How to Search Texas Recorded Documents (Start Here)
Recorded documents in Texas — deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and other land records — are filed with the County Clerk in each county.
What this page covers: Texas recorded document searches — deeds, mortgages, assignments, liens, plats, and other instruments filed in the public land records. What it does not cover: Property valuations or tax data (those are on the Property Records page).
Where to start: Go to the County Clerk in the county where the property is located. Many county county clerks offer online document search by grantor/grantee name, book/page, or instrument number.
Common mistake: Recorded documents show what was filed — they do not confirm current ownership or lien status without a full title search. A deed in the index does not mean it is the most recent transfer.
Recorder of deeds
Statewide deed index?
Recording statute
Special District Local Laws Code
Legal system
Number of counties
254 counties
Population
31,290,831
Households
10,992,816
Median Income
$75,780
Median Home Value
$283,800
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by Sam Rokni — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: Texas recorded documents URL verified against the official state publisher at www.sos.state.tx.us on the review date. 5 primary .gov sources cited below.
Texas Recorded Documents — Key Facts (2026)
Deeds, mortgages, UCC filings, liens, military discharges in Texas — what gets recorded and where in 2026.
County
Where deeds live
Permanent record
SoS
Where UCC live
Secretary of State
Article 9
UCC governs
Secured transactions
Public
Most recorded docs
With redaction
Federal
DD-214 / IRS liens
National-level
Deeds
100
Mortgages
95
Liens (property)
70
UCC (business)
55
Powers of attorney
25
Military DD-214
10
Unit: relative volume (deeds=100).
What Changed in 2026 — Texas Recorded Documents
2026
Texas recorded documents portal active
The official Texas portal at www.sos.state.tx.us continues to serve as the canonical entry point for recorded documents in 2026.
2026
Latest federal complement for recorded documents
The NASS UCC Filings overview at www.nass.org provides federal-level context that complements Texas state records.
2026
Texas access in 2026
For 2026, Texas continues to publish recorded documents information through state-authorized portals; check www.sos.state.tx.us for current fees and processing times.
2026
Federal records framework refresh
Federal record types (federal liens, federal land, federal vital statistics) continue to live OUTSIDE Texas's state portal — see the Primary Sources below for additional official portals.
The 5-Type Texas Recorded Documents Map
1
Type 1 — Real property (Deeds, Mortgages)
Texas County Recorder / Register of Deeds. Permanent record.
2
Type 2 — UCC (business collateral)
Most filed with Texas Secretary of State. Some real-estate UCCs are county.
3
Type 3 — Liens (tax, mechanic's, judgment)
Property liens at the county. IRS federal tax liens may file at county OR state.
4
Type 4 — Personal documents (POA, military DD-214)
Often optional county recording in Texas for safekeeping. Originals at federal NPRC.
5
Type 5 — Maps & subdivisions
Texas county recorder; some at state mapping office.
Five Things People Get Wrong About Texas Recorded Documents
MYTH"UCC filings are at the county."
FACTMost UCC financing statements are filed with the Secretary of State, not the county recorder. Searching only the county misses them.
MYTH"Everything about a property is recorded."
FACTOnly what someone chose to file. Unrecorded agreements, family handshakes, and old paper deeds exist everywhere — the index shows filings, not the whole story.
MYTH"Recording a deed is what makes it valid."
FACTRecording gives the world notice — it doesn't make the deed good or bad. An unrecorded deed can still bind the people who signed it.
MYTH"E-recording is a public search tool."
FACTE-recording is the submission pipe for title companies and lenders. The public searches the index — the two systems just meet at the recorder's desk.
MYTH"The online index goes back forever."
FACTMost Texas counties' online indexes reach back a few decades at best. Before that it's microfilm and deed books, and often a trip to the courthouse.
Primary Sources and Official Record Portals
- www.sos.state.tx.us — Official Texas Recorded Documents — State portal for Texas recorded documents
- NASS UCC Filings overview — National Association of Secretaries of State
- National Archives — Military Records (DD-214) — National Personnel Records Center
- IRS Federal Tax Liens — Federal lien procedures
- HUD Recording Basics — Federal property recording basics
- USA.gov — Government Records — Federal record retrieval portal
- data.gov — Assessor datasets — Federal-cataloged county data
Related Recorded Documents Resources
📍 Other Texas records:
- Texas Court Records →
- Texas Criminal Records →
- Texas Property Records →
- Texas Vital Records →
- Texas Voter Records →
- Texas Wants & Warrants →
- Texas Licenses →
🇺🇸 Recorded Documents in other states:
- Alaska
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Maine
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- Montana
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- New York
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Virginia
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
National: U.S. Recorded Documents hub →
Related Public Records
More Texas records: Court records · Criminal records · Wants & warrants · Property records · Vital records · Voter records · Licenses
National view of this topic: All states: Recorded docs
Recorded Documents Databases
34 official Texas recorded documents sources.
Recorded Documents
Tyler Technologies - Texas County Government Records
Official Free
Court case information for Texas. Case numbers speed searches considerably, but party names work. Juvenile, adoption, and sealed matters are excluded by rule everywhere.
County Records | Your Ultimate Resource for Property Records
Official Free
CountyRecords.com offers easy, fast, and affordable online access to property records and official documents filed at courthouses in over 220 counties in Texas, with added coverage in New Mexico and Oklahoma.
Browser Test - Bastrop County Clerk Web Access
Official Free
Approximate Connection Throughput Initial connection throughput was calculated using a small image. Click this button to get a more accurate measure using a larger image (will take longer) · Your session will end in approximately one minute unless you click "Keep Working" to continue.
Counties | iDoc
Official Free
Please take this one-time survey indicating which Counties you would like to be available and, if known, include your estimated prints and views.
Records Department | Brazoria County, TX
Official Free
The clerk's office is the record hub for Brazoria County — filings, indexes, and copy requests. It is an official government source.
Collin County Government
Official Free
Welcome to Collin County, Texas. Access county services such as property tax, health and human services, voter registration, passports, and a variety of court and judicial search tools. Find news, resources, and information for residents, businesses, and visitors—all in one convenient place.
Judicial & Law Enforcement Records Search | Denton County, TX
Official Free
Attorney WebAccess Portal (For attorney use only to view case information and documents) Denton County Records ( Case Records, Court Calendars, Sheriff Jail and Bond Records ). All records displayed are subject to limitations of data entry. Details of judgments and case information can only.
County of El Paso Texas - Official Public Records
Official Free
QuickLink can also be utilized. from 1874 – 1963*. The documents related to these indexes are available for search, viewing, and purchase. Please click here: https://kofilequicklinks.com/ElPaso/Default.aspx · Indexes to El Paso County records are provided as a service.
Ellis County, TX Official Website | Official Website
Official Free
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Welcome - Fort Bend County Clerk Web Access
Official Free
The Fort Bend County Clerk provides this web site as a public service. Information available is collected, maintained, and provided solely for the convenience of the public users. While every effort is made to assure that this information is accurate, the County Clerk shall under no circumstance.
AVA
Official Free
Official public records resource for Texas. Government sites reorganize often; if a link breaks, the office's homepage will carry the new path. Public-records law applies here: what they hold, you can generally request.
Glasscock County Clerk - Glasscock County, Texas
Official Free
Day-to-day records for Glasscock County pass through the clerk's office reached here. If a link breaks, the office homepage at co.glasscock.tx.us carries the new path.
Welcome - Gregg County Clerk Web Access
Official Free
The County Clerk's Office, Gregg County, Texas provides this web site as a public service. Information available on this web site is collected, maintained, and provided solely for the convenience of the public users. While every effort is made to assure that this information is accurate the.
Harris County Clerk's Office
Official Free
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Self-Service Web - Hays County Clerk
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The Hays County Clerk's office provides this web site as a public service. Information available on this web site is collected, maintained and provided solely for the convenience of the public users. While every effort is made to assure that this information is accurate and current, the County.
Hidalgo County Records Available on Microfilm from University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Texas State Library
Official Free
For historical Hidalgo County research, this collection carries indexes the government offices no longer keep at the counter. If a link breaks, the office homepage at tsl.texas.gov carries the new path.
Young District Clerk - Public Records
Official Free
Office directory for Texas. Bookmark it if you work across multiple counties; the layout rarely changes. It maps which office holds which record type, the question that stalls most searches.
Civil - Locate a Document - County Clerk's Office Jefferson County, TX
Official Free
Case records from the Texas courts serving Clerk's Office Jefferson County surface through this system. Searching the official side is free.
Official Record Search - Quick Search - Kendall County, Texas County Clerk
Official Free
The clerk's office is the record hub for Kendall County — filings, indexes, and copy requests. Searching the official side is free.
Lee County, Texas
Official Free
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County Services | McLennan County, TX
Official Free
Official public records resource for Texas. Hours, fees, and request forms live here and stay current. Start here before paying any commercial site for the same information.
Property Alert
Official Free
The land-records trail for Texas runs through here: recorded deeds, liens, and related filings. It is an official government source.
About | iDoc
Official Free
iDoc Market is a site created by Tyler Technologies to enable our counties to offer online services for recorded documents · Our site uses features only found in modern browsers.
Advanced Search - Tarrant County Clerk
Official Free
Day-to-day records for Tarrant County pass through the clerk's office reached here. If a link breaks, the office homepage at tarrant.tx.publicsearch.us carries the new path.
Tom Green County - Document Search
Official Free
Search documents recorded since January 1, 1982 · Basic Advanced Document Number Doc# Book/Vol/Page Book Volume Page Recording Date Start Date End Date Both Names Both Names Search Type Basic Searching Advanced Searching Grantor / Name 1 Grantor/Name1 Search Type Basic Searching Advanced Searching.
Welcome - Travis County Clerk Web Access
Official Free
The County Clerk's Office, Travis County, Texas provides this web site as a public service. Information available on this web site is collected, maintained, and provided solely for the convenience of the public users. While every effort is made to assure that this information is accurate the.
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To begin your online application, click the NEXT button below. If you have any questions or need anything further, please let us know · More information about marriage licenses with Upshur County, may be found here: https://www.countyofupshur.com/page/marriagelicense
Online Document Search Wichita County Clerk DISCLAIMER
Official Free
Recorded land documents for Texas — deeds, mortgages, and liens. Military discharge records (DD-214s) are held here as well but stay restricted by law. Deeds, mortgages, releases, and liens make up most of the index; images often reach back decades.
Self-Service
Official Free
The Williamson County Clerk's office provides this web site as a public service. Information available on this web site is collected, maintained and provided solely for the convenience of the public users. While every effort is made to assure that this information is accurate and current, the.
Texas Land Records | Multi-County Deed Search
Official Free
Shared search portal used by dozens of Texas county clerks for recorded land documents — deeds, mortgages, and liens in one interface. Pick the county first; index coverage and image years differ from clerk to clerk.
Texas Counties
254 Texas counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.
Harris
Dallas
Tarrant
Bexar
Travis
Collin
Hidalgo
El Paso
Denton
Anderson
Andrews
Angelina
Aransas
Archer
Which Texas counties publish deed and recording indexes online
81 of Texas's 256 counties run their own online source for deed and recording indexes, based on what this directory indexes. Every other county is covered by the statewide systems listed above — click a county for its full records page.
Anderson Andrews Aransas Archer Armstrong Bee Brazoria Burleson Chambers Cherokee Collin Colorado Comal Comanche Coryell Crockett Culberson Dallam Dallas De Witt Dickens Dimmit Ellis Erath Falls Fort Bend Galveston Glasscock Goliad Grayson Grimes Hamilton Harris Haskell Hidalgo Hill Howard Hutchinson Jack Jasper Jefferson Johnson Kenedy Kerr King Lamar Lamb Lampasas Lee Leon Limestone Llano Lubbock Madison Marion Matagorda McLennan Medina Menard Mills Motley Orange Parker Polk Randall Roberts San Patricio San Saba Shackelford Stonewall Swisher Tarrant Titus Travis Tyler Walker Ward Webb Wheeler Wichita Wise
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records deeds and mortgages in Texas?▼
In Texas, deeds, mortgages, liens, and other real-property documents are recorded at the county level by the county Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder). The Official Texas Recorded Documents at www.sos.state.tx.us handles statewide filings such as UCC-1 financing statements and corporate documents.
Where do I file a UCC-1 financing statement in Texas?▼
UCC-1 financing statements covering personal property and business collateral are filed centrally with the Official Texas Recorded Documents at www.sos.state.tx.us. Fixture filings on real estate are an exception — those go to the county where the property is located.
Are Texas recorded documents available online?▼
Most Texas countys publish a free online index of recorded documents (by name, document type, or date). Image access (the actual deed image) is often available either free or for a small per-page fee. Statewide UCC and corporate filings are searchable through the Official Texas Recorded Documents at www.sos.state.tx.us.
How do I obtain a certified copy of a Texas recorded deed?▼
Certified copies of deeds, mortgages, and other recorded documents are issued by the county Recorder where the document was originally recorded. Fees and ID requirements vary; see your specific county page below. The Official Texas Recorded Documents (www.sos.state.tx.us) handles certified copies of statewide filings such as UCCs and articles of incorporation.
What's the difference between a deed and a title in Texas?▼
A deed is the recorded instrument that conveys ownership; the title is the legal concept of ownership itself. Deeds in Texas are recorded with the county Recorder; title insurance and title searches are private-sector services that examine the chain of recorded deeds. The Official Texas Recorded Documents at www.sos.state.tx.us publishes the statewide rules.