Grayson County Property Records

Grayson County property records are maintained by the County Clerk in Sherman, Texas, and cover deeds, liens, deeds of trust, plats, and other land documents recorded since the county's formation. Whether you need to search ownership history, check for liens, or get a copy of a recorded deed, this page explains where to go and how to use the tools available for Grayson County records.

Grayson County Clerk Records

The Grayson County Clerk is the official keeper of all real property records in the county. The main office is located at 100 W. Houston Ave., Sherman, TX 75090. You can reach the office by phone at (903) 813-4243. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The county clerk records and preserves deeds, mortgages, liens, oil and gas leases, plat maps, assumed name certificates, and other instruments that affect real property title in Grayson County.

The county website at co.grayson.tx.us provides access to public records and information about clerk services. Grayson County records go back to the county's formation in 1846. The county seat is Sherman. Note that the city of Sherman is in Grayson County, not Sherman County, which is a separate county in the Texas Panhandle with its county seat at Stratford. This distinction matters when you are searching property records because each county has its own archive.

The Grayson County Clerk portal lets you search by grantor or grantee name, document type, date range, and instrument number. Basic index searching is free. Document images and certified copies may require payment. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document plus copy fees. Non-certified copies cost $1.00 per page. The office also accepts mail requests. Include the property address or owner name, a check payable to the Grayson County Clerk, and a return address when submitting by mail.

The county also accepts eRecording through authorized vendors. Title companies and law firms can submit documents electronically around the clock without driving to the courthouse. Recording fees follow the standard Texas schedule: $26.00 for the first page and $4.00 for each additional page. Names indexed beyond five cost an additional $0.25 each. Under Texas Property Code Section 12.001, all instruments conveying real property must be recorded to give constructive notice to later purchasers and creditors.

The Grayson County Clerk office at co.grayson.tx.us is your primary resource.

The clerk's website provides public access to recorded instruments and links to related county offices. From here you can find forms, fee schedules, and contact information for other departments that handle property-related matters.

Search Grayson County Property Records Online

You have several ways to search Grayson County property records from home. The county clerk website is the best starting point for current documents. TexasFile at texasfile.com also covers Grayson County records. You can search the index for free and pay for document images if you need full copies. The search options include grantor and grantee name, document type, date range, and instrument number.

Document types in the Grayson County records system include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, release of liens, mechanic's liens, judgment abstracts, federal and state tax liens, oil and gas leases, mineral deeds, UCC filings, plat maps, and assumed name certificates. The county sits on the Texas-Oklahoma border north of Dallas in the Red River area. Given its location and history, there are agricultural land records, some mineral lease records, and a variety of commercial and residential property documents throughout the archive.

When you run a name search, remember that older records may use initials or alternate spellings. Try different versions of the name if you don't find what you are looking for. Wildcard searches can help if the system supports them. Document images from older periods may be scanned from microfilm or handwritten books, so legibility can vary.

Note: Texas Property Code Section 13.001 establishes the legal framework for recording instruments and the protections that recorded documents provide against later claimants.

Grayson County Appraisal District

The Grayson County Appraisal District (GCAD) handles property valuations for all taxing purposes within the county. The appraisal district is separate from the county clerk. Its role is to determine the market value of every property in Grayson County each year, which then serves as the basis for property tax calculations by all taxing entities including the county, school districts, and cities.

The GCAD online search portal at graysoncad.com lets you look up property by owner name, property address, account number, or legal description. Each property record shows ownership information, the legal description, land size, building characteristics, appraised value broken out between land and improvements, and any exemptions applied to the account.

If you think your property value is too high, you can file a protest with the GCAD. The protest deadline is May 15 or 30 days after the notice of appraised value was mailed, whichever is later. Exemptions available to Grayson County property owners include the residential homestead exemption, over-65 exemption, disability exemption, disabled veteran exemption, and agricultural-use valuation under the Texas Tax Code. Applications for exemptions are available on the GCAD website.

Under Senate Bill 2 passed in 2023, Texas increased the homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000 of assessed value for school district taxes. This change affects the taxable value of owner-occupied homes across Grayson County. Check with the GCAD to confirm your exemption status reflects the current law.

Property Tax in Grayson County

Texas has no state property tax. Every county, school district, city, and special taxing district sets its own rate. In Grayson County, the appraisal district sets values and the taxing entities bill based on those values. Tax statements typically go out in October and are due by January 31 of the following year. Payments made after January 31 accrue penalties and interest.

The Texas Comptroller's Property Tax Assistance Division provides oversight, education, and the Texas Property Tax Code online. The Comptroller publishes an updated version of the code after each legislative session. If you have a question about your Grayson County appraisal, start with the GCAD. For questions about your tax bill or payment, contact the specific taxing entity listed on the statement.

Property tax certificates for Grayson County properties are available through the county tax assessor-collector. A tax certificate shows the current status of a property's taxes, including any delinquencies. These are often needed in real estate closings. Tax sale information for delinquent properties is also published online when applicable. Over-65 and disabled property owners may qualify for tax deferrals, which delay collection without accruing penalties during the deferral period.

Note: The Texas Comptroller's eminent domain database at comptroller.texas.gov lists all entities in Texas authorized to use eminent domain, which affects land rights in Grayson County.

Historical and Additional Property Records

Grayson County was formed in 1846 and named for Peter W. Grayson, a Texas statesman. The county lies in North Texas along the Red River, which forms the border with Oklahoma. Records from the county's early years are preserved at the county clerk office and may include original survey records, Spanish and Republic of Texas era land grants, and early deed transactions from the mid-1800s.

For genealogical and historical property research in Grayson County, the Texas General Land Office maintains a searchable land grant database at glo.texas.gov that covers early land patents and grants issued by Spain, Mexico, and the Republic of Texas. The GLO archives contain over 800,000 records and include field notes, survey records, and original grant documents. These records are helpful when tracing the root of title for older Grayson County properties.

The Texas Secretary of State's SOSDirect system at direct.sos.state.tx.us covers UCC filings and business entity records that may affect title to Grayson County property. When a business sells or encumbers real property, the seller's entity status and any liens on its assets may be relevant to a title search. Searching UCC records at SOSDirect is especially useful in commercial transactions.

The Texas Public Information Act, codified at Texas Government Code Chapter 552, gives the public the right to request copies of government records, including property records held by county offices. If a county office does not respond within ten business days, you can contact the Texas Attorney General's Open Government Division at texasattorneygeneral.gov for help. The Texas State Law Library at guides.sll.texas.gov also provides free research guides on Texas property law.

Nearby Counties

Property records are kept by the county where the land is located. If you are unsure which county a tract falls in, check a county boundary map before searching.