Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. The jail figures are from the Vera Institute of Justice's Incarceration Trends data. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 4, 2026.
Washington County, Texas, has about 38,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A DWI arrest in Washington County starts two cases, a criminal case (in the County Court at Law, or the District Court when it is charged as a felony) and a license case before the Department of Public Safety, and leaves three records. This guide follows the arrest from the roadside to the court file and the driving record.
This guide covers the law, the arrest, booking, the court case, the license case, the records and common questions.
Related guides: Washington County public records, Washington County arrest records, Washington County warrants, Washington County inmate search, Washington County criminal records, Texas arrest records and Texas inmate search.
The DWI Law in Texas
In Texas the offense is DWI, and the limit is 0.08.
Driving in Texas is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect DWI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by the Department of Public Safety, separately from the criminal case.
Texas sets no time limit on prior offenses: every earlier conviction counts toward a repeat charge.
Who Makes DWI Arrests in Washington County
The Washington County Sheriff's Office and the agency that reports for Brenham make the DWI arrests in Washington County.
The FBI's agency list also places one campus police department and four other agencies in Washington County (the arrest records guide names each one).
Together, the two agencies in Washington County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 624 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Washington County does not break DWI out.
Booking After a DWI Arrest in Washington County
A driver arrested for DWI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Washington County Sheriff's Office, held about 88 people on an average day so far in 2026 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a jail page SearchSystems verified at co.washington.tx.us/page/washington.sheriff, phone (979) 277-6251. The Washington County inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
A DWI charge from Washington County is brought by the District Attorney in the County Court at Law, or the District Court when it is charged as a felony.
The District Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at co.washington.tx.us, phone (979) 277-6247.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at co.washington.tx.us/page/washington.CriminalCourt, phone (979) 277-6200.
Texas has no single public index of every trial court case; each court's records are looked up through that court.
The License Case
The court case is only half the record. The Department of Public Safety runs a separate administrative case over the license, which can suspend it before the criminal case is decided, and the Texas Department of Public Safety keeps the driving record the conviction goes on.
The Records a DWI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the Texas Public Information Act.
- The court file: from the County Court at Law, or the District Court when it is charged as a felony, kept by the District Clerk for district court cases and the County Clerk for county court cases.
- The driving record: from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
More on each: Washington County arrest records, Washington County police reports and Washington County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DWI limit in Texas?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is a DWI case from Washington County heard?
In the County Court at Law, or the District Court when it is charged as a felony, brought by the District Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at co.washington.tx.us.
Where is a person arrested for DWI in Washington County held?
At the county jail, run by the Washington County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after a DWI arrest in Texas?
The Department of Public Safety, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
How long does a DWI count as a prior in Texas?
There is no time limit; every prior conviction counts.
Is this the official Washington County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.