Bastrop County Public Records

Bastrop County public records are filed and maintained at the Bastrop County Courthouse in Bastrop, the county seat in Central Texas. The County Clerk holds property deeds, marriage licenses, and official county instruments, while the District Clerk manages civil, criminal, and family court filings. Other agencies handle vital records, tax data, and law enforcement documents. Many records are searchable through Texas state online tools, with in-person and mail requests available at the courthouse. This guide points you to the right office for each record type.

Bastrop County Clerk

The Bastrop County Clerk's office is in the Bastrop County Courthouse at 804 Pecan Street, Bastrop, TX 78602. This office is the custodian of all recorded real property instruments in the county, including deeds, deeds of trust, releases, easements, and liens. If you are researching ownership of a parcel, buying property, or checking title history, the county clerk's real property index is the place to start. The clerk indexes records by grantor and grantee name and by document type.

Marriage licenses issued in Bastrop County are recorded and maintained here. Anyone who needs a certified copy of a Bastrop County marriage record can request one from this office. Name searches cost $5.00 per name. Plain copies run $1.00 per page, and certified copies are $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee per document.

For birth and death certificates, the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Unit at dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics provides certified copies statewide. Birth certificates cost $23 and death certificates cost $21. The county clerk may have locally filed vital records on file as well, particularly for older events.

Bastrop County District Clerk

The Bastrop County District Clerk maintains case records for the 21st Judicial District Court, which covers Bastrop County. The 21st District Court hears felony criminal cases, civil matters above $10,000, and all family law proceedings including divorce, adoption, and child custody. Case files, court orders, and final judgments from these proceedings are all maintained by the District Clerk.

Online case searching is available through the re:SearchTX portal. This free statewide tool lets you search by name or case number to find basic case information. Full document copies require a request to the clerk. The office can be reached by phone or mail, or you can visit in person at the Bastrop courthouse during regular business hours.

Because Bastrop County has grown significantly as part of the Austin metro area, caseloads at the courthouse have increased. If you need a specific document quickly, calling ahead to confirm availability is useful. E-filed cases submitted through eFileTexas.gov appear in the search system shortly after filing.

Note: Family law cases involving minors may have restricted access. Contact the District Clerk's office to ask about any access limitations before submitting a request.

Online Court Records Search

The re:SearchTX system at re.search.txcourts.gov covers most Texas district and county courts and is the best starting point for online court record searches in Bastrop County. The portal is free to use and does not require registration. You can search active and closed cases by any party name.

For federal matters, the PACER system covers the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, which includes Bastrop County. PACER requires a free account and charges per page for document access. Bankruptcy cases, federal civil suits, and federal criminal cases are all available there.

Public Information Requests

The Texas Public Information Act gives any person the right to request records from Bastrop County government agencies. Requests must be in writing and submitted to the specific agency holding the records. County departments, the City of Bastrop, Elgin city offices, and all other public entities in the county are subject to the PIA.

Agencies have 10 business days to respond. If they believe records are exempt, they must seek a ruling from the Texas AG's Open Government division. Standard copy costs are $0.10 per page for paper records. Given Bastrop County's growth, demand for planning, permitting, and development records has increased, so response times for complex requests may run toward the 10-day limit.

Vital Records and Criminal History

Texas DPS handles statewide criminal history through the Crime Records Service division. This is the correct source for full background checks. The District Clerk can provide certified copies of Bastrop County court records for specific cases. Both sources are often needed depending on the purpose of the inquiry.

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission holds older government records that may include historical Bastrop County documents. Bastrop County has one of the older settlement histories in Central Texas, and some records from the early statehood period may be archived there.

The Texas Attorney General's Open Government division oversees compliance with the Public Information Act and fields requests from citizens who have trouble accessing Bastrop County records.

Cities in Bastrop County

Bastrop County includes the cities of Bastrop, Elgin, Smithville, and Cedar Creek. The county has grown quickly due to its proximity to Austin. All county records, including those for residents of Elgin and Smithville, are maintained at the Bastrop courthouse.

No city in Bastrop County currently exceeds the population threshold for a dedicated city records page. Residents of all communities in the county access records through the county clerk and district clerk in Bastrop.

Nearby Counties

Bastrop County sits east of Austin and borders several Central Texas counties. Cross-county records searches may be needed for property or legal matters near county lines.