Tarrant County Public Records

Tarrant County public records are held by several county offices in Fort Worth. The County Clerk maintains property documents, marriage licenses, assumed name filings, and vital records. The District Clerk holds all court case files for civil, criminal, and family matters. Both offices serve Fort Worth and cities across the county including Arlington, Mansfield, and Hurst. You can search many Tarrant County public records online or visit the courthouse in person. This guide covers each office, what records they keep, how to request copies, and which online tools to use.

Tarrant County Clerk Public Records

The Tarrant County Clerk's office is the main repository for official public records in the county. It holds real property records going back to 1876, including deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and UCC filings. It also keeps marriage licenses, assumed name certificates, military discharge records (DD-214), and notary bonds. Most of these records are searchable online through the county's public portal.

The Tarrant County Clerk's online records system lets you search official public records by name, document number, date range, or legal description. Search options include grantor and grantee names for property documents, party names for court filings, and subdivision or lot numbers for plat searches. The system covers documents from 1876 to the present.

The county also operates a Southeast Subcourthouse in Arlington at 700 E. Abram Street (Arlington, TX 76010) that handles vital records and passport services. Call 817-884-1550 for vital records at that location. A Northeast Subcourthouse at 645 E. Grapevine Hwy., Hurst, TX 76054 also serves the northeast part of the county.

The Tarrant County Clerk maintains official public records, including property documents and vital statistics, serving the Fort Worth metro area.

The clerk's office updated its recording fee schedule effective January 1, 2024. The first page of any recorded document costs $20, and each additional page costs $4.

Tarrant County District Clerk Records

The Tarrant County District Clerk holds all district court records for the county. This covers civil cases, felony criminal matters, family law cases including divorce and custody, and juvenile cases. The clerk maintains case files, dockets, judgments, and court orders for all district courts in the county. These are part of the public record in most cases.

The Tarrant County District Clerk's website provides online access to court records. You can search by party name or case number to find civil and criminal cases. The system shows case status, party names, docket entries, and court dates. For full document images or certified copies, you contact the clerk's office directly.

The Tarrant County District Clerk manages court case records for all district courts in the county.

The statewide re:SearchTX portal also provides free access to Tarrant County court case information including party names, case status, and docket entries.

How to Search Tarrant County Public Records

Tarrant County offers several ways to search public records. Online searches are free and available around the clock. In-person visits let you see full document images and get certified copies the same day.

For court records, use the Tarrant County online portal at tarrantcounty.com/district-clerk or the statewide re:SearchTX system. Both are free. You can search by party name, cause number, or case type. For property records, the County Clerk's online database at tarrantcounty.com/county-clerk lets you search by name or document number and view recorded documents.

For in-person searches, go to the County Clerk at 100 W. Weatherford St. or the District Clerk at 401 W. Belknap in Fort Worth. Bring your ID. Staff can help you find records by name or case number. Plain copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies cost $1 per page plus a $5 certification fee.

Note: Some older records from before the 1960s may be on microfilm rather than a digital database. Call the office in advance if you're looking for historical documents.

Tarrant County Court Records

Court records in Tarrant County cover a wide range of case types. The District Court handles felony criminal cases, civil disputes above a certain dollar amount, family law matters, and juvenile cases. The County Court at Law handles misdemeanor criminal cases, smaller civil disputes, and probate matters. Both sets of records are held by their respective clerks and are generally accessible to the public.

The Tarrant County criminal courts website provides case lookup for criminal matters. You can search by defendant name or case number and see bond information, case disposition, and court calendar dates.

The Tarrant County criminal court records page lets you look up criminal case details for county and district courts.

Electronic filing is available through eFileTexas.gov for all Tarrant County courts, covering both the County Court at Law and District Courts.

Tarrant County has multiple district courts handling different types of cases. Family district courts handle divorce, custody, and child support matters. Criminal district courts handle felony prosecutions. Civil district courts handle major civil litigation. Each court keeps its own docket, but all court records flow through the District Clerk's office.

Property Records in Tarrant County

Property records in Tarrant County are filed with the County Clerk and cover all real estate transactions in the county. When someone buys or sells property, or takes out a mortgage, those documents get recorded with the County Clerk and become part of the permanent public record. The same goes for liens, easements, and other documents that affect title to land.

You can search property records online at the Tarrant County Clerk's website. The database goes back to 1876. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, instrument number, date range, or legal description. Basic searches are free. You can view document images online for many records.

Recording fees for new documents are $20 for the first page and $4 for each additional page. These rates took effect January 1, 2024. Standard copy fees are $1 per page. Certified copies cost $1 per page plus a $5 certification fee.

The Texas Secretary of State handles UCC filings at the state level. However, some UCC fixture filings that relate to real property are also recorded with the County Clerk. If you're doing a full lien search, check both the county and state systems.

Vital Records and Other County Clerk Documents

The Tarrant County Clerk also issues and maintains vital records for people born, married, or who died in Tarrant County. Birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses are all part of the clerk's records. The Southeast Subcourthouse in Arlington handles vital records for that part of the county at 817-884-1550.

Certified copies of birth certificates cost $23 for the first copy. Death certificates cost $21 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Marriage license certified copies cost $21. You can also order vital records through the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section if the event occurred in Texas.

Other records in the County Clerk's office include assumed name (DBA) certificates, marks and brands, foreclosure notices, and Commissioners Court minutes. These records are part of the public record and can be searched online or viewed in person.

Note: The Texas Public Information Act under Government Code Chapter 552 gives you the right to request records from any county office. Submit your written request to the office that holds the records you need. They have 10 business days to respond.

Requesting Tarrant County Public Records

Most Tarrant County records requests are straightforward. For court records, go to the District Clerk's office or use the online portal. For property records and vital documents, contact the County Clerk. You can visit in person, call, or in some cases submit a written request by mail.

Under the Texas Public Information Act, you can request records from any county government office. No specific form is required. Write a letter or email that describes what you need. The office has 10 business days to respond. Standard copy fees are $0.10 per page for most government records requested under the PIA. Court record copies follow the court copy fee schedule of $1 per page.

The Texas Attorney General's Open Government division handles disputes about public records requests and provides guidance for requestors who believe records were wrongfully withheld.

For federal court records involving cases in the Northern District of Texas (which covers Tarrant County), use PACER for online access. The federal court sits in Fort Worth and Dallas.

Cities in Tarrant County

Tarrant County includes Fort Worth and many other cities. All of them use the same County Clerk and District Clerk offices in Fort Worth for official records.

Other communities in Tarrant County include Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Grapevine, Colleyville, Southlake, Keller, and North Richland Hills. All of them use the Tarrant County courthouse for official records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Tarrant County. If you are unsure which county holds a particular record, check the address or location of the property or event.