If you run a Texas LLC, corporation, or partnership, you may have recently received a letter from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts about an overdue Public Information Report. These notices are going out to entities that have not satisfied their franchise tax reporting requirements. They deserve your attention even if you expect to owe no tax.
The Public Information Report, often called the PIR, is a separate filing from the franchise tax report, and missing it can put your entity at risk. The 2026 filing season includes several changes, including the continued elimination of the No Tax Due Report and an agency transition as a new Comptroller takes office. Understanding what the PIR is and how to respond to a late notice can help you resolve the issue quickly.
What Is the Texas Public Information Report?
The Public Information Report provides basic information about a Texas entity. It is filed annually with the Texas Comptroller, typically in May, and helps keep your business in good standing. The form is officially known as Form 05-102.
The PIR must be completed and signed by an officer, director, or other authorized person. It lists the taxpayer name, taxpayer number, and the Secretary of State or Comptroller file number, plus the entity’s mailing and principal office addresses.
For many businesses, the PIR is straightforward, but simple does not mean optional. All Texas LLCs must file every year, and the report is free. The annual due date is May 15.
Action Step: Check whether your PIR was filed by May 15. If unsure, review your Comptroller correspondence or ask your tax preparer to confirm your filing status.
Why Overdue Notices Are Going Out Now
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has issued late and forfeiture notices for entities that have not satisfied prior-year or current-year filing requirements. If you received one, the state believes your entity is missing a required report.
The timing is tied to an agency transition. Don Huffines has been announced as the new Comptroller, effective August 1, 2026. Filing enforcement remains active, and the state continues to send reminders about outstanding obligations.
A key point: a business may owe no franchise tax and still be delinquent if it failed to submit the required PIR or Ownership Information Report. Owing zero tax does not mean you have no filing obligation.
Action Step: Do not ignore a late notice, even if you believe you owe no tax. Open the letter, note the referenced report, and confirm whether your PIR or OIR was filed.
Who Must File the PIR
The filing requirement comes from Texas Tax Code Section 171.203. The report applies to a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, or professional association on which the franchise tax is imposed.
Each taxable entity organized in Texas or with nexus must file, including financial institutions. Do not assume your entity is exempt because it is small or inactive. The PIR requirement applies regardless of which franchise tax report form your business uses.
Action Step: Confirm which report your entity must file. Review your formation documents or consult your CPA if unsure.
PIR vs. OIR: Two Information Reports, One Goal
Texas uses two information reports for franchise tax purposes: the Public Information Report, Form 05-102, and the Ownership Information Report, Form 05-167. Both gather basic identifying information, but they serve different purposes.
The PIR focuses on public details such as the taxpayer name, taxpayer number, mailing address, and principal office. The OIR collects ownership information. The forms are not interchangeable, and you must file the one that applies to your entity.
Neither form is a tax return. They are information reports, and they help the state maintain accurate records for the entities it regulates.
Action Step: Determine whether your business needs a PIR or an OIR before filing. The wrong form can lead to delays.
2026 Franchise Tax Report Deadlines and Extension Rules
For 2026, the Texas franchise tax annual report was due May 15, 2026. The Comptroller’s instructions state that an annual report, if required, is due May 15 of each report year, and they identify May 15, 2026, as the 2026 due date.
If you could not file by the original due date, you could request an extension on or before the due date. For an annual non-EFT payor, the 2026 extension period runs through November 16, 2026. EFT refers to electronic funds transfer, so businesses that pay electronically follow a different schedule.
To obtain a valid annual extension, the taxpayer generally must remit with the extension request at least 90 percent of the tax due with the 2026 report, or 100 percent of the tax reported as due for the previous calendar year, provided the prior-year report was filed on or before May 14, 2026.
Special limitations apply. A taxable entity that became subject to the franchise tax during 2025 and is filing its first annual report may not use the 100 percent prior-year option. An entity included as an affiliate on a 2025 combined group report may not use it if filing separately in 2026. A combined group requesting an extension must file Form 05-165, the Texas Franchise Tax Extension Affiliate List, with the request.
Action Step: If you missed May 15, check whether the extension rules apply. The November 16, 2026 date applies to annual non-EFT payors, so confirm your payment method first.
No Tax Due? You May Still Need to File a PIR
A common misunderstanding is that owing no tax removes all filing duties. In Texas, that is no longer true. For reports originally due on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2028, the no-tax-due threshold is $2,650,000.
Entities with annualized total revenue at or below that amount owe no tax and skip the No Tax Due Report, which is unavailable for 2026. Yet the information report requirement remains. Those entities generally must still file a PIR, Form 05-102, or an OIR, Form 05-167, which is why some get late notices despite owing nothing.
Action Step: Do not assume you are done because revenue is below the threshold. Verify your PIR or OIR was submitted, since the information report is required regardless of tax liability.
How to File the PIR
The Texas Comptroller encourages electronic filing through Webfile, the state’s online system. If you cannot use Webfile, downloadable PDF reports are available on the Texas Franchise Tax Forms page for the 2026 report year. These forms work with the free Adobe Reader; other browsers may not function as intended.
Action Step: Start with Webfile if possible. If using a PDF, update Adobe Reader first so the form works correctly.
What Happens If You Miss the Deadline
Missing the PIR deadline creates a delinquency even if your franchise tax liability is zero. The state has issued late and forfeiture notices for entities that have not satisfied filing requirements, and ignoring them can lead to more serious consequences.
The best way to resolve an overdue notice is to file the missing report promptly. If you are unsure whether the notice references a PIR, an OIR, or a franchise tax return, a CPA can help. The reporting obligations remain in place during the Comptroller transition.
Action Step: Gather your taxpayer number and Secretary of State file number, then file the missing report. Contact a Texas CPA if you need help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Texas Public Information Report?
A Public Information Report provides basic information about a Texas entity, including the taxpayer name, taxpayer number, mailing address, and principal office. It is filed annually with the Texas Comptroller, typically in May. The report is required for entities such as corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, professional associations, and financial institutions.
How often do I need to file a Texas Public Information Report?
The PIR must be filed every year. The annual due date is May 15, and the report is free to file. Even if your entity owes no franchise tax, you generally still must file a PIR or an Ownership Information Report each year to stay in good standing with the state.
Can I file a Texas Public Information Report online?
Yes. The Texas Comptroller accepts the PIR through Webfile, and downloadable PDF versions are also available. The PDF forms are designed to work with the free Adobe Reader, and you should install the latest version before filing to avoid issues with form functionality.
What should I do if I received an overdue PIR notice?
File the missing report as soon as possible. The Comptroller has issued late and forfeiture notices for entities that have not satisfied filing requirements. Even if you owe no tax, a missing PIR or OIR can leave your entity delinquent, so prompt action is important.
Key Takeaways
The Texas Public Information Report is an annual filing due May 15, separate from the franchise tax report.
The Comptroller has issued overdue notices for entities that missed PIR and OIR filings.
Businesses below the $2,650,000 no-tax-due threshold must generally still file a PIR or OIR.
The 2026 extension deadline for annual non-EFT payors is November 16, 2026.
Act quickly on overdue notices by filing the missing report or contacting a Texas CPA.
Need help with a Texas franchise tax notice or your entity’s PIR filing? Priscilla Suggs CPA LLC works with Texas small businesses on franchise tax compliance, information reports, and notice responses. Reach out to get your filing calendar back on track.