Commercial Collection Agency in Texas
Your Texas claim is handled by a licensed local collection partner, matched to your case and benchmarked on performance. All actions follow Texas law, and you track everything in one dashboard. Prefer to learn first? Read our Texas debt collection guide.
Questions about your case?
Write to us, we reply by email.
Our local debt collection partners
Debitura is a platform, not a single agency: your case is routed to the licensed collection partner best matched to your claim type, debtor profile and industry. After that, we follow their results on our platform: how much they collect, how fast they respond and how clients rate them.
- Verified specialists
- Fee shown before you submit
- Fair, pre-negotiated rates
Direct Recovery Associates, Inc. is a premier debt recovery agency in Agoura Hills offering effective Debt Collection services in the United States, founded in 1992, with a global reach and performance-based billing, ensuring client satisfaction.
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Aaron Bryant Stewart & Cross is a premier debt recovery agency in the United States offering effective No Cure No Pay Debt Collection services, established in 2006 and serving North America and select international markets, as a Debitura partner in the U.S., providing collections based on Debitura's No Cure, No Pay standard terms and pricing, and is a member of ACA International.
See full partner profile
Debt Recovery Resources is a premier debt recovery agency in the United States offering effective debt collection services, a member of the CLLA, partnering with Debitura for No Cure No Pay solutions.
See full partner profileWhy choose Debitura for debt collection in Texas?
Debt collection in Texas, matched to a local partner
Debitura recovers unpaid invoices from debtors in Texas through our platform: submit your claim, and we assign it to the best-matching licensed partner working on a No Cure, No Pay basis while you track progress in real time. Your Texas panel includes Debt Recovery Resources, a Southlake-based agency registered with the Texas Secretary of State (Reg. #0802087763) and a member of CLLA and ACA International, alongside Direct Recovery Associates, collecting commercial debt since 1992.
- No Cure, No Pay: Pay only when we recover your money.
- Quick setup: Submit invoices in a few clicks.
- Real-time tracking: Monitor progress live in one portal.
- Local compliance: Collection follows the Texas Debt Collection Act (Tex. Fin. Code Ch. 392) and the FDCPA.
Start recovering your Texas claims in 2 minutes
- Submit your claim: Upload unpaid invoices in the dashboard. Import by CSV or connect QuickBooks Online, Zoho Books, Stripe or KashFlow, or use Zapier, the REST API or our MCP server.
- Local collection begins: We assign your case to the best-matching partner on your Texas panel: Debt Recovery Resources, Direct Recovery Associates or Aaron Bryant Stewart & Cross, who opens the amicable phase with your debtor. If court action is required, typically in Justice Court for claims up to $20,000, you approve a legal quote, with court costs stated separately, before anything proceeds.
- Get paid: Funds are remitted on recovery. If escalation is needed, only legal steps you have approved in a quote move forward.
Transparent, success-based pricing
With Debitura you only pay when we succeed. Pre-legal collection is No Cure, No Pay: a success fee deducted from recovered amounts, invoiced locally by your partner. Fees depend on the debtor's country, not yours.
- Debtors in Europe (EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the UK and Switzerland): success fees from 6% depending on claim size.
- Debtors in the rest of the world: success fees from 7.5% depending on claim size. On a $10,000 invoice to a US business, under 12 months overdue, the success fee is 15% ($1,500), shown before you submit. Minimum claim: $500. No fee if nothing is recovered.
- Older claims: a surcharge applies for claims 12 to 24 months overdue and for claims older than 24 months.
- Legal action is optional: you approve a legal quote, with court costs stated separately, before any legal spend.
See the pricing page for the full fee schedule, or get an instant estimate when you upload a claim.
How does debt collection work in Texas?
Debt collection in Texas starts with an amicable phase: your case is handled by your assigned partner, which issues demands and pursues payment or a written acknowledgment of the debt. Most undisputed commercial claims are resolved at this stage. If the debtor still does not pay, escalation is never automatic; your partner assesses the legal route (typically Justice Court for claims up to $20,000, or County or District Court above), and you approve a legal quote before any court step.
- Submit in 2 minutes: upload unpaid invoices in the dashboard. Import by CSV or connect QuickBooks Online, Zoho Books, Stripe or KashFlow, or use Zapier, the REST API or our MCP server.
- No Cure, No Pay: pre-legal collection is success-based, with no setup fees or subscriptions.
- You stay in control: legal escalation only happens after you approve a legal quote.
- Get paid: recovered funds are remitted to you; fees are deducted on success only.
The four steps from unpaid invoice to recovered cash
- Amicable collection: demands and negotiation handled by your Texas panel partner. Most undisputed claims resolve here, without going to court.
- Enforceable title: if the debtor does not pay, your partner assesses the legal route, and you approve a legal quote, with court costs stated separately, before anything proceeds.
- Enforcement: with a judgment, creditors can use writs of execution, bank-account garnishment and turnover orders; Texas exempts wages from garnishment for ordinary debts.
- Insolvency: if the debtor cannot pay, your proof of claim is filed in the insolvency process and distributions are monitored on your behalf.
Every step is tracked in your dashboard, and nothing escalates without your approval. The full legal detail for Texas - timelines, costs, courts and enforcement - follows in the guide below.
Debt collection in Texas - the complete 2026 guide
For in-house counsel, finance teams and out-of-state creditors, this Texas guide covers 2026 debt recovery end-to-end - costs, timelines, limitation and interest, court routes, and post-judgment enforcement - plus step-by-step tools and compact tables to act correctly, fast.
What we will cover:
Why you can trust this guide
Written from primary legal sources and reviewed by licensed local experts in this jurisdiction.
Questions or feedback? Email us at contact@debitura.com , we update this guide based on your input.
Debitura By the Numbers:
- 180 countries covered - each case handled by a local partner
- More than 5,000 businesses registered with Debitura
- 33 days median time to first payment on European cases
About the author
Written by Lars Holdgaard, Founder of Debitura (+10 years in global B2B debt recovery).
Contributing local experts:
Last updated:
Debt collection in Texas - quick answers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Main route | Demand letter → amicable collection → Justice Court (claims up to $20,000) or County/District Court → post-judgment enforcement |
| Statute of limitations | 4 years for most debts (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.004) |
| Late-payment interest | 6% per year from day 30 without an agreed rate (Tex. Fin. Code §302.002); contract rates up to the 18% usury ceiling |
| Small claims | Justice Court hears claims up to $20,000 (Tex. Gov. Code §27.031); filing fee about $54 to $75 |
| Wage garnishment | Not available for ordinary debts (Texas Constitution Art. XVI, §28); creditors use bank garnishment and writs instead |
| Court & enforcement fees | State fees apply only if the case escalates to legal |
| Our fee | Success fee only - No Cure, No Pay |
How much does debt collection cost in Texas?
With Debitura you pay a success fee only on amounts actually recovered, with no upfront or monthly costs; the exact rate depends on your claim, see our pricing. Court fees apply only if the case escalates to legal: the Justice Court filing fee is about $54 to $75 depending on the county, and enforcement writ costs vary by county. These state fees are advanced by the creditor and can generally be recovered as court costs if you prevail.
How long does debt collection take in Texas?
Most undisputed commercial claims are resolved in the amicable phase without court involvement. If escalation is needed, Justice Court is the fastest judicial route, while contested County or District Court cases take substantially longer. Enforcement timing depends on locating non-exempt assets, since Texas exempts wages from garnishment for ordinary debts.
What are the limitation and interest rules in Texas?
The statute of limitations on most debt is 4 years from accrual (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.004); a signed written acknowledgment restarts the period (§16.065), but partial payment alone does not. Without an agreed rate, interest runs at 6% per year from the 30th day after the amount is due (Tex. Fin. Code §302.002); contracts may set up to the 18% usury ceiling (§302.001(b)). Post-judgment interest follows §§304.002-304.003.
What documents do I need to collect a debt in Texas?
Assemble the contract or purchase order, the invoice(s), delivery or proof-of-service records, an account statement, your demand letters and reminders, and any written acknowledgment or payment agreement. If you are represented, add a power of attorney.
Which route should my claim take?
Claims up to $20,000 belong in Justice Court, where a business can appear through an owner, officer or employee without an attorney. Larger or more complex claims go to County Court at Law or District Court. With Debitura, escalation only happens after you approve a legal quote.
Who does what in Texas debt collection?
Debt collection agencies in Texas
Texas does not license collection agencies, but third-party debt collectors must file a $10,000 surety bond with the Texas Secretary of State before collecting in the state (Tex. Fin. Code §392.101). Any collector's bond can be verified in the Secretary of State's public Debt Collector Search. On the assigned Texas panel, Debt Recovery Resources is registered under Reg. #0802087763.
Texas courts and enforcement officers
Justice Courts hear claims up to $20,000 (Tex. Gov. Code §27.031); County Courts at Law and District Courts hear larger and more complex cases. After judgment, sheriffs and constables execute writs of execution and garnishment, and county clerks record abstracts of judgment that create liens on non-exempt real property (Tex. Prop. Code §52.001).
Debt-collection attorneys in Texas
Attorneys handle litigation above the Justice Court limit and contested or disputed claims. In Justice Court, a business may be represented by an owner, officer, partner or employee, so no attorney is required for claims within the $20,000 limit.
Regulators
The Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division enforces the Texas Debt Collection Act; the CFPB and FTC oversee consumer debt collection at the federal level.
Which laws and courts apply to debt collection in Texas?
Key legislation in Texas
Debt collection in Texas is governed by the Texas Debt Collection Act (Tex. Fin. Code Ch. 392), which applies alongside the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Both regulate consumer debt, defined as obligations for personal, family or household purposes (Tex. Fin. Code §392.001); pure business-to-business debt is governed by the contract and general Texas law. The Deceptive Trade Practices Act (Tex. Bus. & Com. Code Ch. 17) provides a private remedy for violations, and third-party collectors must file the $10,000 surety bond of §392.101 before collecting; collecting without a filed bond violates Chapter 392 and can be a criminal offense.
Recent change: HB 4238, effective September 1, 2025, added identity-theft protections to §392.202. On receiving a court order declaring a consumer an identity-theft victim, creditors and collectors must cease collection on the disputed debt and notify the entities they previously reported it to.
Civil court system in Texas
Justice Courts hear claims up to $20,000 under simplified procedure (Tex. Gov. Code §27.031; Texas Rules of Civil Procedure 500-507; the separate small-claims courts were abolished in 2013). County Courts at Law and District Courts hear larger and more complex cases. Suits are filed in the county and precinct connected to the debtor or the obligation.
Consumer protection
The Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division enforces the Act. Suing or arbitrating on time-barred consumer debt is prohibited and requires statutory notices (HB 996, 2019, codified in Tex. Fin. Code Ch. 392).
Step 1 - How does amicable (pre-legal) debt collection work in Texas?
Amicable collection in Texas is handled by your assigned panel partner, which contacts the debtor with formal demands and pursues payment, a payment agreement, or a written acknowledgment of the debt. Most undisputed commercial claims resolve in this phase without court involvement. Nationally, late payment is common but most of it is still collected: in 2025, 52% of US B2B invoices were paid on time, 43% were paid late and 5% were written off as bad debt (Atradius Payment Practices Trends, 2025). A signed written acknowledgment restarts the 4-year limitation period (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.065); partial payment alone does not.
When to escalate to court in Texas
Escalation is never automatic. It becomes relevant when the debtor is unresponsive, disputes the claim without merit, or the claim is approaching the 4-year limitation deadline. Your partner assesses the legal route and you approve a legal quote before any court step. For consumer debt, note that suing on time-barred claims is prohibited (HB 996).
Step 2 - How do you obtain an enforceable title in Texas?
Fast-track option: Justice Court
Small claims in Texas are heard in Justice Court, often called JP court, under Texas Rules of Civil Procedure 500-507.
| Texas Justice Court | |
|---|---|
| Claim limit | $20,000, excluding statutory interest and court costs (Tex. Gov. Code §27.031) |
| Filing fee | About $54 to $75, varies by county |
| Business claimants | May be represented by an owner, officer, partner or employee; no attorney required |
| Attorney rules | Allowed, not required |
Ordinary proceedings in Texas
Claims above $20,000, or complex and contested cases, are heard in County Court at Law or District Court. With Debitura, nothing is filed without your approval of a legal quote. For a national benchmark of why the fast-track route matters, a US commercial dispute takes 627.5 days on average to reach a first-instance judgment, and the winning party's own attorney fees run to roughly 22.5% of the claim (World Bank B-READY 2025). More US figures are in our Global Collection Report for the United States.
Determining the appropriate court
The route is determined by the amount in controversy, the complexity of the dispute, and venue: suits are filed in the county and precinct connected to the debtor or the obligation.
Step 3 - How does debt enforcement work in Texas?
Ways to enforce a claim in Texas
With a judgment, creditors can use writs of execution on non-exempt property, bank-account garnishment via a writ of garnishment (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ch. 63), and turnover orders (§31.002). Texas prohibits wage garnishment for ordinary judgments: current wages for personal service are constitutionally exempt except for court-ordered child support and spousal maintenance (Texas Constitution Art. XVI, §28; see also §63.004). Texas also has broad homestead and personal-property exemptions (Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 41-42), so enforcement focuses on accounts and business assets.
How to collect a judgment in Texas
A Texas judgment is enforceable for 10 years and goes dormant if no writ of execution issues within that period (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §34.001); a dormant judgment can be revived by scire facias or an action of debt within 2 years (§31.006). Recording an abstract of judgment in the county real-property records creates a lien on the debtor's non-exempt real property, valid about 10 years and renewable (Tex. Prop. Code §52.001).
Step 4 - How do insolvency procedures work in Texas?
Business insolvency is governed by the federal Bankruptcy Code, with Chapter 7 liquidation and Chapter 11 reorganization as the main routes. Once a bankruptcy is filed, the automatic stay halts individual collection actions, and recovery runs through the insolvency estate: your proof of claim is filed in the process and distributions follow the statutory priority order. Your Texas panel partner files the claim and monitors distributions on your behalf, so nothing is lost for lack of follow-up.
Fees, interest and who pays what in Texas
Debitura's pre-legal collection in Texas is success-based - No Cure, No Pay, with no setup fees or subscriptions.
Court and enforcement fees - only if the case escalates to legal
State fees apply only if the case escalates to legal. The Justice Court filing fee is about $54 to $75 depending on the county, and enforcement writ costs vary by county. These fees are advanced by the creditor and can generally be recovered as court costs if you prevail.
Interest and late fees the debtor owes - from the amicable phase
Without an agreed rate, Texas allows 6% per year starting on the 30th day after the amount is due (Tex. Fin. Code §302.002); contracts may set a higher rate up to the 18% usury ceiling (§302.001(b)). Post-judgment interest on judgments not based on a contract follows the prime rate, floored at 5% and capped at 15% (§304.003); judgments on a contract that provides for interest carry the lesser of the contract rate or 18% (§304.002); pre-judgment interest accrues at the applicable post-judgment rate (§304.104). Texas sets no statutory cap on commercial late-payment fees; the contract governs. Separate prompt-payment rules apply to government contracts (Tex. Gov. Code Ch. 2251) and private construction (Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 28).
Collecting a Texas debt from out of state or abroad
Creditors outside Texas can enforce sister-state judgments in Texas under the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ch. 35), and new suits are filed in the Texas county connected to the debtor or the obligation. Out-of-state and international creditors work through the same Texas panel: your case is routed to the licensed partner best matched to your claim, with the same No Cure, No Pay terms, and cross-border cases draw on Debitura's network across 180 countries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore our most common FAQs below, or reach out directly at contact@debitura.com if you need help with a specific case.
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Need debt recovery beyond Texas?
Explore our North America debt-collection hub for country-by-country playbooks.
For coast-to-coast coverage in the US, see the U.S. debt-collection overview.
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