San Patricio County Public Records Search
San Patricio County public records are filed and maintained by the County Clerk and District Clerk in Sinton, the county seat along the South Texas Gulf Coast. These offices serve a county of around 67,000 residents that includes communities such as Ingleside, Portland, and Aransas Pass. Property deeds, court cases, marriage licenses, and vital documents are all held here. Requests can be made in person at the courthouse, by mail, or online through the state court system. This page covers how to access and request public records from San Patricio County.
San Patricio County Overview
County Clerk Records
The San Patricio County Clerk records and maintains land documents, including deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and plats. The office also holds marriage licenses, assumed name certificates, and commissioners court minutes. Plain copy fees are $1 per page. Certified copies cost $5 plus the per-page fee. The clerk's office is at the San Patricio County Courthouse in Sinton.
If you need to search property ownership, check for liens, or find a recorded plat, the County Clerk's index is your starting point. Searches can be done in person at the courthouse during regular business hours. Mail requests are also accepted. When mailing, include a check or money order for estimated fees and a self-addressed return envelope. The clerk's office will provide what it can locate and bill you for any balance or refund an overpayment.
District and County Court Records
The District Clerk handles felony criminal cases, civil suits over $200, family law proceedings, and probate matters in San Patricio County. The court is part of the 36th Judicial District, which also serves Aransas County. Case records include petitions, motions, orders, and final judgments. To search for cases, use the free re:SearchTX portal. You can look up parties and cause numbers. Some documents are available online; others require a direct request to the clerk's office for printed copies.
County Court at Law handles Class A and B misdemeanor criminal cases, probate, and lower-value civil matters. Civil filings can be submitted electronically through eFileTexas. Copies of court records are $1 per page, and certified copies include the $5 certification fee.
Property Records and Appraisal
San Patricio County's property records cover transactions for land in and around Sinton, Ingleside, Portland, Gregory, and the Aransas Pass area. The County Clerk records deed instruments as they are filed. You can search for a property by owner name, legal description, or document number at the clerk's office. The San Patricio County Appraisal District maintains current ownership and valuation data that can help you identify parcels by address or map out a property quickly.
Coastal property in San Patricio County can have complex records involving easements, oil and gas leases, and multiple encumbrances. If you are doing title research, a full search of the clerk's index going back to the original grant is advisable. Plat maps for subdivisions are also on file with the County Clerk and show lot layouts for developed areas of the county.
Texas Public Information Act
The Texas Public Information Act gives you the right to request records from any San Patricio County government office. Submit a written request to the relevant office. The agency must acknowledge your request within 10 business days and either provide the records, seek an Attorney General ruling on exemptions, or let you know when to expect fulfillment. If you believe your request was wrongly denied, you can file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General's open government division. The AG's office issues rulings that bind government bodies under the Act.
Vital Records and Additional Resources
Certified birth and death certificates for events in San Patricio County are issued by Texas DSHS Vital Statistics. You must order these from the state, not the county. A birth certificate costs $23 and a death certificate costs $21. Orders can be placed online, by mail, or in person at a DSHS office. Marriage licenses are issued and kept by the County Clerk. Divorce records are in the District Clerk's files.
Criminal background checks are available through the Texas DPS Crime Records Service. This service covers criminal history statewide. Jail and arrest records specific to San Patricio County are held by the county sheriff's office.
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics page, shown below, is where you request official birth and death records for any event in Texas, including San Patricio County.
DSHS Vital Statistics handles certified birth and death certificates for the entire state of Texas, with online ordering available year-round.
Cities in San Patricio County
San Patricio County has no cities with a population over 100,000. Portland, Ingleside, Sinton, Aransas Pass, and Gregory are the major communities. None of these cities qualify for a dedicated page under the 100,000-resident threshold.
Nearby Counties
These counties border San Patricio County.