Approved Franchise Tax Preparation Software Providers for 2023

Amended returns must be submitted on printed forms and not electronically through your software. Software from a 2023 approved provider will print the word AMENDED on each form. If it does not, type or print the phrase “Amended Report.” Send the report with a letter of explanation and all enclosures necessary to support the amendment to:

If the amended report is a request for refund, see the requirements.

If the taxpayer is required to make franchise tax payments using TEXNET, the payment cannot be submitted through vendor software. TEXNET mandatory accounts are required to submit electronic payments through the TEXNET system.

The Comptroller's office must approve substitute Texas Franchise Tax forms created by third-party vendors (computerized tax processors, commercial printers, software producers, payroll and other companies or individuals).

Our automated system cannot process substitute tax forms and schedules that are generated using unapproved software. Customers who submit forms from an unapproved company may be required to resubmit approved forms.

The Comptroller's office grants approval based on the type of submission:

• For electronic submissions, a software provider or a single reporting entity must successfully transmit through our Franchise Tax Web Service.
• For printable forms generated by provider software, approval is based on placement of the data on the forms, the form calculations and the values populated in the 2D barcode.

For comments or questions about the paper filing process, email us at Substitute.Forms@cpa.texas.gov.

Preparers can successfully submit a submission to their software provider, but that does not mean it has successfully processed through the Comptroller's office. If the submission is not successfully processed, the Comptroller's office will notify the software provider. It is the responsibility of tax preparers to monitor their submissions through their software providers for any returned error messages.

Electronic Submission Feature Helps Preparers:

• A tax preparer can electronically submit reports and payments in one transaction.
• Preparers receive timely enhanced error validations and feedback from their software provider, rather than months later from their clients.
• Preparers can track processing and, if necessary, resubmit rejected returns with corrected data.
• The new error validation option offers large combined groups line by line error identification on their affiliate schedule for return accuracy.

• A 2D barcode should print in the lower portion of each form directly below the words “Texas Comptroller Official Use Only.” Contact your software provider if your forms do not print a 2D barcode.
• For all original reports, version title “TX2023” should print in the upper left corner on every form, with the approved version number “Ver. 14.X” printed directly below. See the approved version number created by the Comptroller's office in the provider table on this page. If the approved version number printed on your forms does not match the version number listed in the table, contact your provider or download the provider's latest software.
• Some providers' software only supports report years 2011 - 2023. If you are preparing a report for previous years, you should ensure your software provider supports those years.