Find Property Records in Jeff Davis County
Jeff Davis County property records are held by the County Clerk in Fort Davis, Texas. The office maintains an extensive archive of land documents going back to 1887, making it one of the most complete historical collections in West Texas. You can search deeds, mortgages, liens, mineral records, and other property instruments online through TexasFile or by contacting the clerk's office directly. This page covers how to access and request Jeff Davis County property records.
Jeff Davis County Overview
Jeff Davis County Clerk Office
County Clerk Jennifer Wright serves as both County Clerk and District Clerk for Jeff Davis County. The office is located at P.O. Box 398, Fort Davis, TX 79734. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can reach the office by phone at (432) 426-3251 or by fax at (432) 426-3760.
The clerk maintains all official property records for the county, including real property deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens and releases, oil and gas leases, mineral deeds, UCC filings, assumed names, and court records. Jeff Davis County is a rural West Texas county with significant ranching and mineral interests, so oil and gas leases and mineral deeds are common in the records. The archive is one of the most complete in the region, with documents going back to 1887.
| County Clerk | Jennifer Wright |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 398, Fort Davis, TX 79734 |
| Phone | (432) 426-3251 |
| Fax | (432) 426-3760 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
Because Jeff Davis is a small, rural county, the clerk's office handles a range of duties. Jennifer Wright also serves as District Clerk, which means court records and property records are both managed through the same office. Contact the office by phone before visiting to confirm current procedures.
Search Jeff Davis County Property Records
Two online platforms provide access to Jeff Davis County property records. TexasFile covers records from 1887 to the present, giving you access to over a century of land documents. The free index search lets you look up documents by grantor or grantee name, document type, or date range. Document images are available with a subscription or per-page fee.
The KoFile QuickLinks system provides an additional access point to Jeff Davis County records. KoFile focuses on index books and is particularly useful for navigating older records. You can search by name, date range, and book and page numbers through the KoFile interface.
For records that are not yet digitized or for very old documents, you will need to visit the clerk's office in person in Fort Davis. Staff can point you to the physical record books, but under Texas law the clerk's office cannot conduct extensive research on your behalf. If you need a full title search, work with a licensed title company that is familiar with West Texas land records.
Note: Jeff Davis County holds one of the most complete historical property archives in West Texas, with uninterrupted records from 1887 and microfilm copies of older documents available on site.
What Jeff Davis County Property Records Contain
Property records filed with the Jeff Davis County Clerk show grantor and grantee names and addresses, a legal description of the property, the consideration amount or loan amount, and the recording date and instrument number. For oil and gas leases, records also show the lease terms, royalty rates, and tract descriptions.
Under Texas Property Code Section 12.001, instruments must be recorded with the county clerk to provide legal notice to third parties. Once a deed or lien is on file in Jeff Davis County, any later buyer or lender is legally considered to have notice of it under Texas Property Code Section 13.001.
Document types in the Jeff Davis County archive include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, special warranty deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, lien notices, releases, oil and gas leases, mineral deeds, mineral reservations, easements, right-of-way agreements, subdivision plats, assumed name certificates, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses (from 1887), and probate records.
Ranching properties in this part of West Texas often carry complex histories involving mineral rights, grazing easements, and water rights. These items all show up in the county clerk's records and are worth reviewing carefully during any purchase transaction.
Jeff Davis County Appraisal District
The Jeff Davis County Appraisal District maintains property tax records for all taxable land in the county. Chief Appraiser Gary Zeitler oversees the office at P.O. Box 373, Fort Davis, TX 79734-0373. The phone number is (432) 426-3210 and the fax is (432) 426-3437.
Jeff Davis County is known for large ranch properties. Many parcels cover hundreds or thousands of acres. The appraisal district records will show the current assessed owner, appraised value, agricultural use designations, and any exemptions that apply. Ranch land often qualifies for special agricultural valuation under the Texas Property Tax Code, which can significantly reduce the appraised value for tax purposes compared to market value.
The Texas Comptroller's Property Tax Assistance Division publishes statewide resources on property tax administration, exemption forms, and protest procedures. If you want to understand how Jeff Davis County's appraisal district operates within the statewide system, the Comptroller's website is a good starting point.
Recording Fees and Document Submission
Recording a property document with the Jeff Davis County Clerk costs $26 for the first page and $4.00 for each additional page. For documents that name more than five parties to be indexed, there is a charge of $0.25 per additional name. These fees are standard across Texas and are set by state law.
Documents can be submitted in person at the clerk's office in Fort Davis or by mail. Mail submissions should include a check or money order payable to the Jeff Davis County Clerk and a self-addressed stamped envelope for return of the original document. Call ahead at (432) 426-3251 to confirm current submission procedures before mailing.
Because Jeff Davis County is a small, remote county, planning ahead for your visit is a good idea. The nearest major city is El Paso to the west or Midland to the northeast. If you are traveling specifically to research records, call the clerk's office first to confirm availability of the records you need and office hours.
Texas Public Information Act
Property records in Jeff Davis County are public. Under Texas Government Code Chapter 552, the Public Information Act, anyone can request and receive copies of government records without explaining why they want them. You do not need to be the property owner to search or obtain copies of deed records.
The clerk must respond to requests promptly. If production will take more than ten business days, the office must notify you of the timeline. For Jeff Davis County, in-person or written requests are the most reliable method given the rural nature of the county and limited staffing. The Texas Attorney General's Open Government Division handles disputes about records access and publishes guidance on your rights.
Certain personal identifiers are redacted from online images under Texas Property Code Section 11.008(k)(1-2). Social security numbers and financial account numbers are removed from online documents. The original paper records at the courthouse contain the complete unredacted text.
Additional Research Resources for Jeff Davis County
For deep historical research on Jeff Davis County land, the Texas General Land Office database is essential. The GLO holds over 800,000 historical land grant records from the Spanish, Mexican, and Republic of Texas periods. Many West Texas properties trace their origins to these early grants, and the GLO database connects modern parcels to their original patent records.
The Texas Secretary of State's SOSDirect system is useful for verifying business entities tied to property transactions. Ranch operations, oil and gas entities, and family LLCs holding Jeff Davis County land can all be checked through SOS. UCC liens that affect business property are also searchable there.
The Texas State Law Library has research guides covering mineral rights, oil and gas leases, ranch land transactions, and other property topics relevant to West Texas counties like Jeff Davis. These guides are free to use online.
Nearby Counties
Jeff Davis County is in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. If a property is near a county border, confirm the correct county before searching.