Dallas County Public Records
Dallas County public records are maintained by the County Clerk and District Clerk offices in downtown Dallas. The County Clerk is based at the Records Building at 500 Elm Street, and the District Clerk operates from the George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building at 600 Commerce Street. Together these offices hold court case files, property documents, marriage licenses, vital records, and other official records for Dallas and all communities in the county. Dallas County is the second most populous county in Texas. Many records are available through free online portals. This guide covers each office, what they hold, how to search, and what fees apply.
Dallas County Overview
Dallas County Clerk Office
The Dallas County Clerk maintains property records, vital records, marriage licenses, assumed name certificates, and county court case files. The office is in the Records Building at 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100, Dallas, TX 75202. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The clerk's records include deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, assumed names, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, and notary public records.
| Office | Dallas County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | Records Building 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100 Dallas, TX 75202 |
| Phone | 214-653-7099 |
| Fax | 214-653-7176 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | dallascounty.org/countyClerk |
Property records are searchable online at dallascounty.org. Search by grantor or grantee name, instrument number, or date range. Document images are available online for many records. Non-certified copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies of property records cost $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. Electronic copies are $1.00 for the first 10 pages and $0.10 per page after that.
Dallas County District Clerk
The Dallas County District Clerk maintains all district court records. The office is at the George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Suite 101, Dallas, TX 75202. The District Clerk holds felony criminal case records, civil case records, family court records, and probate and guardianship records. Court records include case filings, docket entries, hearing dates, judgments, and orders.
| Office | Dallas County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building 600 Commerce Street, Suite 101 Dallas, TX 75202 |
| Phone | 214-653-7149 |
| DC.CriminalRecords@dallascounty.org | |
| Website | dallascounty.org |
Court record search at the District Clerk is available online at dallascounty.org/services/record-search. The system covers district court felony and civil cases, county courts at law, Justice of the Peace courts, and municipal courts. Search by case number, party name, attorney name, filing date, court location, case type, or citation number.
Plain copies of court records cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $1.00 per page plus $5.00 certification. Criminal file retrieval from archives costs $2.00. Name searches run $5.00 per name. Microfilm or paper searches are $10.00 per name per 10-year period.
Dallas County Records Inquiry System
Dallas County's online records system at dallascounty.org covers four main search tools. The District Clerk Case Search covers felony criminal, civil, and family cases. The County Clerk Records Search covers civil, probate, and property records. The Justice of the Peace Court Search covers JP-level cases. The Municipal Court Search covers city court cases.
Court records in the Dallas County system include case number and filing date, party names and addresses, attorney information, charges or cause of action, docket entries, hearing and trial dates, judgments and orders, and financial information such as fees and bonds. Property records include current and past owners, parcel ID numbers, legal descriptions, property characteristics, sales and tax history, mortgage information, and liens.
The Dallas County Tax Office portal provides property tax records, payment history, exemptions, and delinquent tax information searchable by owner name or property address.
The Dallas County Tax Office is one of several online portals through which you can access public records for property, taxes, and related information in Dallas County.
The County Courts at Law records page at dallascounty.org/courtRecorder covers criminal misdemeanor records, civil records under $250,000, and probate and guardianship cases. Document images are available for many of these records.
The statewide re:SearchTX portal also covers Dallas County courts. Search across all participating Texas courts by name or cause number at no charge. Attorneys file electronically through eFileTexas.gov, which is mandatory for all court filings in Dallas County.
Dallas County Public Information Requests
Dallas County offices operate under the Texas Public Information Act, Government Code Chapter 552. Any person can submit a written request for public records to any county department. No special form is required. The office has 10 business days to respond. If records are to be withheld, the agency must seek a ruling from the Texas Attorney General's Open Government division before denying the request.
Federal court records for Dallas County fall under the Northern District of Texas. Use PACER to search and access federal case files. The Dallas division of the Northern District handles the majority of federal matters for the county.
Fees and Processing Times
Plain copies of court records cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $1.00 per page plus $5.00. Criminal archive files cost $2.00 to retrieve. Property record certified copies start at $5.00 for the first page. Electronic copies cost $1.00 for the first 10 pages, then $0.10 per page. Name searches run $5.00 per name. Microfilm searches cost $10.00 per name per decade.
Online case searches are immediate. Copy requests typically take 1 to 3 business days. Mail requests take 5 to 10 business days. Certified copies take 3 to 5 business days. In-person requests at the courthouse can often be handled the same day when records are in the active system. Family law and sealed records have additional restrictions regardless of access method.
Vital Records and Criminal History
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section maintains birth and death certificates, marriage records, and divorce verifications statewide. You can order certified copies online, by mail, or in person in Austin. Birth certificates are $23.00 and death certificates are $21.00 for the first copy. The Dallas County Clerk also handles vital records for events in the county.
Criminal history records are available through the Texas DPS Crime Records Division. Name-based searches cost $3.15 online. The DPS Sex Offender Registry is free to search by name or location. For Dallas County district court criminal records, the District Clerk can be reached at 214-653-7149 or via email at DC.CriminalRecords@dallascounty.org.
The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin holds historical government documents. For older Dallas County materials or genealogical research, TSLAC provides access to records going back to the republic period.
Cities in Dallas County
Dallas is the county seat and largest city. Several major cities in Dallas County maintain their own public records offices for city-level matters.
Other communities in Dallas County include Balch Springs, Cedar Hill, Cockrell Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, Farmers Branch, Glenn Heights, Hutchins, Lancaster, Rowlett, Sachse, Seagoville, Sunnyvale, and Wilmer.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Dallas County. Check the right county when a property or matter may be near a county line.