Texas Secretary of State Filing Goes Dark Sept. 25-29: SOSPortal

What happened

Texas Secretary of State filing is changing this week. The office announced on Sept. 23 that it is replacing SOSDirect and SOSUpload with one new system called SOSPortal. SOSDirect is the website many Texas business owners use to form an LLC, file changes or order copies of their records.

SOSPortal goes live on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 8 a.m. Before that, there is a short blackout. From noon on Friday, Sept. 25, online filings, searches and orders will not be available.

The office set these cutoffs:

• Next-day filings: send them by noon on Thursday, Sept. 24. They will be done by the end of the day Sept. 25.
• Same-day filings: send them by noon on Friday, Sept. 25. They will be done by the end of that day.
• Standard and expedited filings: accepted until 5 p.m. on Sept. 25 and Sept. 28, but work on them starts only after the new system opens.

The new system brings a modern design, two-step login (multi-factor authentication), the option to save drafts, a page to track your filings and a shopping cart. Two things go away. Client Accounts are gone, and payments will be ACH (bank transfer) or credit card only. Users will need to register a new SOSPortal account.

What it means for owner-operators

Most trucking companies in Texas are LLCs or corporations registered with the Secretary of State. That record matters. Your company name and status there should match what you have with FMCSA (the federal agency for carriers), your bank, your factoring company and the brokers you haul for.

If you are starting a new trucking company, you usually form the LLC first and then apply for your USDOT number. A filing stuck in the blackout can push your whole start date back a few days.

If you already run a company, think about pending changes: a new address, a new registered agent, a name change or a certificate you need for a broker or a lender. Anything not sent by the cutoffs will wait until the new system is running. The first days of any new system can also be slow.

What to do next

• Need something filed this week? Send next-day filings by noon Sept. 24, or same-day by noon Sept. 25.
• Print or save copies of your current records before Sept. 25.
• If you paid through a Client Account, get a credit card or bank account ready for ACH.
• Register your SOSPortal account once it opens on Sept. 29.
• Starting a new authority? Plan your LLC date around the blackout, then follow the steps in our new entrant safety audit guide so your first months go smoothly.

Need help keeping your company file and your authority in order? Call TCZ Permits at 956-526-6727.