Kimble County Property Records

Kimble County property records are maintained by the County Clerk in Junction, Texas. The clerk's office records deeds, deeds of trust, liens, easements, and other land instruments for all real property in this Hill Country county. Kimble County is known for ranching, cedar removal, and hunting, and the land records reflect a mix of large agricultural tracts, hunting lease agreements, and residential property in and around Junction. This page explains how to search the county's records and what resources are available.

Kimble County Clerk Office

The Kimble County Clerk is the official custodian of all property records filed in the county. The office is in the courthouse in Junction and records deeds, mortgages, liens, releases, hunting and grazing leases, conservation easements, water rights documents, and plat maps for all land in Kimble County. Ranch sales are a dominant type of transaction in the county, often involving large tracts with both surface and mineral rights considerations. Water rights along the South Llano River are also a significant subject of recorded agreements.

All documents are indexed by grantor and grantee name following the standard Texas system. You can search by party name or instrument number. For older records, paper index volumes may be the primary tool. Staff at the clerk's office can direct you to the right section of the index.

For certified copies, contact the clerk by phone or visit in person. Mail requests should include the instrument number and copy fee. Staff can help you find the right records but cannot run a full title search for you.

Searching Kimble County Property Records

The Kimble County Clerk maintains the official index for all land records filed in the county. For in-person research, visit the courthouse in Junction during business hours. The index lets you search by grantor or grantee name. Bring the property address or legal description to help locate the right records, especially for large rural tracts that span multiple survey sections.

Third-party services like TexasFile may provide access to Kimble County deed records for remote researchers. The Kimble County Appraisal District is a useful starting point. Search by owner name or address to get the account number and legal description before going into the deed index at the clerk's office.

Because Kimble County is a small and rural county, the clerk's office has limited staff. For remote researchers, calling the office first to ask about available online access and mail copy procedures is recommended before making a trip.

Note: Kimble County borders Kerr, Menard, Mason, Sutton, and Edwards Counties. Confirm the correct county for properties near any of those lines.

Types of Property Records in Kimble County

The Kimble County Clerk records all instruments that affect interests in real property within the county. Under Texas Property Code Section 12.001, recording gives constructive notice to all later buyers and lenders. Once in the index, a document is considered known to anyone who later deals with that property.

Common document types in Kimble County include warranty deeds, special warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, mineral deeds, deeds of trust, mechanic's and materialman's liens, lien releases, agricultural leases, hunting leases when recorded as easements, conservation easements, water rights agreements, pipeline right-of-way documents, and federal tax lien filings. Ranch transactions often involve mineral deed assignments and surface use agreements filed alongside the main warranty deed. Water rights documents are common given the South Llano River and other water sources in the county. Subdivision plats for any platted areas near Junction are also on file with the clerk.

Kimble County Appraisal District

The Kimble County Appraisal District maintains property tax appraisal records for all taxable property in the county. You can contact the appraisal district to search by owner name or property address. Results show the current assessed value, legal description, and any exemptions on file. The CAD records are separate from the deed records at the County Clerk but are useful for identifying current ownership and account information before going deeper into the title records.

Agricultural use and wildlife management valuations are common in Kimble County for ranch and hunting tracts. These designations appear in the CAD records and can significantly reduce the effective tax burden on qualifying properties. The appraisal district updates ownership rolls based on deed filings at the clerk's office but may lag by several months after a sale. For current title information, always check the deed records at the clerk's office directly.

Recording Fees and Procedures

The Kimble County Clerk charges $26 for the first page of a recorded instrument and $4 per additional page. State law sets these fees. An extra $0.25 per name applies when more than five names are indexed in a document.

Documents can be submitted in person or by mail with a check payable to the Kimble County Clerk. Include a self-addressed return envelope for mail submissions. The clerk records the document, assigns the instrument number and date, and mails the original back. eRecording may not be available for a county as small as Kimble, so call the office to confirm. Title companies handling transactions in the Junction and Kerrville area typically handle document submissions for Kimble County properties.

Certified copies cost $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee. Uncertified copies cost less and are sufficient for most research purposes.

Texas Public Information Act

Kimble County property records are public under Texas Government Code Chapter 552. Any person may request access without giving a reason. The clerk must respond promptly. Indexed records are generally accessible right away. Older records may require a short retrieval time.

The Texas Attorney General's Open Government Division handles disputes and provides guidance on public records access rights. Some personal data in recorded documents is redacted from online images under state law but remains in the original paper records at the clerk's office.

Additional Resources for Property Research

The Texas Comptroller's Property Tax Assistance Division provides statewide guidance on agricultural and wildlife management exemptions, appraisal procedures, and protest rights. For Kimble County's large ranch properties, the Comptroller's resources on productivity valuation and wildlife management exemptions are especially relevant. The Texas General Land Office holds early land grant records covering the Hill Country region. The Texas Secretary of State's SOSDirect covers business entity records and UCC filings. The Texas State Law Library offers research guides on Texas real property law topics.

Nearby Counties

Kimble County is in the Texas Hill Country. Several neighboring counties border it. Confirm the correct county for properties near county boundaries.