Search Starr County Public Records

Starr County public records are maintained by the County Clerk and District Clerk in Rio Grande City, the county seat in South Texas along the Rio Grande Valley. With a population of approximately 65,000, Starr County is a mid-sized border county that holds property deeds, court case files, marriage licenses, and other official documents. Both offices are located at the Rio Grande City courthouse and accept in-person and mail requests. Some records are also searchable through the Texas online case system. This page explains how to access and request public records from Starr County offices.

County Clerk Records

The Starr County Clerk records property instruments and maintains marriage licenses, assumed name certificates, and commissioners court minutes. Property instruments filed with the clerk include warranty deeds, deeds of trust, liens, releases, and easements. Plain copy fees are $1 per page. Certified copies cost $5 plus the per-page fee. The clerk's office is at the Starr County Courthouse in Rio Grande City.

Land ownership in Starr County includes many older Spanish land grant-era titles and a complex history of partition deeds among multiple heirs, which is common in South Texas border counties. If you are searching title for a property in Starr County, a careful search of the deed index is essential and may require reviewing many grantor-grantee entries. Staff can assist in person. Mail requests are accepted with payment included.

District and County Court Records

Starr County is served by the 229th and 381st Judicial Districts. The District Clerk handles felony criminal cases, civil suits, family law cases, and probate matters. Case index data can be searched for free through re:SearchTX by party name or cause number. For certified copies or full document review, contact the District Clerk's office. Civil filings are submitted electronically through eFileTexas.

County Court at Law handles misdemeanor criminal cases, probate, and lower-value civil matters. Records from these proceedings are kept by the County Clerk. If you are searching for a misdemeanor case or a smaller civil matter, check with the County Clerk's office to confirm they hold the records you need.

Property Records

Property records in Starr County reflect a landscape shaped by the Rio Grande border, irrigation agriculture, ranching, and residential growth in communities like Roma, Rio Grande City, and Mission. The County Clerk's deed index is the official record for all land transactions. Mineral rights and oil and gas interests are also filed here. The Starr County Appraisal District maintains current ownership and tax appraisal data that you can use to find owners by address or parcel number.

Many properties in Starr County have histories involving heirs' property, where land passed down without formal deeds over generations. Researching these titles may require reviewing probate records, heirship affidavits, and judicial partition actions in addition to deed records. All of these documents are filed in the county clerk's or district clerk's offices.

Texas Public Information Act

The Texas Public Information Act gives you the right to request records from any Starr County office. Put your request in writing and send it to the agency that holds the records. The office has 10 business days to respond. Most records are open to the public. Exceptions cover active law enforcement files, certain personnel records, and data protected by other state laws. If you are denied access, the Texas Attorney General can review the decision.

Vital Records and Other Sources

Certified birth and death certificates for events in Starr County are issued by Texas DSHS Vital Statistics. A birth certificate is $23 and a death certificate is $21. You can order online, by mail, or in person through DSHS. The County Clerk holds original marriage license records. Divorce decrees are filed with the District Clerk.

For statewide criminal history data, contact the Texas DPS Crime Records Service. The Starr County Sheriff's office holds local arrest and jail records. Federal court cases from Starr County fall under the Southern District of Texas.

Shown below is the Texas Office of Court Administration, which oversees court records and access policies throughout Texas, including the courts in Starr County.

The Office of Court Administration supports records access for all Texas county and district courts, including Starr County's multiple court levels.

Cities in Starr County

Starr County has no cities with a population above 100,000. Rio Grande City is the county seat. Roma and other communities are also in the county but do not meet the population threshold for a dedicated page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Starr County.