Find Property Records in Borden County
Borden County property records are maintained by the County Clerk in Gail, Texas. The office holds deed records, liens, mortgages, and other land documents going back to 1877. Borden is one of the smaller counties in Texas, and the clerk's office handles both county and district clerk duties. This page covers how to find and access property records in Borden County, including online search options and in-person procedures.
Borden County Overview
Borden County Clerk Office
The Borden County Clerk serves as both county clerk and district clerk for the county. County Clerk Jana Underwood maintains all property records and court filings out of the office at 117 E Wasson St. in Gail. Document copies are available from 1877 through the present, making this one of the more complete small-county records systems in West Texas.
One important note: the County Clerk's office in Borden County does not conduct real property searches for the public. You are expected to search the indexes yourself or use an authorized third-party service. This policy follows standard practice under the Texas Attorney General's guidance on county clerk duties.
| County Clerk | Jana Underwood |
|---|---|
| Address | 117 E Wasson St., P.O. Box 124, Gail, TX 79738 |
| Phone | (806) 756-4312 |
| Fax | (806) 756-4324 |
| jana.underwood@co.borden.tx.us |
The Borden County Clerk records all instruments that affect real property in the county. For online searches, TexasFile provides access to Borden County property records with a free basic name search and paid subscription for document images.
Searching Borden County Property Records
The Borden County Clerk office handles all official property filings in the county, with records dating back to 1877.
Property documents filed in Borden County are indexed by grantor and grantee name. You can search using a party name, date range, document type, or instrument number. Records from 1877 to present are available through the clerk's office.
For online access, TexasFile is the primary third-party option. A free search shows basic index data including party names, recording dates, and document types. Full document images are available with a TexasFile subscription. This is often the most practical option if you are doing research remotely and cannot visit Gail in person.
In-person searches can be done at the clerk's office during regular business hours. Bring the name of the property owner or grantee and any other details you have, such as the legal description or approximate recording date. Staff will point you to the correct index books or digital terminals, but will not search on your behalf.
Recording Fees in Borden County
Recording fees in Borden County follow the standard Texas schedule. The first page of any instrument costs $25.00. Each additional page is $4.00. If a document names more than five parties to be indexed, each additional name over five costs $0.25. These fees apply to deeds, mortgages, liens, releases, and other real property instruments.
Copy fees are $1.00 per page. Certified copies carry an additional $5.00 clerk certification fee per document. Letters Testamentary, which are often needed for estate property transfers, cost $2.00 each. Payment is accepted by check or money order for mail-in requests.
Under Texas Property Code Section 12.001, instruments affecting real property must be properly executed and acknowledged before they can be recorded. Documents that do not meet the statutory requirements may be rejected at the counter. Common reasons for rejection include missing notarization, incorrect legal descriptions, or incomplete party information.
Note: Borden County accepts eRecording for eligible documents. This allows title companies and attorneys to submit instruments electronically without mailing paper originals.
Borden County Appraisal District
The Borden County Appraisal District maintains tax appraisal records for all property in the county. These records show current ownership according to the tax rolls, appraised values, exemptions, and property details.
Chief Appraiser Tracy Cooley oversees the appraisal district office at 120 E. Wilbourn Ave. in Gail. You can reach the office at (806) 756-4484. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with a lunch break from noon to 1:00 PM. The appraisal district website at bordencad.org provides online property search and an online protest portal for property owners who disagree with their appraisal.
Borden County has two main taxing entities: Borden County itself and the Borden County Independent School District. The appraisal district sets values used by both entities for tax purposes. Property owners can search the CAD database by owner name, property address, or account number to find their parcel information.
Property Types and Land Records
Borden County is primarily agricultural and rural. The property records reflect that character. You will find a large number of ranch land deeds, oil and gas leases, mineral rights assignments, agricultural easements, and water rights documents in the county's records. These types of instruments are common throughout West Texas and are just as important to research as standard residential deeds.
Oil and gas activity is significant in the area. Mineral rights records, including leases, royalty assignments, and division orders, are filed with the County Clerk just like surface property documents. If you are buying land in Borden County and want to know whether the mineral rights are included, you need to search the property records for any prior mineral severance or lease that may have separated them from the surface estate.
Under Texas Property Code Section 13.001, recording an instrument provides constructive notice to everyone who later deals with that property. This is why a thorough title search in Borden County needs to cover not just recent deeds but also any outstanding liens, easements, or mineral rights documents that remain in effect.
The Texas General Land Office database contains historical land grant records for West Texas including Borden County. Original Spanish and Republic-era land grants may appear in the GLO archive and provide the earliest chain of title for land in the area.
Texas Property Law and Public Access
All property records filed in Borden County are public under Texas Government Code Chapter 552, the Public Information Act. Any person can request to inspect or copy these records without stating a reason. The clerk must respond promptly and cannot require you to show why you want the records.
The Texas Attorney General's Open Government Division enforces the Public Information Act and publishes guidelines on what records must be released and what can be withheld. For standard property records like deeds and liens, there are few grounds for withholding information. Certain personal identifiers may be redacted from online images per Texas Property Code 11.008(k), but the full original document remains on file.
If you have questions about property law in Texas, the Texas State Law Library provides free research guides on real estate topics. The Texas Property Code is also available free online and covers recording requirements, lien laws, and property rights in full.
Nearby Counties
Borden County sits in West Texas and is bordered by several other counties. If the land you are researching is near a county boundary, confirm the correct jurisdiction before searching.