Wichita Falls Property Records
Wichita Falls property records are filed with the Wichita County Clerk, the official recording office for all real estate instruments in Wichita County. If you need to find a deed, check for liens, or pull a chain of title on a Wichita Falls property, the county clerk is your starting point. Wichita Falls is the county seat of Wichita County in North Texas near the Oklahoma border, with a population of around 104,000. All deeds, deeds of trust, plats, releases, and other property instruments for Wichita Falls are indexed at the county clerk's office and available for public search online or in person.
Wichita Falls Overview
Where Wichita Falls Property Records Are Filed
The Wichita County Clerk holds all real property recordings for Wichita Falls and the rest of Wichita County. The clerk's office is at the Wichita County Courthouse in downtown Wichita Falls. Because Wichita Falls is the county seat, the recording office is centrally located. Staff manage the deed index, process new filings, and handle copy requests at the counter. Records go back to the county's founding in the late 19th century.
The Wichita County Clerk provides online access to deed records through the county's digital records system. Many instruments are available with scanned images. For older records or certified copies, a visit or written request to the clerk may be needed. Call ahead if you are unsure whether a specific document is in the online system or if you need to visit in person.
| Office | Wichita County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 900 7th Street, Room 250 Wichita Falls, TX 76301 |
| Phone | (940) 766-8100 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | co.wichita.tx.us |
Wichita Falls city building permits and development records are handled by the City of Wichita Falls at wichitafallstx.gov. Those are city-level records, not part of the county deed index.
How to Search Wichita Falls Property Records
The Wichita County Clerk provides online access to the deed index at co.wichita.tx.us. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, or document number. The system shows instrument type, recording date, book and page references, and party names. Scanned document images are available for many recorded instruments through the online portal.
The Wichita Falls city portal at wichitafallstx.gov is shown below, providing an overview of city services for Wichita Falls residents and property researchers.
The Wichita Central Appraisal District at wichitacad.org provides a free public search for all Wichita County parcels. You can look up any Wichita Falls property by address or owner name and see current ownership, the legal description, and appraised values. This is a good starting point before searching the deed index at the county clerk. WCAD records are free and publicly accessible.
For in-person searches, visit the Wichita County Clerk at the courthouse in downtown Wichita Falls. Bring the property address or the owner's name to help staff pull the records quickly. Call (940) 766-8100 ahead of time if you have questions about what to bring or how to find a specific older document.
Types of Property Records in Wichita Falls
The Wichita County Clerk records all standard real property instruments for Wichita Falls. Warranty deeds are the most common transfer document used in home sales. They guarantee the seller has clear title and the right to convey. Quitclaim deeds pass along whatever interest the grantor holds without any guarantee. These are often used in estate transfers or between family members. Deeds of trust are used to secure mortgages in Texas.
When a home loan is paid off, the lender records a release of lien to clear the deed of trust from title. This is an important record to verify when researching a property that has been mortgaged. Mechanic's and materialman's liens are filed when contractors go unpaid on renovation or construction projects. Subdivision plats document new residential developments and must be recorded before lots can be sold. Wichita Falls has older established neighborhoods with recorded deed restrictions that may still be in effect alongside any newer plats.
- Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds
- Deeds of trust
- Releases of lien
- Mechanic's and materialman's liens
- Subdivision plats and replats
- Deed restrictions and easements
- Affidavits of heirship
Wichita Central Appraisal District
The Wichita Central Appraisal District (WCAD) handles property appraisals for all parcels in Wichita County, including those in Wichita Falls. Their public search at wichitacad.org lets you look up any property by address, owner name, or account number. Results show the current owner, legal description, land and improvement values, applicable exemptions, and the list of taxing entities. The site is free and open to the public.
Wichita Falls is a regional center for North Texas and has a varied property market that includes residential, commercial, and agricultural parcels. WCAD records cover all of these categories. For investment research or purchase due diligence, checking both WCAD and the county deed index together gives you a thorough picture. The appraisal district confirms current ownership and value. The deed records confirm the history of transfers and any encumbrances affecting the property.
Property owners who disagree with their Wichita County appraisal can protest with the Appraisal Review Board. The protest deadline is May 15 or within 30 days of the appraisal notice. WCAD has protest forms and instructions on its website at wichitacad.org.
Recording Fees in Wichita County
The Wichita County Clerk charges recording fees based on the state schedule in Texas Local Government Code Section 118.011. The standard fee is $26 for the first page of a real property instrument and $4 per additional page. A one-page deed costs $26. A longer deed of trust may cost $50 or more depending on how many pages it runs.
Certified copies are more expensive than plain copies. Call (940) 766-8100 before visiting to confirm the current fee for certified copies and to ask which payment methods the office accepts. This avoids any surprises when you arrive at the counter.
Texas Public Information Act
Property records at the Wichita County Clerk are public records under the Texas Public Information Act, Government Code Chapter 552. Anyone can request and inspect these records. You do not need to be a Texas resident or own property in Wichita Falls. No reason is required to access deed records.
The clerk provides access at the public counter and through online tools. A formal Chapter 552 request is rarely needed for standard deed records. Personal identifiers are removed from recorded instruments before they appear in the public index, as required by Texas Property Code Section 11.008.
Additional Resources for Wichita Falls Property Research
The Wichita County Tax Assessor-Collector handles property tax billing and collections for Wichita Falls and all of Wichita County. Delinquent taxes create a lien on real property. Before a sale can close in Wichita Falls, all outstanding taxes must be paid. Check tax account status through the WCAD website or contact the county tax office directly.
The Texas General Land Office at glo.texas.gov holds original land grant and survey archives for North Texas. Wichita County has properties with title histories reaching back to surveys from the late 1800s. For older chains of title or parcels with complicated ownership histories, the GLO archives can provide foundational title documents. This is mainly relevant for title attorneys doing detailed historical research.
Legal aid services for Wichita Falls and North Texas are available through Lone Star Legal Aid, which provides free help to qualifying individuals. The State Bar of Texas at (800) 252-9690 can refer you to a licensed real estate attorney in the Wichita Falls area. TexasLawHelp at texaslawhelp.org has free guides on property law topics including deeds, liens, and title issues.
Wichita County Property Records
Wichita Falls is the county seat of Wichita County, and all property records for the city are filed with the Wichita County Clerk. For more on the clerk's office, recording fees, and county resources, visit the Wichita County property records page.
Nearby Cities
Other North Texas and West Texas cities with property records pages include: