Real Property Records
Harris County real property records document deeds, deeds of trust, liens, releases, plats, condominium records, and other instruments connected with land and real estate in the county. This article explains how to search the county index, interpret search options, obtain certified or non-certified copies, prepare a document for recording, select a filing method, calculate common fees, and avoid delays caused by incomplete search information or filing requirements.
County Clerk Record Services
The Harris County Clerk’s Real Property Department records documents that concern real property or real estate located in Harris County. The office performs a ministerial recording function. This means the clerk accepts a document for recording when a statute authorizes, requires, and permits the document to be filed and the submission satisfies applicable recording requirements.
The department is a filing and record-keeping office. It does not perform title research, legal research, or investigative work. A person searching for a deed, lien, release, or other instrument should gather as much identifying information as possible before using the county system or submitting a copy request.
Real property records are different from appraisal and property-tax records. The County Clerk maintains recorded instruments, while an appraisal or tax office may maintain ownership, valuation, exemption, or tax-payment information for administrative purposes. A County Clerk record search is generally used to locate a recorded document rather than determine a current market value or calculate a tax balance.
Online Real Property Search
The official Real Property Records search allows users to search the Harris County Clerk’s electronic index. Available search fields include the file number, film code, recording date, grantor, grantee, trustee, subdivision or property description, instrument type, volume, page, section, lot, block, unit, abstract, outlot, tract, and reserve.
There is no charge to search the electronic document index. Registration is required when a user wants to view or purchase documents through the Document Search Portal. An account also provides the email address to which purchased electronic copies will be sent.
Images are available online for records dating from November 1, 1960. Older records, unavailable images, or documents that cannot be located through the online inquiry may require an in-person request or a submitted copy-order form.
Recent Recording Delays
A document may not appear in an online search immediately after it has been processed for recording. The County Clerk states that it may take one to two business days for a processed document to be reflected in the search inquiry.
A search performed immediately after filing may therefore return no result even though the document has been received or processed. Users checking a recent transaction should confirm that enough business time has passed and then search again using the exact file number or other identifying details.
Online Record Limitations
The online database does not constitute the official repository of Harris County real property records. It may not show the complete or unaltered contents of the records maintained in the official real property records.
State law also requires certain information to be redacted from some instruments. As a result, an online image may differ from the record as officially maintained by the County Clerk. When an exact official copy is required, the requester should obtain the appropriate certified copy rather than relying solely on a displayed search image.
The database also contains a notice that document provisions restricting the sale, rental, or use of real property because of race or color are invalid under federal law and are unenforceable.
Choosing a Search Method
The most reliable search method depends on the information available. A file number normally provides the fastest result, while a name search may be necessary when the recording number is unknown. The county’s Document Search Portal help page explains the required formats for file numbers, names, dates, and film codes.
File Number Searches
Searching by file number generally produces the fastest results because it targets a specific recorded entry. Some County Clerk databases require an annex code before a file number when a document was filed at an annex. Real Property and Uniform Commercial Code searches do not require an annex code.
Enter the file number without adding spaces. Confirm each digit before submitting the search. A transposed or missing digit can lead to an unrelated result or no result at all.
Grantor and Grantee Names
A name search can be performed using the grantor or grantee field. Names must be entered with the last name first and the first name second. Punctuation marks such as periods and commas should not be entered.
The system permits partial name searches when at least three characters are provided. If a search produces too many results, add more of the person’s or business’s name. If it returns nothing, remove unnecessary name details and search a broader variation.
The grantor category may include a grantor, mortgagor, assignor, plaintiff, debtor, lien holder, general partner, landlord, taxpayer, or seller. The grantee category may include a grantee, mortgagee, assignee, defendant, creditor, limited partner, tenant, tax agency, or buyer. The correct field may therefore depend on the person’s role in the transaction rather than the document’s everyday description.
Name and Date Searches
A date can narrow a name search to a year, month, or particular filing day. For example, a year may be entered as four digits, a year and month as six digits, or a complete date as eight digits in year-month-day order.
The system accepts county working days for these searches. Weekends, holidays, invalid dates, and incomplete dates may generate an alert message. Users who know only an approximate period can use a date range instead of guessing a single filing date.
Date Range Searches
A Real Property date range search requires complete beginning and ending dates in MM/DD/YYYY format. A date-only range can cover no more than one year. Both dates must be entered, and the dates must correspond to county working days.
A broad date-only search may return a large number of documents. Adding a grantor, grantee, instrument type, subdivision, or other identifying field can make the results more manageable.
Film Code Searches
Film code searches are available for Real Property records. A partial film code can be used, but minimum lengths apply. A code beginning with a nonnumeric character requires at least seven characters, while an all-numeric partial code requires at least five characters.
Examples of the formats supported by the system include numeric film codes and codes beginning with letters such as ER or RP. Characters should be entered in the same sequence in which they appear on the source document or prior record reference.
Legal Description Fields
When a name or file number is unavailable, property-description fields may help identify a record. Search options include subdivision or description, section, lot, block, unit, abstract, outlot, tract, and reserve.
Legal description terminology should be copied from an existing deed, deed of trust, plat reference, or other reliable record whenever possible. A street address alone is not necessarily the legal description used to index a recorded instrument.
Reviewing Search Results
A search result should be checked against several identifying details before a copy is purchased. Confirm the parties’ names, instrument type, recording date, file number, film code, and property description. People with similar names may appear in the same index, and one property may be associated with several instruments recorded at different times.
Common real property instruments include deeds, warranty deeds, deeds of trust, releases of lien, assignments, abstracts of judgment, affidavits, plats, condominium declarations, and foreclosure notices. The appearance of a person’s name in the index does not by itself establish that the document is the one needed.
When a transaction involves several recorded documents, note the file number for each relevant instrument. A deed, financing instrument, assignment, and later release may be recorded separately and have different file numbers and dates.
Obtaining Electronic Copies
The general Document Search Portal supports the purchase of certified and non-certified electronic copies. A user must create an account, sign in, locate the document, add it to the shopping cart, and complete payment.
Purchased documents are sent to the email address associated with the account. The email contains links to the files. Larger documents may be divided into 200-page increments to make downloading more manageable.
Online purchases are final, and refunds are not available for purchases made through the website. Before completing payment, users should verify that the selected document matches the intended parties, property, instrument type, and recording information.
Non-Certified Copies
A non-certified copy is a duplicate of an original document recorded in the County Clerk’s Office. Non-certified electronic copies purchased through the portal are provided without the watermark shown during an online preview.
This type of copy may be suitable when the requester needs to review the document’s contents or retain an informational copy. The receiving person, business, court, lender, or government office determines whether a non-certified copy is acceptable for a particular purpose.
Certified Copies
A certified copy is a duplicate that the County Clerk, as official custodian, certifies as part of the public record. The published electronic-copy price is a $5 certification fee per document plus $1 for up to 10 pages and $0.10 for each page over 10.
Certified paper copies are listed at a $5 certification fee per document plus $1 per page. Fees may differ for maps and condominium records.
A certified copy purchased online does not have a raised seal. Some receiving entities may require a raised seal. A person who needs that format should request the certified copy in person or through the appropriate paper-copy order process rather than assuming an emailed certification will satisfy the receiving entity.
Restricted Document Access
Restricted documents generally are not viewable or available for purchase online. The County Clerk’s published portal information states that restricted Real Property documents are not viewable online but can be purchased through the online process.
Other restrictions may arise from a court order, court rule, statute, or the presence of unredacted sensitive data. Online account access does not override those restrictions.
Mailed Paper Copy Requests
People who need mailed paper copies can use the official Request for Mailed Paper Copies form. The form applies to certified and non-certified paper copies. Digital copies must instead be purchased through the online Document Search Portal.
Required Property Details
For property records, maps, condominium records, and foreclosure notices, the form requests information that can help County Clerk staff identify the intended document:
File number
Film code, when known
Date of the document
Document type
Grantor name
Grantee name
Subdivision name
Lot, block, and section
Map or condominium name
Volume and page
Providing a file number or film code avoids the published $5 search fee. Without one of those identifiers, a search fee may apply, and submission of the form does not guarantee that the requested record will be located.
If several documents are needed, the requester should provide the additional record details on a separate page or in the submission email rather than completing multiple forms.
Paper Copy Charges
The mailed-copy form lists a $1 per-page charge for ordinary paper copies and a $5 certification fee per document. Non-certified map or condominium copies are listed at $10 per page, while certified map or condominium copies are listed at $15 per page.
Fees are subject to change. After the request is processed, the County Clerk sends payment instructions by email. Payment is then made by phone through a secure line, and the completed copies are mailed to the address entered in the contact section of the form.
Recording a Property Document
The Real Property Department page provides the County Clerk’s filing requirements, payment rules, fee schedule, and information about in-person, mailed, and electronic recording.
The department accepts original documents or certified copies of court documents for recording. Ordinary photocopies are not accepted. A document submitted for recording should satisfy all requirements that apply to its type.
General Recording Requirements
Before submitting a deed, release, deed of trust, or other instrument, review the document for the following elements:
The document is the original, rather than a Xerox or ordinary photocopy.
The appropriate person has signed the instrument.
The signature is notarized when notarization is required.
The document includes a legal description when applicable.
A conveyance includes the grantee’s mailing address.
Names are printed below the signatures.
The signer’s capacity and the represented entity are identified.
A return address appears on the document.
A one- to two-inch space is available across the top and along the left margin for recording information.
An Internal Revenue Service release does not have to be notarized. Other releases, deeds, deeds of trust, and similar documents generally require the appropriate notarized signature.
A grantee’s mailing address is required for an instrument executed after December 31, 1981, that conveys an interest in real property. The address may appear in the instrument or in a separate writing signed by the grantor or grantee and attached to the instrument. When the address is omitted, a statutory penalty filing fee may apply.
Court-Issued Documents
A document from a Texas court must be submitted as a complete, original, court-issued certified copy. A certified copy cannot be altered.
If a court-certified document requires additional or corrected information, the requester must contact the issuing court for a reissued court-certified copy. A page may be attached to the back of a clerk-issued certified copy when permitted, but the certified pages themselves should not be changed.
Abstracts of judgment must contain the plaintiff’s mailing address. A foreign judgment must first be domesticated in a Texas court. After domestication, an abstract of judgment issued by the Texas court can be submitted for recording with the applicable fee.
Filing Method Differences
Real property documents may be submitted in person, by mail, or electronically when the filer and submission method meet the County Clerk’s requirements. Each method has different identification, payment, and document-handling rules.
In-Person Filing
A person presenting a real property document in person must provide photo identification. The County Clerk may copy the identification or record information from it. Information copied or recorded from the identification is confidential, and the clerk may not charge a fee for that step.
The Real Property Department’s regular public hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Some services are also available at County Clerk annex locations, but users should verify that an annex handles the intended transaction before visiting.
Filing by Mail
A mailed filing must include the original document. Payment should be provided by cashier’s check or money order made payable to Teneshia Hudspeth, Harris County Clerk.
Cash and personal checks should not be mailed. The document should be reviewed before mailing because an ordinary copy cannot replace the required original, and missing signatures, notarization, addresses, legal descriptions, or fees can prevent recording.
Electronic Recording
The County Clerk accepts electronic real property documents only through its e-recording system and an eRecord provider that currently submits documents to Harris County. Documents cannot be sent directly to the Real Property Department as ordinary email attachments for recording.
Texas law limits electronic filing eligibility to specified filers. The listed categories include Texas-licensed attorneys, qualifying financial institutions, federally chartered lending institutions, approved mortgagees, licensed regulated lenders, title insurance companies or agents, state agencies, and municipal clerks.
An authorized filer must select an eRecord provider and verify that the provider submits documents to Harris County. Documents placed in the e-recording queue before 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time are scheduled to be processed the same business day. Documents placed in the queue later are processed the next business day.
Recording Fees and Payments
The published Real Property filing fee is $25 for the first page, $4 for each additional page, and $0.25 for each indexed name over five. The first-page amount consists of the applicable first-page, archive, and records-management charges shown in the fee schedule.
Copy and recording charges differ for ordinary documents, maps, condominium records, additional pages, and additional indexed names. Users should calculate the number of pages and names before presenting or mailing a document.
Accepted payment methods include:
Cash for in-person transactions only
Cashier’s checks
Business checks
Money orders
Personal checks when presented in person and meeting the County Clerk’s requirements
Credit cards for in-person transactions with valid identification
Checks must be payable to Teneshia Hudspeth, Harris County Clerk, and drawn on a United States bank. A personal check must have a preprinted current local address, be presented by the signer, and be accompanied by a valid Texas identification card showing the applicable address. Legal Ease has not been accepted as a payment method since July 1, 2024.
Liens, Plats, and Surveys
Release of Lien Filings
A release of lien may be filed in person or by mail through the Real Property Department. County Clerk annex offices can accept releases of lien, but recording may take five to seven business days because the work must be delivered to the downtown office.
A person relying on a newly filed release should distinguish between the date it was delivered to an annex, the date it was recorded downtown, and the date it became visible in the online inquiry.
Plat Recording Requirements
A plat must be original, signed, notarized, approved by the necessary municipalities, and compliant with statutory recording requirements. Original tax certificates are also required.
For plats filed from January 1 through August 31, the tax certificate must reflect the prior tax year and state that no taxes are due. For plats recorded from September 1 through December 31, the tax certificate generally must be dated on or after September 1 of the current year and show that current-year taxes have been paid or are not yet calculated.
An alternative may involve a certificate showing that prior-year taxes are paid together with a receipt concerning the current year. The acceptable documentation depends on the filing date and the tax information shown.
Plat and Survey Copies
The County Clerk provides certified and non-certified copies of plats. A recorded plat may cover one section of a subdivision or an entire subdivision; it is not necessarily limited to an individual lot.
Surveys are recorded only when attached as an exhibit to another document. They cannot be independently recorded as stand-alone instruments. Locating a survey can therefore be difficult unless the requester knows which specific recorded document contains the survey exhibit.
Condominium Records
Declarations of condominium, amendments to declarations, master leases, and master deeds are recorded in the condominium records. The original document must meet statutory requirements.
Before submission, four pages in consecutive order must be taped together to form one sheet. The filing fee is $10 per submitted sheet, and an attached key map is charged at $50 per key-map page.
Re-Recording a Document
The steps for re-recording depend on how the earlier document was submitted and whether the corrected submission is an original or certified copy.
Previously E-Recorded Documents
When the original is being submitted again, the filer should provide the corrected original and attach a recorded copy of the first and last pages of the previously e-recorded document at the back.
When a certified copy is being submitted, the filer should provide the complete certified copy and attach a page at the back stating the correction. Nothing may be attached directly to a court-issued certified copy.
Previously Filed Paper Documents
When re-submitting the original, the filer should submit the amended document. When submitting a certified copy, the complete certified copy should be provided with a correction page attached at the back, subject to the restriction against attaching material to a court-issued certified copy.
Altering certified pages, submitting only selected pages, or replacing a required original with a photocopy can prevent the corrected document from being recorded.
Common Search and Filing Errors
Many record problems result from entering information in the wrong format or treating different County Clerk services as interchangeable. The following distinctions can reduce unnecessary searches and rejected submissions:
Enter personal names last name first and omit punctuation.
Use at least three characters for a partial name search.
Do not add an annex code to a Real Property file-number search.
Use MM/DD/YYYY for date-range searches and YYYYMMDD for a single date search.
Limit a date-only range to one year.
Allow one to two business days for a processed recording to appear online.
Confirm the document before purchasing because online sales are final.
Do not assume an online certified copy includes a raised seal.
Do not submit a Xerox copy when an original document is required.
Do not mail cash or a personal check with a recording submission.
Do not send a document by ordinary email and expect it to be electronically recorded.
Do not treat a subdivision plat as a survey of one individual lot.
The County Clerk’s Document Search Portal questions page provides additional information about copy formats, online purchases, delivery, restricted records, and certification charges.
Relevant County Offices
Harris County Clerk Real Property Department — Harris County Civil Courthouse, 201 Caroline Street, 3rd Floor, Suite 320, Houston, TX 77002 — (713) 274-8680
Harris County Clerk Public Records Department — Harris County Civil Courthouse, 201 Caroline Street, 3rd Floor, Suite 310, Houston, TX 77002 — (713) 274-6390
Real Property Records FAQs
Can an original will be recorded with land records?
An original will cannot be filed directly in the Harris County real property records. When an estate has been probated, the probate court may issue a certified copy of the will that can be submitted for recording. Certified probate documents from another state must include an exemplification certificate issued by the court where the probate proceeding occurred. A will may also appear in the real property records as an exhibit attached to an Affidavit of Heirship. Before filing, confirm that the court-issued copy is complete and has not been altered.
Which UCC financing statement forms are accepted?
Financing statements filed in the real property records must use forms adopted by the International Association of Commercial Administrators with a revision date of July 1, 2023. Any required addendum must be completed and attached to the financing statement when it is submitted. Older versions or locally created substitutes may not satisfy the filing requirement. Current forms and instructions are available through the Texas Secretary of State UCC filing page.
When might an exemplified copy be necessary?
An exemplified copy provides additional court authentication beyond an ordinary certified copy. It generally includes an attested copy of the document, an original court seal, and signatures verifying the authority of the official who certified it. Harris County specifically requires an exemplification certificate with out-of-state probate certified copies submitted for recording. Because document requirements vary by transaction, confirm the exact copy format required before ordering court records or paying certification fees.
Can an annex handle every property-record request?
County Clerk annexes can help users obtain real property records that are available in the office’s computer database, but they may not be able to complete every specialized request. Records that are older, unavailable as images, restricted, or absent from the electronic database may require a different ordering process. The official Real Property Department page should be reviewed before visiting an annex to confirm that the requested filing or record service is available there.