 436 S.W.3d 415 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2014). “, Tex. Bus. Org. Code Ann. § 5.251 (1)(B) (West 2012); Tex.”
Dansk Express, LLC v. IPFS Corp., No. 01-22-00621-CV, 2023 WL 4937497 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Aug. 3, 2023). · cites it 5× “It directed the trial court to the exhibits attached to 1 See TEX. BUS. ORGS. CODE § 5.251. its amended petition, including copies of the Agreement and Dansk’s Customer Account and Transaction History, which it “incorporated [t]herein by reference as though fully recited.”
AGC Custom Homes, Inc. v. Aaron & Ashley Gabbard, No. 13-20-00294-CV (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi–Edinburg Apr. 29, 2021). · cites it 4× “106(b); see also TEX. BUS. ORGS. CODE ANN. §§ 5.251–5.253.”
Am. Discovery Energy, Inc. v. Apache Corp., 367 S.W.3d 704 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2012). “This statute, entitled “Failure to Designate Registered Agent,” provides that the secretary of state is an agent of an entity for purposes of service of process, notice, or demand on a filing entity if it fails to appoint or maintain a registered agent in Texas or the registered…”
Mario A. Davila v. Easy Way Leisure Corp., No. 13-20-00416-CV (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi–Edinburg July 21, 2022). · cites it 3× “” However, Davila did not provide evidence that when he filed suit against Easy Way, Easy Way’s registered agent was not at the Houston location.”
Huffman Asset Mgmt., LLC v. Maurice Colter, 719 S.W.3d 308 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2023). · cites it 3× “See TEX. BUS. ORGS. CODE § 5.251(1)(B) (the secretary of state is an entity’s agent for service of process if “(A) the entity fails to appoint or does not maintain a registered agent in this state; or (B) the registered agent of the entity cannot with reasonable diligence be…”
Autodynamics Inc. v. Mitchell Vertvoort, No. 14-10-00021-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Apr. 5, 2011). · cites it 5× “See Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code Ann. § 5.251 (Vernon Supp.”
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Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.251(1): 3 cases
Lawanda Pearson v. Duncanville Senior Care, LLC, No. 05-21-00900-CV (Tex. App.—Dallas Sept. 27, 2022).
Cor 1558 Props., LLC v. Sunbelt Rentals, Inc., No. 13-22-00487-CV (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi–Edinburg July 13, 2023).
Am. Com. Barge Line LLC v. Iwc Oil & Refinery, LLC, No. 4:22-cv-00136 (S.D. Ind. Nov. 21, 2023).
Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.251(1)(A): 3 cases
Am. Home Assurance Co. v. Zeus Plumbing, No. 5:23-cv-01424 (W.D. Tex. Aug. 20, 2024).
Mobile Env't Solutions, LLC v. All-Star Inflatables Inc., No. 4:24-cv-04929 (S.D. Tex. Feb. 25, 2025).
Inv. Ideas, Inc. v. Ellekay, LLC, No. 13-10-00208-CV (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi Nov. 18, 2010).
Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.251(1)(B): 17 cases
Huffman Asset Mgmt., LLC v. Maurice Colter, 719 S.W.3d 308 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2023). “See TEX. BUS. ORGS. CODE § 5.251(1)(B) (the secretary of state is an entity’s agent for service of process if “(A) the entity fails to appoint or does not maintain a registered agent in this state; or (B) the registered agent of the entity cannot with reasonable diligence be…”
Legends Landscapes, LLC v. Thomas Brown, No. 06-13-00129-CV, 2014 WL 1260624 (Tex. App.—Texarkana Mar. 27, 2014).
Texas Underground v. Sw. Bell Tel., No. 01-19-00814-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Aug. 3, 2021).
Quentin Holloway v. Auto. Promotion Consultants, LLC, No. 5:20-cv-01023 (W.D. Tex. May 3, 2021).
Comal & Co. v. Michelle Mays, No. 03-17-00746-CV (Tex. App.—Austin June 12, 2018).
Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.251(l): 1 case
Bank of New York v. Chesapeake 34771 Land Trust, 456 S.W.3d 628 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2015). “See Tex.Bu.sOrgs.Code Ann. § 5.251(l)(West 2012); Tex.”
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