Bowie County Public Records

Bowie County public records are maintained at the courthouse in New Boston, the county seat in far Northeast Texas near the Arkansas and Oklahoma borders. The County Clerk holds property deeds, marriage licenses, and official county documents, while the District Clerk manages civil, criminal, and family court filings. Tax records, vital documents, and law enforcement data are held by other county and state offices. Many records can be searched online through Texas state systems, with in-person and mail requests available at the courthouse. This guide covers each records office and how to use it.

Bowie County Clerk

The Bowie County Clerk's office is located at the Bowie County Courthouse in New Boston. This office is the official record custodian for all real property instruments filed in the county, including deeds, deeds of trust, liens, releases, and easements. Texarkana, the largest city in Bowie County, straddles the Texas-Arkansas border, which means some property research may require checking both Texas and Arkansas records depending on which side of the state line a property sits on.

The County Clerk records marriage licenses and maintains those records long-term. Certified copies of Bowie County marriage records are available from this office. Name searches cost $5.00 per name. Plain copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $1.00 per page plus $5.00 per document. Mail-in requests are accepted with prepayment.

For statewide vital records, the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Unit handles certified copies of birth and death certificates for events that occurred in Texas. Visit dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics for forms and instructions. Birth certificates cost $23. Death certificates cost $21. Events that occurred in Arkansas require separate requests to Arkansas vital records.

Bowie County District Clerk

The Bowie County District Clerk maintains records for the 5th and 202nd Judicial District Courts. These courts handle felony criminal cases, major civil suits, and all family law proceedings for Bowie County. The Texarkana area generates a meaningful volume of court activity, and the District Clerk's office keeps all case files, including divorce decrees, custody orders, and felony conviction records.

Online case searching is available through the re:SearchTX portal. This free tool provides case index data including party names, case numbers, filing dates, and status. Full document copies require contacting the District Clerk's office directly. New filings submitted through eFileTexas.gov appear in the online system quickly after submission.

Keep in mind that Texarkana also has an Arkansas side with its own court system. Federal cases involving residents of either side of the city are handled by the U.S. District Court. Bowie County falls in the Eastern District of Texas for federal court purposes, searchable through PACER.

Public Information Requests

Bowie County government records are subject to the Texas Public Information Act. Any person can submit a written request for non-court records from any county department or public entity in the county. No reason is required. Agencies must respond within 10 business days and may charge $0.10 per page for paper copies. The Texas AG's Open Government office handles disputed requests and issues rulings on claimed exemptions.

Note: Texarkana city government records on the Texas side fall under the PIA and should be requested from the City of Texarkana, Texas. Records from the Arkansas side of the city are not subject to the Texas PIA.

Vital Records and Criminal History

Texas criminal history is available through the DPS Crime Records Service. This covers arrests and court dispositions from all Texas counties, including Bowie County. For Arkansas criminal history, separate state resources apply. For Bowie County court case records, the District Clerk in New Boston provides certified copies.

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission holds archived state and local records. Historical Bowie County documents may be available there. The Texas Secretary of State handles business entity filings and UCC records relevant to commercial transactions in the Texarkana area.

Texas DSHS Vital Statistics handles certified birth and death certificates for events that occurred on the Texas side of Bowie County, including births and deaths in Texarkana, Texas.

Cities in Bowie County

Bowie County's largest city is Texarkana, which spans both Texas and Arkansas. New Boston, the county seat, is a smaller community. Other communities include Wake Village, Nash, and Hooks. All Texas-side Bowie County records are maintained at the New Boston courthouse.

No city in Bowie County currently meets the population threshold for a dedicated Texas public records page. Residents of Texarkana and all other communities on the Texas side access county records through the clerk offices in New Boston.

Nearby Counties

Bowie County is at the far northeast corner of Texas, bordered by Arkansas and Oklahoma as well as several Texas counties. Records for cross-border matters may require searching in neighboring jurisdictions.