Legal Costs in Houston, TX (2026)
Filing fees for LLCs, divorce, small claims, and notary services in Houston — all sourced from official Texas state records.
Form an LLC in Houston, TX
To form an LLC with a Houston address, you file with the Texas Secretary of State — not the city or county. The state filing fee is $300. Standard processing takes 5 business days.
0| State filing fee | $300 |
| Annual report fee | None |
| Standard processing | 5 business days |
| Expedited processing | 1 |
| Publication cost | Not required |
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Skip the paperwork. A trusted formation service files your Texas LLC — starting from $300 + service fee.
Start My LLC →Small Claims Court in Houston
Small claims cases in Houston are heard at the Justice Court in Harris County. The maximum you can sue for is $20,000. Filing fees range from $54–$121 depending on the claim amount.
| Court name | Justice Court |
| Filing location | Harris County |
| Maximum claim limit | $20,000 |
| Filing fee | $54–$121 |
| Written contract SOL | 4 years |
| Oral contract SOL | 4 years |
Filing for Divorce in Houston
Divorce petitions in Houston are filed at the Harris County courthouse. The Texas state filing fee is $300. Sheriff service costs $75. Texas requires divorcing parents with minor children to complete a parenting class.
| Filing location | Harris County Courthouse |
| Filing fee | $300 |
| Sheriff service fee | $75 |
| Children surcharge | $20 |
| Parenting class | Required (if children) |
| Certified copy fee | $10 |
Uncontested Divorce in Houston?
Handle your Houston divorce online — starting from $159, no attorney required for uncontested cases.
Start My Online Divorce →Find a Notary in Houston, TX
Texas caps notary fees at $10 per notarial act ($25 for remote online notarization). Common places to find a notary in Houston: your bank (often free for account holders), UPS Store, FedEx Office, public libraries, and law offices.
Texas also allows Remote Online Notarization (RON) — get documents notarized via video call from anywhere, capped at $25. Useful if you can't travel to a Houston notary in person.
| Acknowledgment fee cap | $10 |
| Jurat fee cap | $10 |
| RON (remote online) | $25 |
| State fee law | Yes — fee cap enforced |