The Texas Comptroller is offering an automatic extension of time to file 2017 Texas franchise tax reports for businesses located in federally-declared disaster areas in Texas. 2017 Texas franchise tax reports with valid extensions to November 15, 2017 will be granted an automatic extension to January 5, 2018. Businesses located in counties federally declared a disaster area do not need to request an extension for their franchise tax reports. For example, a business located in Aransas County who had received a valid extension to November 15, 2017 will be granted an automatic extension to file until January 5, 2018.

CPAs and other report preparers who file franchise tax reports for other taxpayers may request a franchise tax extension if they are affected by Hurricane Harvey and are located in a Texas county federally-declared as a disaster area. These extensions are not automatic, and the CPAs or report preparers must take steps to request an extension. For example, a CPA located in Houston who is affected by Hurricane Harvey may request an extension until January 5, 2018 to file a franchise tax report for one of its clients located in Lubbock.

The following counties are included in the list of federally-declared disaster areas: Aransas, Austin, Bastrop, Bee, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Hardin, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Karnes, Kleberg, Lavaca, Lee, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Polk, Refugio, Sabine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Tyler, Victoria, Walker, Waller, and Wharton.