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CCH Axcess Tax

Texas Electronic Filing Information

Texas Franchise Tax returns may be filed electronically for the 2020 tax year (report years 2010 through 2021).

Texas Electronic Filing Procedural Steps

Application Process

There are no further registration steps that preparers must make before being eligible to file Texas reports electronically. The only required information is that the preparer must obtain either the taxpayer's Webfile number or the prior year's total revenue amount.

Return Eligibility

The following Texas forms are eligible for electronic filing:

• 05-164 - Franchise Tax Extension Request
• 05-163 - Initial / Annual No Tax Due Information Report
• 05-163(F) - Final No Tax Due Information Report
• 05-169 - Initial / Annual Franchise Tax EZ Calculation Report
• 05-169(F) - Final Franchise Tax EZ Calculation Report
• 05-158 - Initial / Annual Franchise Tax Report
• 05-158(F) - Final Franchise Tax Report
• 05-160 - Franchise Tax Credit Summary Schedule
• 05-178 - Franchise Tax Research and Development Activities Credits Schedule
• 05-180 - Franchise Tax Historic Structure Credit Supplement for Credit Claimed on Report
• 05-102 - Franchise Tax Public Information

Exclusions from Texas Electronic Filing

Amended returns are not allowed for electronic filing. Prior year reports are allowed for report years 2010 and later.

The following Texas forms are ineligible electronic filing:

• 05-170 - Franchise Tax Payment Form

Creating, Releasing and Transmitting the Texas Electronic File

The Texas electronic file is created, released and transmitted simultaneously with the federal electronic file. The files will be transmitted to Texas. There are no additional steps required during this state of processing.

Balance Due Returns

Texas accepts electronically filed balance due reports. If an electronically filed report has a balance due and no direct debit information is present in the return to pay the balance due via electronic funds transfer, Form 05-170 should be mailed to the address on the form with the payment required. Taxpayers required to pay via electronic funds transfer but who paid more than $100,000 in tax payments in the prior state fiscal year must use TEXNET to pay the balance due; direct debit information will not be processed for these taxpayers.

Steps to Create Texas eFiled Extensions

Generate a Texas extension, Form 05-164, by making an entry on Texas Franchise Tax > General Information > Request an extension, and General > Electronic Filing > General > File other returns electronically. Clear all diagnostics that pertain to extension eFiling to get the extension qualified.

Important Information - Contact Information

CCH Axcess Tax

Electronic Filing Phone Support

Phone: 1-800-739-9998, option #3, option #1, option #1

Fax: 1-316-612-3405