Reference, not legal or tax advice. Tax law and thresholds change. Every section below carries a last-verified date and a primary-source citation. Verify against the current Texas Department of Revenue and IRS guidance, and consult a licensed CPA or attorney for any decision with tax consequences.
State Tax Thresholds · Texas (TX)

Business Tax Thresholds in Texas: 2026 Reference

Last verified 2026-05-23 · Texas (TX)
By Vincent Couey, CeoCult editor.

At a glance: Texas business tax landscape

State income taxNo state income tax
Pass-through entity tax election (SALT workaround)Not available
1099-K state threshold below federal $20,000Federal floor only
Sales tax economic nexus$100,000 / 200

State income & business tax structure Verified 2026-05-23

This state imposes no broad personal income tax on wages or pass-through business income. Other state-level taxes (sales, property, franchise/gross-receipts where applicable) still apply. The absence of a state income tax substantially changes the value of federal-only tax planning moves (S-Corp election, retirement-plan stacking, QBI optimization), because there's no state piggyback to compound the federal benefit.

Pass-through entity tax election (SALT cap workaround) Verified 2026-05-23

This state does not currently offer a Pass-Through Entity (PTE) tax election under the post-TCJA state workaround framework. Pass-through entities (partnerships, S-Corps, LLCs taxed as partnership or S-Corp) pay state income tax at the owner level only, and owners cannot use a PTE election to convert state income tax into a federal business deduction in excess of the $10,000 SALT cap.

1099-K state reporting threshold Verified 2026-05-23

This state has not enacted a 1099-K reporting threshold lower than the federal floor. The IRS applies the federal threshold ($20,000 in gross payments AND more than 200 transactions through a third-party settlement organization, subject to ongoing IRS transition relief). Sellers under that floor will not receive a 1099-K from platforms like PayPal, Venmo Business, eBay, Etsy, or Stripe. Note: receipt of a 1099-K does not change the underlying tax obligation; all business income is reportable regardless of whether a 1099-K is issued.

Sales tax economic nexus for remote sellers Verified 2026-05-23

The state adopted economic-nexus rules following South Dakota v. Wayfair (2018). Remote sellers without physical presence trigger sales-tax collection obligations once they exceed the state's annual gross-receipts or transaction-count threshold, applied to prior or current calendar year. Marketplace facilitators (Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart) collect on behalf of third-party sellers under separate marketplace laws.

The Texas threshold typically tracks the post-Wayfair pattern of $100,000 in gross receipts OR 200 transactions in the state in the prior or current calendar year. Verify current threshold structure and any state-specific carve-outs against the state Department of Revenue page linked below.

LLC formation and annual fees Verified 2026-05-23

Texas LLC formation: $300 Certificate of Formation filing fee. No annual report fee per se; however, all Texas LLCs must file an annual Public Information Report (PIR) and (above the no-tax-due threshold) a Franchise Tax Report. Many small LLCs fall below the $2.47M no-tax-due threshold and owe $0 in franchise tax but must still file the PIR by May 15 each year.

State estimated tax safe harbor Verified 2026-05-23

Texas generally follows a state version of the federal estimated-tax safe-harbor framework. Most states allow individuals and pass-through owners to avoid an underpayment penalty by paying either (a) 100% of the prior year's state tax liability (110% if prior-year AGI exceeded a threshold, typically $150,000) or (b) 90% of the current year's state tax liability, through a combination of withholding and quarterly estimated payments. Quarterly estimated due dates align with federal (April 15 / June 15 / September 15 / January 15) in most states. Specific safe-harbor percentages, AGI thresholds, and underpayment-penalty rates vary by state; verify against the current state Department of Revenue instructions.

Run Texas numbers in our calculators

Once the threshold facts are clear, the next question is what they mean for your specific income mix. Use the S-Corp Election Calculator to test whether the salary/distribution split clears the federal break-even given Texas rates, the Income Tax Pipeline to model federal + Texas liabilities together, and the Reseller Profit Calculator for 1099-K-affected resale operations.

FAQs about Texas business taxes

Does Texas have its own 1099-K threshold below the federal $20,000?

No. Texas has not enacted a 1099-K reporting threshold lower than the federal floor. Sellers will receive a 1099-K only if they exceed the federal threshold (current IRS transition rules apply). All business income remains reportable on the federal and state return regardless of whether a 1099-K is issued.

Can a Texas S-Corp or LLC use a Pass-Through Entity (PTE) tax election to work around the SALT cap?

No. Texas does not currently offer a Pass-Through Entity tax election. Texas pass-through owners cannot use a PTE election to convert state income tax into a federal business deduction beyond the $10,000 SALT cap. Other federal-only planning levers (retirement-plan contributions, QBI optimization, accountable-plan reimbursements) remain available.

What's the sales tax economic nexus threshold for selling into Texas?

Remote sellers without physical presence in Texas must register and collect Texas sales tax once they exceed the state's annual threshold: $100,000 in gross receipts or 200 transactions in the prior or current calendar year. Marketplace facilitators (Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart) collect on behalf of third-party sellers under separate marketplace laws. Verify the current threshold structure against the Texas Department of Revenue.

How much does it cost to maintain an LLC in Texas?

Texas LLCs must file PIR by May 15 annually; franchise tax owed only above $2.47M revenue threshold.

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