--- title: "Opening a Business in Southlake: State, County, and City Steps" description: "The steps to open a business in Southlake, Texas: state formation, a county assumed name certificate, a Comptroller sales tax permit, and the city certificate of..." url: https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/blog/opening-a-business-southlake-steps publisher: Wallace CPA phone: +1-877-682-1171 quote: https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/contact --- # Opening a Business in Southlake: State, County, and City Steps To open a business in Southlake you deal with four offices: the Texas Secretary of State for an entity, the county clerk for an unincorporated assumed name, the Comptroller for a sales tax permit, and the City of Southlake for a certificate of occupancy. Local: SouthlakePublished October 12, 20263 min read ## What do I need to open a business in Southlake? You need steps at four levels: state, county, Comptroller and city. Not every business needs all four. The mix depends on how you structure the business and what you sell. Step Office Who it applies to Form an entity Texas Secretary of State Corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships File an assumed name County Clerk, or the Secretary of State for entities Anyone using a name other than their legal name Get a sales tax permit Texas Comptroller Anyone selling taxable items or services Get a certificate of occupancy City of Southlake Business moving into a space The City of Southlake’s economic development site, Select Southlake, lists business assistance and a Starting a Business page. Start there for city contacts. Our [guide to starting a business in Texas](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/guides/starting-a-business-in-texas) goes deeper on the state side. ## How do I form an LLC or corporation in Texas? You file a certificate of formation with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State says corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships are formed that way. An LLC’s owners are called members, and an LLC may have one or more. The Secretary of State’s own instructions say its forms are not substitutes for the advice and services of an attorney and tax specialist. An attorney handles the legal choice of entity. A CPA covers the tax side. Read about the [limited liability company](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/limited-liability-company-llc) and how it is taxed, then get an [employer identification number](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/employer-identification-number-ein) when you are ready to hire or open accounts. ## Do I need an assumed name certificate? Only if you use a name other than your own legal name. Tarrant County says an assumed name should be filed with the County Clerk’s office in the county where business is conducted. Since September 1, 2019, a corporation, limited partnership, LLP, LLC or foreign filing entity files with the Secretary of State instead. An assumed name is not a business license. The Tarrant County Clerk says to contact City Hall to find out if a license is required. Part of Southlake lies in Denton County. If your location is there, ask that county clerk about its process, since this page covers Tarrant County. The county also says business owners must set up an account with the Tarrant Appraisal District, and that deadlines apply. Ask about business personal property when you register. ## Do I need a sales tax permit? If you sell or lease taxable items or sell taxable services. The Comptroller’s application is for anyone engaged in business in Texas who does that. Read [Texas sales tax in Southlake and Grapevine](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/blog/sales-tax-southlake-grapevine-shops) for the local rate. The [sales and use tax](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/sales-and-use-tax) glossary entry explains the terms. ## What does the City of Southlake require? Southlake requires a Certificate of Occupancy for re-occupancy of an existing structure by a new tenant, a change of use, a change of name, or a new owner. Ask the city for its current checklist before you sign a lease. Other permits may apply to your use, so ask the city rather than assume. Rules differ by city. Grapevine, for example, says it does not require a separate business license, but will not issue a Certificate of Occupancy until the sales tax number is provided. Do not carry one city’s steps to another. ## What tax duties come next? Set up your books on day one. A clean [bookkeeping](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/bookkeeping) routine feeds your sales tax reports and your return. An LLC or corporation also has franchise tax duties. The Comptroller says the annual franchise tax report is due May 15. See our [Texas franchise tax guide](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/guides/texas-franchise-tax). ## In what order should I do these steps? A common order works well, but confirm it with your advisers. 1. Pick the structure with an attorney and a CPA. 2. File the certificate of formation, or the county assumed name if you are not an entity. 3. Apply for the Comptroller sales tax permit if you sell taxable items. 4. Ask the City of Southlake about the certificate of occupancy before you sign a lease. 5. Open your books and bank account in the business name. ## Next step Wallace CPA offers [business formation](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/services/business-formation) support on the tax side. See our [Southlake page](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/service-areas/cpa-southlake-tx). Call (877) 682-1171 or use the form at [/contact](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/contact). This post is general information, not advice for your situation. Talk to a CPA about your own situation, and an attorney about entity choice and legal documents. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does an LLC file an assumed name certificate with the county? Tarrant County says that since September 1, 2019 a corporation, LLC or similar entity files its assumed name certificate with the Secretary of State, not with each County Clerk. ### Is an assumed name a business license? No. The Tarrant County Clerk says an assumed name is not a business license, and to contact City Hall to find out if a license is required. ### When does Southlake require a certificate of occupancy? Southlake's guidelines say one is required for a new tenant, change of use, change of name or new owner of an existing structure. ## Terms on this page - [Employer identification number (EIN)](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/employer-identification-number-ein) - [Limited liability company (LLC)](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/limited-liability-company-llc) - [Texas franchise tax](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/texas-franchise-tax) - [Appraisal district](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/appraisal-district) - [Sales and use tax](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/sales-and-use-tax) - [Bookkeeping](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/glossary/bookkeeping) ## Sources 1. [Texas Secretary of State: Form 205 instructions, LLC](https://www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/instructions/205.shtml) 2. [Texas Secretary of State: Formation FAQs](https://www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/formationfaqs.shtml) 3. [Tarrant County Clerk: Assumed names](https://www.tarrantcountytx.gov/en/county-clerk/vital-records/assumed-names.html) 4. [Texas Comptroller: Sales tax permit](https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/permit/) 5. [City of Southlake: Re-occupancy guidelines](https://www.cityofsouthlake.com/DocumentCenter/View/45720/Reoccupancy-Guidelines?bidId=) 6. [City of Southlake: Select Southlake](https://www.cityofsouthlake.com/3880/Select-Southlake) 7. [Texas Comptroller: Franchise tax](https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/franchise/) Written by Wallace CPA and checked against the sources above on October 12, 2026. Tax rules and dates change, so check the linked page before you act. General information, not advice for your situation. ## Keep reading - [Starting a business in Texas: entity, EIN, franchise tax and sales taxTo start a business in Texas, choose a structure, file with the Texas Secretary of State if the structure requires it, get a free EIN from the IRS, and...](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/guides/starting-a-business-in-texas) - [Sales Tax at a Southlake or Grapevine Shop: How the Local Rate WorksShops in Southlake and Grapevine charge a combined sales tax rate of 8.25%. That is the 6.25% state rate plus 2% in local tax, the legal maximum.](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/blog/sales-tax-southlake-grapevine-shops) - [Texas franchise tax: who files, when, and what no tax due meansThe Texas franchise tax is a business tax on entities formed in or doing business in Texas. The report is due May 15 each year.](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/guides/texas-franchise-tax) - [Texas business taxes, explained for small business ownersTexas has no state income tax, but a business can still owe several others. The main ones are the franchise tax, sales and use tax, property tax on business...](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/guides/texas-business-taxes) - [How to protest your property tax value in Tarrant and Denton countiesIn Tarrant and Denton counties, you protest your property value with your county appraisal district.](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/guides/property-tax-protest-tarrant-denton) - [S corporation, LLC or sole proprietor: how the choices differ in TexasA sole proprietor reports business income on Schedule C of the personal return. An LLC is a legal structure, and its federal tax treatment depends on what it...](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/guides/s-corp-llc-sole-proprietor-texas) ## Talk to Wallace CPA Call the Southlake office and say what you need: a return, an IRS letter, your books or a new business. Have the notice or last year's return nearby if you have one. [Call (877) 682-1171](tel:+1-877-682-1171)[Send a message](https://wallacecpa.multisites.ai/contact) 180 State Street, Suite 225, Southlake, TX 76092