Comal County Property Records

Comal County property records are filed with the County Clerk in New Braunfels and cover deeds, liens, deeds of trust, plats, and other real estate documents. You can search records online through the county's Land Records Online portal or visit the clerk's office in person to find documents and request certified copies. The county has seen fast growth in recent years, and the volume of recorded property documents reflects that pace. Whether you need to check ownership, trace a title, or find a recorded lien, the Comal County Clerk maintains the official public record system.

Comal County Clerk Property Records

The Comal County Clerk is the official keeper of real property records in the county. The office is at 150 N. Seguin Ave., Suite 101, New Braunfels, TX 78130. Phone: (830) 221-1230. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The clerk records deeds, deeds of trust, liens, plats, assumed name certificates, UCC filings, and federal tax liens. Records go back to 1846 when the county was created.

The county's Land Records Online portal lets you search documents from 1986 to the present at no cost for basic index searches. You can look up records by grantor or grantee name, property address, legal description, document type, or date range. The county is also working to add older records to the online system. For documents not yet digitized, staff can assist you in locating physical records during office hours.

You can also access Comal County deed records through Comal Deed Records and through TexasFile, which offers subscription-based access with full document images. eRecording is available for attorneys and authorized submitters. In fact, attorneys have been required to e-file since January 1, 2015. This speeds up the recording process and cuts down on paper submissions.

The lead-in below shows the county clerk's website, where you can find fee schedules, forms, and links to the online search portal.

The clerk's site also provides links to the online deed records portal and lists current fees for recording, copies, and certified copies.

Recording fees in Comal County are $36.00 for the first page and $4.00 for each additional page. Standard copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document plus $1.00 per page. If you need staff research assistance, the first 15 minutes are free and $10.00 per name or transaction after that.

Note: You can inspect records in person at no charge, but printed or certified copies carry the fees listed above.

Search Comal County Deeds and Documents

When you search Comal County property records, the results show key details about each document. You get the grantor and grantee names with complete addresses, the legal description of the property, the recording date and instrument number, document classification, consideration amounts, and lien information when applicable. This data helps you track ownership history and confirm what encumbrances exist on a parcel.

The online system covers records from 1986 to present. Older records from 1846 to 1985 require an in-person visit or a request to the clerk's office. Staff can help you locate microfilm or physical records for older documents. Comal County is a fast-growing area in the Texas Hill Country, so the number of recorded documents is substantial and grows each year. The digitization project aims to eventually cover all records in the online system.

For chain of title research, you may need to go back through multiple deeds. The grantor-grantee index is the standard starting point. You trace ownership backward by searching for prior grantors in the index. This takes time but gives you a full picture of ownership history. Title companies in New Braunfels do this work professionally, but public records are available if you want to do your own search.

Comal County Appraisal District

The Comal County Appraisal District is at 900 S. Seguin Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130. Phone: (830) 625-8597. The appraisal district sets assessed values for all taxable property in the county. Their online portal lets you search by owner name, property address, account number, or legal description at no cost.

Property cards on the CCAD website show ownership details, land values, improvement values, exemptions, and sales history. GIS mapping with parcel data is also available. Comparable sales data helps property owners understand how their appraisal compares to recent market activity. If you believe your appraisal is too high, you can file a protest with the Appraisal Review Board. The protest deadline is May 15 or 30 days after you receive your notice of appraised value, whichever is later.

Homestead exemptions, over-65 exemptions, disabled veteran exemptions, and other special valuations are processed through the appraisal district. You apply directly to CCAD for any exemption. These exemptions can reduce your taxable value significantly and lower what you owe each year.

The appraisal district website also lists tax rates for each taxing entity in the county, including the city, school district, and special districts.

Property Tax Records in Comal County

The Comal County Tax Assessor-Collector is at 205 N. Seguin Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130. Phone: (830) 221-1353. The tax office handles property tax collection for the county and all participating taxing entities. Tax statements go out each fall, and payment is due by January 31 to avoid penalties.

You can pay taxes online, by mail, or in person. Tax certificates showing the current tax status of a property are available upon request. If taxes go delinquent, the county follows the process set out in the Texas Tax Code for collections, which may include a lawsuit and eventual tax sale. Delinquent tax information is public record and appears in the court records system.

Payment plans may be available for some delinquent accounts. Over-65 and disabled homeowners may defer their taxes under certain conditions. Contact the tax office directly to ask about options that apply to your situation.

Note: Property tax records show the taxable value, any exemptions applied, the tax rates for each entity, and the total amount due for each year.

Types of Recorded Documents

The Comal County Clerk records many types of real property documents. Deeds transfer ownership from one party to another. Deeds of trust secure mortgage loans on real property. Release of liens shows when a debt has been paid and the lien removed. Mechanics liens are filed by contractors or suppliers who have not been paid for work on property. Judgment liens attach to real property when a court enters a money judgment.

Easement agreements give one party the right to use another's land for a specific purpose, such as utility access or ingress and egress. Plats record the subdivision of land into lots and show boundaries, setbacks, and easements. Oil and gas leases and assignments are also recorded when mineral interests are conveyed. All of these documents become part of the official public record when filed with the clerk.

• Warranty deeds and special warranty deeds
• Deeds of trust and mortgage documents
• Mechanic and materialman liens
• Federal and state tax liens
• Release of liens and reconveyances
• Plats and subdivision maps
• UCC financing statements

Each document recorded in Comal County is assigned an instrument number and a recording date. This information appears on the document itself and in the online index. You can use the instrument number to pull up the full document in the online system.

Texas Property Law and Comal County

Texas property law gives the Texas Property Code as the main source of rules for real estate transactions and recordings. Under the recording statutes, a document must be filed with the county clerk where the property is located to provide constructive notice to future buyers and lenders. Without recording, a later bona fide purchaser may take priority over an unrecorded interest.

The Texas homestead law is one of the strongest in the country. Under Article XVI of the Texas Constitution and Chapter 41 of the Property Code, a homestead is protected from forced sale by most creditors. This makes the homestead exemption especially valuable. Comal County property owners who occupy their home as a primary residence can claim the homestead exemption through the appraisal district.

Mineral rights in Comal County can be severed from surface rights. Many properties in the Hill Country have separate mineral interest owners who are different from the surface owners. The deed records will show if and when minerals were severed from the surface. Oil and gas lease records are also filed with the clerk and are part of the public record.

The Texas Public Information Act guarantees the public's right to access government records, including property records. The county clerk must respond to public information requests within 10 business days. Most routine property record requests do not require a formal Public Information Act request because the records are already publicly available through the online portal or in person.

Nearby Counties

Comal County borders several other Texas counties. These links go to property record pages for each neighboring county.