Tex. Codes » Business Organizations Code · TITLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS · CHAPTER 5. NAMES OF ENTITIES; REGISTERED AGENTS AND REGISTERED OFFICES
Texas Codes

Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.251 (2026)

Failure To Designate Registered Agent

✓ current as of May 2026
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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. 2011).
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NETCO, INC. v. Montemayor, 352 S.W.3d 733 (Tex. App. 2011). · cites it 4× “See *741 TEX. BUS. ORGS.CODE ANN. §§ 5.201, 5.202 (West 2010).”
Wachovia Bank of Delaware, Nat'l Ass'n 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. 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. 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. 2018). “TEX. BUS. ORGS. CODE ANN. § 5.251 (West 2012) (Emphasis added).”
Katy Venture, LTD & Katy Mgmt., L.L.C. v. Cremona Bistro Corp., 436 S.W.3d 415 (Tex. App. 2014). “, Tex. Bus. Org. Code Ann. § 5.251 (1)(B) (West 2012); Tex.”
Dansk Express, LLC v. IPFS Corp. (Tex. App. 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 (Tex. App. 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. 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. D/B/A Easy Way Prods. Co. (Tex. App. 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 & Prairie Capital, LLC v. Maurice Colter & Ni-Ida Colter (Tex. App. 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 (Tex. App. 2011). · cites it 5× “See Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code Ann. § 5.251 (Vernon Supp.”
Show all 64 citing cases →
— Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.251(1) — 3 cases
Lawanda Pearson v. Duncanville Senior Care, LLC (Tex. App. 2022).
Cor 1558 Props., LLC v. Sunbelt Rentals, Inc. (Tex. App. 2023).
Am. Com. Barge Line LLC v. Iwc Oil & Refinery, LLC (S.D. Ind. 2023).
— Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.251(1)(A) — 3 cases
Am. Home Assurance Co. v. Zeus Plumbing (W.D. Tex. 2024).
Mobile Env't Solutions, LLC v. All-Star Inflatables Inc. (S.D. Tex. 2025).
Inv. Ideas, Inc. v. Ellekay, LLC Dba Young Chef's Academy (Tex. App. 2010).
— Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.251(1)(B) — 17 cases
Huffman Asset Mgmt., LLC & Prairie Capital, LLC v. Maurice Colter & Ni-Ida Colter (Tex. App. 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 D/B/A B & B Constr. (Tex. App. 2014).
Texas Underground v. Sw. Bell Tel. (Tex. App. 2021).
Quentin Holloway v. Auto. Promotion Consultants, LLC (W.D. Tex. 2021).
Comal & Co. LLC v. Michelle Mays (Tex. App. 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. 2015). “See Tex.Bu.sOrgs.Code Ann. § 5.251(l)(West 2012); Tex.”
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