SOS Modernization Program
Texas is improving business and government filings!
The SOS is modernizing its systems to make it easier to handle your filing needs. Our goal? To create a user-friendly experience that takes the hassle out of filing for businesses and individuals alike.
Please visit the page periodically to learn more about the latest services available in our new portal.
A Modern Way to Become a Notary Public in Texas
The Office of the Texas Secretary of State (SOS) has made it easier than ever to become a notary public. SOS recently launched a new online system that replaced its old paper-only process. Now, applicants can apply online, manage their commission, and take care of tasks like renewals or updates—all in one place.
What’s New and Improved
Our technology upgrade is not just about going digital — it is about real results. Since launching the new system, we have seen major improvements:
- Paperwork is significantly reduced. We have reduced paper filings by 95%, which helps speed up the process for applicants and helps our staff save time.
- More time for service. By automating background checks, standardizing our process, and catching data errors early, the SOS saved over 700 hours of processing work in just one month.
- Easier for applicants. Notaries can now manage their commissions online—update names and addresses, renew commissions, and request replacements—all without mailing forms, or making phone calls to our office.
- Easier for surety bonding companies. The SOS has reduced data errors, improved compliance with state laws, and sped up the processing of applications submitted by surety companies.
Rewriting the Rules: A New Chapter for the Texas Register
The Texas Register is the official journal where state agencies share rules and public notices. It is how the public, businesses, and other organizations stay informed about changes in Texas administrative rules.
Before the SOS updated the system, the publishing process was slow and done manually. Editors had to do repetitive tasks by hand, like merging documents and checking for errors. The system also relied on outdated tools that made mistakes and slowed everything down.
What’s New and Improved
The new Texas Register platform has transformed a once time-consuming, manual process into a faster, more reliable digital workflow.
- Faster publishing. The time it takes to merge rulemaking documents has dropped by 50%–75%.
- Smarter tools. Tasks like tracking documents, updating the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), and checking for errors now happen in minutes, not hours—thanks to automation and real-time system checks.
- Smarter editing. Editors no longer have to manually review and organize content. The system automatically checks for accuracy, consistency, and completeness at every step.
- Significant security improvements. Implemented security and identity management improvements, reducing agency-wide security vulnerabilities by 70%.
With this upgrade, state agencies can publish notices and rule updates more quickly, and the public can see updates in the online Texas Administrative Code almost right away — making the process more open, reliable, and easier to follow.
The SOS is proud of the progress it has made on modernizing agency services and is excited to keep making government services more efficient, user-friendly, and modern.
Latest Updates
+ January 2025: Government Filing Services Now Available in SOS Portal
In celebration of Texas Register’s 50th Anniversary, it got an upgrade! The new Texas Register Liaison Center went live on the SOS Portal on January 10, 2025.
Notary Public and Notary Complaints are now also available on the SOS Portal as of January 21, 2025.
+ October 2024: New Online Registration Applications are now live on SOS Portal
SOS Portal now supports Vision Support Organization registrations and Credit Services Organizations, as required by Chapter 74 of the Business and Commerce Code.
+ August 2024: LegalEase® payment option discontinued as of October 1, 2024
For LegalEase® customer or service-related questions, please contact Frost Treasury Management Customer Service at (888) 481-0336.
+ July 2024: SOS Client Accounts are changing
As services transitioned to the new SOS Portal, all clients will need to create a new customer account in the new SOS Portal. The new system will require you to pay for services as you go, and the SOS will no longer allow fund balances to be maintained at SOS. However, during this transition period, clients may still use fund balances to pay for services through SOSDirect, or SOSUpload. You may continue to submit business entity filings through SOSDirect and SOSUpload for the foreseeable future. For UCC-related services, such as submitting filings, searches, and orders, you may continue to use SOSDirect until they transition to SOSPortal. Customers currently utilizing an SOS Client Account for those UCC services may wish to use any remaining balance prior to that transition to SOS Portal because existing funds will not transfer to the new system.
You may request a refund for the account balance by sending an email to accounting@sos.texas.gov and include the name of the entity/individual associated with your account. Please note that the SOS can only issue refunds upon request from the account holder.
+ June 2024: Introducing our new Data Broker Online Registration
We just launched our new system that allows data brokers to register as required by Chapter 509 of the Business and Commerce Code. Visit our Data Broker page for more details.
Changes to our Processes
+ Credit Cards No Longer Accepted on Paper or Fax Filings, effective June 15, 2023
SOS will no longer accept credit card payments in association with paper filings (mailed or hand-delivered) or filings received via facsimile. We will continue to accept credit card payments for filings submitted through SOSDirect, SOSUpload and our new applications as they are deployed as part of our modernization. If a paper or fax filing is submitted after June 14, 2023, and credit card information is included, the filing will be automatically rejected. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Credit Cards FAQs
Why is this happening?
Agency policy requires this change.
How can I use a credit card to pay my filing fees?
* Business Filings only - If your document can be filed using SOS Direct or SOSUpload, you can still use your credit card to pay, if you file your document using either application; OR
*Create and fund a client account using your credit card. Client accounts can still be used to pay for documents submitted by mail, fax or hand delivery. You can check the box at the bottom of the payment form, and write the client account name and client account number on the form. See instructions on how to create and fund a client account below.
Can I send a check with the payment form instead of writing my credit card information on the payment form?
Yes, you can send a check with your document. You can check the box at the bottom of the payment form and write the check number on the form. Please make your check payable to Secretary of State.
I submitted a document last month with credit card information, will it get rejected?
No, this change only applies to documents received in our Office after June 14, 2023.
I mailed my payment form with written credit card information to your office before June 14, 2023, what will happen to my document?
If your document is received AFTER June 14, 2023 and there is written Credit Card information on the payment form, it will be rejected and returned to your attention. If your document is received prior to June 15, 2023, the Office will process your document.
If my document is rejected because of this policy, will I still get a filing date that is the same as the date my document was originally received by your Office?
No, your filing date will be the date that the document is received by the Office and conforms to statutory requirements, which include providing an acceptable form of payment.
+ How to create your SOS Client Account
- Click on the following link: Create your SOS Client Account
- Enter your information, screen by screen, until you receive a message that you have successfully submitted a request for a SOSDirect account.
- If your email has a strict spam filter, please add the following email addresses to your contact or safe senders list: sosdirect@sos.texas.gov & response@sos.texas.gov
- The email with your SOSDirect USER ID will be sent to you within an hour.
+ How to fund your SOS Client Account
- Click on the following link:Fund your SOS Client Account
- Enter your SOSDirect USER ID (see step #4 under the + How to create your SOS Client Account link) and PASSWORD information and click submit.
- Go to the PAYMENT INFORMATION section and select the Client Account option from the PAYMENT METHOD drop down box.
- Click on the Continue button above the PAYMENT INFORMATION section.
- Next, the webpage will show you as logged into SOSDirect. Your session code will appear in bold text.
- Click on Account from the navigation bar located at the top of this page.
- Click on Submit Payment to Client Account.
- Next, the webpage will show your Current Balance within the ENTER PAYMENT AMOUNT section. You will need to add sufficient funds to pay for your service request.
- Type the amount of funds you require into the Enter Payment Amount field.
- The webpage will autofill the billing information from your SOSDirect account. If this information does not match the credit card billing information, you will need to change it.
- Once you have completed the form click Submit Payment.
- You will receive a confirmation page that shows your payment and the amount that has been received. The funds will be available for use in one hour.
- The payment will not process until you log out of your account. You can verify your payment in one hour, if you log into your account again by following Steps 1 to 8 above.
