Houston County Records Search

Houston County public records are kept in Crockett, the county seat in the East Texas Piney Woods region. Note that this is Houston County, not the city of Houston, which is in Harris County. The County Clerk and District Clerk in Crockett maintain property deeds, court case filings, marriage licenses, and other official documents. The County Clerk handles property recordings and vital records, while the District Clerk manages civil and criminal court files. Records can be accessed in person, by mail, or through statewide online databases. This page covers how to find and request Houston County public records.

County Clerk Records in Crockett

The Houston County Clerk's office is located in Crockett at the county courthouse. This office is the main source for property records, marriage licenses, and official county documents. All deeds, liens, and real estate instruments must be filed here to be legally recorded. The county clerk also issues marriage licenses and keeps a record of all marriages performed in Houston County.

Copies cost $1 per page for plain documents. Certified copies add a $5 fee. You can request records in person during business hours, or by mailing a written request with the relevant details and a check or money order made out to the Houston County Clerk. If you are unsure how much the copies will cost, call the clerk's office for an estimate before sending payment.

Houston County is a timber and agricultural county in East Texas. Land records here can include timberland leases and easements in addition to the standard residential and commercial property records you would find elsewhere. If you are searching for records related to mineral rights or timber rights, the county clerk's deed records are the right place to start.

District and County Court Filings

Houston County is in the 3rd Judicial District, one of the oldest district courts in Texas. The District Clerk maintains all district court records, which cover felony criminal cases, civil lawsuits over $10,000, and family law cases including divorces and child custody. The County Clerk handles county court cases, including Class A and B misdemeanors and smaller civil matters.

Court records in Houston County are generally open to the public unless sealed by a judge or restricted by statute. You can request copies from the appropriate clerk's office in person or by mail. Case files may include petitions, motions, hearing transcripts, and final orders. If you need a certified copy of a court judgment, ask the clerk for a certified copy at the time you request it.

The re:SearchTX statewide portal lets you search for district and county court cases across Texas, including Houston County. The portal shows case numbers, parties, filing dates, and case types. Some document images are available through the portal as well. This is a good first step before contacting the clerk's office directly.

Public Information Act Requests

The Texas Public Information Act (Government Code Chapter 552) gives any person the right to request records from Houston County government bodies. This includes the sheriff's office, county commissioners, county hospital district, and any other county-funded entity. You do not need to be a Texas resident, and you do not need to say why you want the records.

To make a PIA request, submit a written request to the specific county office that holds the records. The office must respond within 10 business days. If the records are public, the office will either give you the records or send a cost estimate. PIA copies are generally $0.10 per page for standard black and white prints. Certified copies or special formats may cost more.

The Texas Attorney General's open government division can help if a county office refuses your request. You can request an AG opinion on whether the records must be released. The AG's website also has sample request letters and a guide to common PIA exemptions. For any East Texas county office, following the formal written request process is important since informal inquiries often get slower responses.

Vital Records and State Systems

Birth and death records for events in Houston County are available from the Texas Department of State Health Services. The DSHS vital statistics unit maintains records from the early 1900s to the present for most Texas counties. A certified birth certificate costs $23. A certified death certificate costs $21. Orders can be placed online, by mail, or in person at the Austin state office.

The county clerk also holds local vital records. For events where the statewide registry does not have a record, the county clerk's office is the backup source. This is sometimes the case for older births and deaths that were not reported to the state at the time. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has microfilmed records for many Texas counties going back to the 1800s, which can help with genealogical research.

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission maintains historical and government records for the whole state. The image below comes from that agency's website, which is a valuable resource for older Houston County records not available through the standard county or DSHS channels.

Visit the Texas State Library and Archives Commission for historical records, county archives on microfilm, and state agency records going back to the Republic of Texas era.

The Texas State Library collection includes early Texas land grants, court records, and vital records that are not available through the standard online portals. For Houston County genealogical research, this archive can fill in gaps where county records were lost or never collected by DSHS.

Cities in Houston County

Crockett is the county seat and largest city in Houston County, with a population of roughly 6,500. Grapeland and Lovelady are smaller incorporated communities in the county. None of these cities meet the 100,000-population threshold for a dedicated city records page on this site. If you are looking for records from the city of Houston (Harris County), that is a separate jurisdiction entirely -- see the Harris County page for more information.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Houston County.