Access Bandera County Public Records

Bandera County public records are managed at the courthouse in Bandera, the Hill Country county seat in South-Central Texas. The County Clerk holds property deeds, marriage licenses, and official county instruments, while the District Clerk handles civil, criminal, and family court filings. Vital records, tax documents, and law enforcement data are maintained by other county and state agencies. Records can be requested in person, by mail, or searched online through Texas state tools. This page explains each office and how to submit a request.

Bandera County Clerk

The Bandera County Clerk, located at the Bandera County Courthouse, 500 Main Street, Bandera, TX 78003, records and maintains all real property instruments filed in the county. Property deeds, deeds of trust, liens, easements, and releases are all on file here. Anyone researching ownership history or title to property in Bandera County will need to search these records. The clerk's office indexes documents by grantor and grantee name.

The County Clerk issues and records marriage licenses. A certified copy of a Bandera County marriage record can be obtained from this office. Copy fees follow the standard Texas schedule: $1.00 per page for plain copies, $1.00 per page plus $5.00 per document for certified copies. Name searches cost $5.00 per name.

For birth and death records, the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Unit handles certified copies statewide. Visit dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics for forms and instructions. Birth certificates are $23 and death certificates are $21. Mail, online, and in-person options are available.

District Clerk Court Records

The Bandera County District Clerk manages case files for the 216th Judicial District Court. This court handles felony criminal cases, civil suits involving more than $10,000, and family law matters including divorce and child custody. Case records on file at the Bandera courthouse include all pleadings, orders, and final judgments from these proceedings.

The re:SearchTX portal offers online access to district court case data at no charge. You can search by party name or case number and see filing dates, hearing schedules, and case status. For copies of specific documents, contact the District Clerk's office directly. Mail requests with prepayment are accepted.

Electronic filing through eFileTexas.gov applies to attorneys filing in district courts. New cases filed this way appear quickly in the re:SearchTX system. Older records filed on paper may not appear in online search results and require a direct request to the clerk.

Note: County Court at Law cases and Justice of the Peace records are separate from district court cases. Contact the appropriate court clerk for those filings.

Public Information Requests

Any written request for Bandera County government records is governed by the Texas Public Information Act. This covers county departments, the City of Bandera, and all other public entities. Agencies must respond within 10 business days. Standard copy cost is $0.10 per page for non-court paper documents.

The Texas AG's Open Government office oversees PIA compliance and publishes open records policy guidance. If a local agency fails to respond or improperly withholds records, the AG's office handles complaints and, in some cases, enforcement actions.

Fees, Vital Records, and Criminal History

Bandera County clerk copy fees: $1.00 plain copy per page, $5.00 plus $1.00 per page for certification, $5.00 for a name search. PIA records: $0.10 per page. DSHS vital records: $23 birth, $21 death. These amounts are set by Texas law and apply across all Texas counties.

Statewide criminal history searches run through the Texas DPS Crime Records Service. This covers arrests and dispositions across all Texas courts and is the proper route for employment or licensing background checks. For Bandera County-specific court records, the District Clerk provides certified copies of case files.

Older records and archived county documents may be available through the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Texas statutes govern public records access in Bandera County, including the fees charged by the County Clerk and the timelines agencies must meet under the Public Information Act.

Cities in Bandera County

Bandera is the county seat and main community, sitting along the Medina River in the heart of the Hill Country. Other communities include Pipe Creek, Lakehills, and Medina. All county records are processed through the Bandera courthouse.

No city in Bandera County meets the population threshold for a dedicated records page. Residents throughout the county access the same county clerk and district clerk offices in Bandera for public records.

Nearby Counties

Bandera County is surrounded by Hill Country and South Texas counties. Property records and court filings near county lines may exist in neighboring courthouses.