Resources

Starting To Lobby

Checklist for Starting Your Lobbying

1. Determine whether you are lobbying. Lobbying is making direct communications with members of the legislative or executive branch of Texas state government to influence legislation or administrative action.
2. Determine whether you are required to register as a lobbyist. You are required to register if you:
1. Receive or are entitled to receive more than the compensation/reimbursement threshold in a calendar quarter as compensation or reimbursement to lobby;

   Year	Quarterly Compensation Reimbursement Threshold
   2023 and beyond	$1,760
   2022	$1,640
   2021	$1,620
   2020	$1,560
   2019 and prior years	$1,000

   or
2. Expend more than the expenditure threshold in a calendar quarter to benefit a state officer or employee (or his or her immediate family) when the expenditures are made to communicate to influence legislation or administrative action.

   Year	Quarterly Expenditure Threshold
   2023 and beyond	$880
   2022	$820
   2021	$810
   2020	$780
   2019 and prior years	$500

Please note that there is an exception for incidental lobbying. (See Lobbying in Texas: A Guide to the Texas Law.)

3. File a Lobby ID Request/Name Change Form with TEC in order to obtain a File ID number necessary for filing a registration.
4. File a lobby registration electronically, unless you qualify to file on paper, with the TEC no later than five days after the date you make the communication that requires you to register.
5. File lobby activities reports monthly to report your expenditures. (You may file annually if you intend to make less than the annual lobby expenditure threshold in lobby expenditures during the calendar year.)

   Year	Annual Expenditure Threshold
   2023 and beyond	$2,020
   2022	$1,890
   2021	$1,860
   2020	$1,790
   2019 and prior years	$1,000

6. Renew your lobby registration each year that you are lobbying.
7. Continue filing lobby activities reports as long as your lobby registration is on file with the TEC.