Upton County Public Records Search

Upton County public records are held at the courthouse in Rankin, the county seat in the Permian Basin of West Texas. The County Clerk and District Clerk manage official records for this sparsely populated oil-producing county, including property deeds, mineral filings, court case files, and marriage licenses. In-person and mail requests are both accepted at the Rankin courthouse. Some records may also be searchable through state online portals. This page explains how to find and request public records from Upton County offices and what documents are available to researchers, property owners, and the general public.

Upton County Clerk Records

The Upton County Clerk records and stores most non-court public documents in the county. Property instruments are the largest category of records in this office. Deeds, deeds of trust, liens, mineral leases, and easements are all filed here when transactions occur. Given the Permian Basin location, oil and gas lease records are a significant part of the County Clerk's record set.

Copies of recorded instruments cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies add a $5.00 fee. In-person requests can be made at the Rankin courthouse during office hours. Mail requests are also accepted with payment enclosed. The county's small population means the office is relatively easy to reach and staff can often assist with searches directly.

The County Clerk also issues marriage licenses and files assumed name (DBA) certificates. Local birth and death records filed in Upton County may be obtained here as well. For statewide vital records searches or older records, Texas DSHS Vital Statistics is the main state resource.

District Court Records

The Upton County District Clerk holds records for all district court proceedings. Upton County is part of a multi-county judicial district serving the Permian Basin area. District court records here include felony criminal cases, civil suits, family law matters like divorce and custody, and probate proceedings. The District Clerk can provide copies of case records and dockets for these proceedings.

Search Upton County court records through re:SearchTX, the free statewide portal maintained by the Texas Office of Court Administration. You can look up cases by party name or case number. Attorneys and parties filing documents use eFileTexas.gov for electronic submissions in district court.

Because Upton County is small, some court functions may be shared with neighboring counties in the same judicial district. If a case you are looking for does not appear in Upton County records, check the district clerk for neighboring counties in the same district.

Oil, Gas, and Mineral Records

Upton County sits in the heart of the Permian Basin, one of the most active oil-producing regions in the country. As a result, a large share of the County Clerk's recorded documents involve oil and gas transactions. Mineral leases, division orders, pooling agreements, and pipeline easements are all recorded in the county's official records.

If you need to research mineral ownership or look up oil and gas lease terms in Upton County, start at the County Clerk's office. Records here are indexed by grantor and grantee names as well as by instrument type. Title companies and landmen regularly work with these records for land title searches. In-person access in Rankin is the most direct route to older or detailed records.

Electronic filing for court documents has become standard across Texas. The eFileTexas.gov portal is the state's official system for submitting documents in district and county courts.

Using eFileTexas ensures documents are submitted properly to the correct court and are accessible in the official record once accepted.

Vital Records

Birth and death certificates for events in Upton County can be obtained from the local County Clerk or through Texas DSHS Vital Statistics. The state office is the primary archive for Texas vital records and processes orders online, by mail, and in person. Birth certificates cost $23.00 each and death certificates cost $21.00. Online orders through VitalChek typically take 5 to 10 business days.

Marriage licenses are filed with the Upton County Clerk. Divorce records are held by the District Clerk. Both types of records are public but may require in-person requests or written mail requests to obtain copies in this small county.

Public Information Act Requests

The Texas Public Information Act gives you the right to request records from Upton County and all its government agencies. Submit a written request to the office holding the records you need. No special form is required. The agency must respond within 10 business days, either by providing the records, giving a cost estimate, or seeking an Attorney General ruling on any claimed exemption.

Standard copy fees under the Act are $0.10 per page for black-and-white paper copies. If you want to review records without paying copy fees, you have the right to inspect them in person at no charge. For questions about denied requests or help with your rights, contact the Texas Attorney General's open government division.

Criminal Records

Criminal records from Upton County district court can be searched through re:SearchTX. For a statewide criminal history report, use the Texas DPS Crime Records Division. DPS maintains criminal history data statewide, compiled from reports submitted by local law enforcement agencies. Public name-based searches and certified reports are both available from DPS.

Federal cases involving Upton County parties fall under the Western District of Texas. Use PACER.gov to search federal court records from that district.

Cities in Upton County

No cities in Upton County meet the 100,000-population threshold for a dedicated city page. Rankin is the county seat. Midland and Odessa, both larger cities, are located in neighboring counties.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Upton County.