Lobbyists

New! E-Filing System

Beginning in July 2021, the City Clerk’s Office will be launching a new electronic filing system for lobbyists and business entities to file their reports and pay their fees online. For more information, please view the City Clerk’s memo about the E-Filing System.

Upcoming Deadline: October 1 - October 11 for Q3 2021 Quarterly Activity Reports (covering the period July 1 through September 30)

Register as a Lobbyist or Business Entity

Lobbyist Contact Form

To register as a lobbyist or business entity with the City of Austin, a lobbyist or business entity will first need to submit the Lobbyist Contact Form to the City Clerk’s Office. The Lobbyist Contact Form can be filled out and submitted online by the following link. A new Lobbyist Contact Form will need to be submitted for each lobbyist registered under a business entity.

An E-Filing account will be created for the filer within two business days after the City Clerk’s Office receives the submission. An email with the E-Filing account details and password will be sent to the email address listed on the Lobbyist Contact Form submission. A lobbyist or business entity will use their E-Filing account to both file registration and quarterly activity reports and pay registration and late fees.

After creating their E-Filing account, lobbyist or business entity can access the E-Filing System via this link.

Registration Report & Registration Fee

When a lobbyist or business entity receives an E-Filing account, they will need to submit a registration report and pay their registration fee. After filing a new registration report, if a lobbyist or business entity has not paid a new registration fee by the 10th day after filing their report, the lobbyist or business entity will receive a late fee. A filer can pay their registration fee by credit card online within the E-Filing System, or by cash, check, or money order in-person or by mail.

If a filer wants to pay by cash, check or money order, the filer will need to either mail or hand-deliver the payment to City Hall. Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, if a filer wants to hand-deliver the payment, the filer will need to email lobbyists@austintexas.gov to schedule an appointment, at least 48 hours in advance, to come into the City Clerk’s Office. If a filer wants to mail their payment, the filer will need to mail the payment, at least, two weeks in advance of the filing deadline to ensure they are able to file their quarterly activity report.

Quarterly Activity Reports

Regardless if a lobbyist or business entity has anything to report, they will have to file a quarterly activity report by each filing deadline.  If a filer has not filed a report by the filing deadline, they will receive a $50.00 late fee every ten days until the late fee has been paid. If a lobbyist or business entity has nothing to report on their quarterly activity report, the filer can file a Statement of No Additional Information (business entities only) or Statement of No Activity (lobbyists only).

Registration Anniversary Fee

On the anniversary of their registration date, a lobbyist or business entity will be required to pay their registration fee. The filer will not be able to submit their quarterly activity report until all outstanding late fees and registration fees have been paid to the City Clerk’s Office. A filer can pay their registration anniversary fee by credit card online, within the E-Filing System, or by cash, check, or money order in-person or by mail.

Late Fees

When a lobbyist or business entity is considered late, the lobbyist or business entity will be charged a $50.00 late fee. Here are the following scenarios when a lobbyist or business entity is considered late:

1. They do not submit their quarterly activity report by the 10th deadline of January, April, July, and October.
2. They do not pay their new registration fee within 10 days of filing their new registration report.
3. They have not paid their outstanding late fee(s) by the due date.

The due date for a late fee is 10 days after the day that a lobbyist or a business entity is notified through an email from the Lobbyist Coordinator of the late fee. A lobbyist or business entity can receive up to $500.00 in late fees (10 late fees) for each late fee infraction. The lobbyist or business entity will not be able to submit their quarterly activity report until all outstanding late fees and registration fees have been paid to the City Clerk’s Office. A filer can pay their late fee by credit card online, within the E-Filing System, or by cash, check, or money order in-person or by mail.

Terminating Registration

To terminate a lobbyist or business entity registration, the lobbyist will need to first contact the Lobbyist Coordinator at lobbyists@austintexas.gov and provide the name of the lobbyist or business entity registration(s) they wish to terminate. Once this communication has been received by the Clerk's Office the ability to file a final activity report (see below) will be enabled within two business days.

If a lobbyist or business entity needs to terminate their registration, they will need to file a final activity report. The final activity report should contain the lobbying activities of the filer during their last lobbying quarter. Once the final activity report has been filed, the lobbyist or business entity will no longer be considered a registered lobbyist or business entity with the City of Austin and, therefore, not be required to file quarterly activity reports or pay their registration anniversary fee to the City Clerk’s Office.

General Information and Instruction Guides

• Frequently Asked Questions (Updated June 2021)
• April 2021 Lobbyist Training PowerPoint (Updated April 2021)
• May and June 2021 Lobbyist Training PowerPoint (Updated May 2021)

Department Visitor Log

City Code §4-8-8(C) requires departments to obtain written disclosure of specific information when engaging in face-to-face, scheduled meetings with visitors who meet specific criteria.  Below is a template sign-in sheet provided by the City Clerk to departments - please note City departments may opt to obtain this information by other means and this sign-in sheet is only a template.

• City Department Visitor Log

Filing a Correction?

If you need to file a correction to a quarterly activity report filed prior to June 2021, please contact the Lobbyist Coordinator at 512-974-2210 or lobbyists@austintexas.gov for instructions.