Property Records in Leon County

Leon County property records are kept by the County Clerk in Centerville, Texas. This East Texas county has an exceptionally deep record set going back to 1828, among the oldest in the state. The clerk's office holds deeds, oil and gas leases, liens, plats, probate records, and marriage records all in one place. An online GovOS portal provides search access, and eight public terminals are available in the office for in-person use.

Leon County Clerk Office

County Clerk Amy Kaiser maintains all property records for Leon County. The office is at 155 N Cass, 1st Floor, in Centerville and is open Monday through Friday, 7:45 AM to 4:45 PM. Recording ends at 4:00 PM. Documents received after 4:00 PM are recorded the next business day. Phone is (903) 536-2352 and fax is (903) 536-7581. The mailing address is P.O. Box 98, Centerville, TX 75833.

Leon County records go back to 1828, which makes this one of the oldest record sets in all of Texas. The county was formed in 1846 and named for Martín De León. The original county seat was Leona, which moved to Centerville in 1851. Deed and official records date from 1828, probate records from 1848, and criminal records from 1995. Eight public search stations are available in the office during business hours.

The primary online search tool for Leon County is the Leon County GovOS portal. You can search by grantor or grantee name, document type, date range, book and page number, instrument number, and subdivision name. The portal gives access to deed and official records from 1828 forward, probate records from 1848, and marriage records from 1885. TexasFile and TexasLandRecords.com are also available as third-party search options.

How to Search Leon County Property Records

Start your search at the Leon County GovOS portal for online access to the full record set. The system covers deed and official records from 1828 forward, making Leon County one of the few Texas counties where you can trace an unbroken chain of title back nearly 200 years through a single online system.

For a public information records request for specific documents, use the Public Information Request Form attached to the portal submission. The research fee is $5 per name searched. This fee applies when you ask the office to conduct the search; if you search yourself using the portal or in-person terminals, the research fee does not apply.

In-person search stations are available at the clerk's office. Staff provide general guidance but cannot determine mineral ownership, give legal advice, or conduct searches on your behalf under AG Opinion WW-607. Flash photography of documents is not permitted. Removal of original records is a state jail felony under Texas law.

Note: Documents received after 4:00 PM at the recording counter will be recorded the next business day. Plan your in-person submissions accordingly.

Types of Leon County Property Records

Leon County has significant oil and gas activity, and the clerk's records reflect this with a large volume of mineral deeds, oil and gas leases, and assignments of oil and gas interests. These sit alongside standard residential deeds, agricultural transactions, and other property instruments in the index. The county's deep historical record set is particularly valuable for oil and gas title work where tracing mineral rights may require going back generations.

Document types in the Leon County index include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, lien notices, federal tax liens, state tax liens, hospital liens, mechanic's liens, judgment liens, oil and gas leases, mineral deeds, UCC filings, plats, easements, right-of-way documents, assumed name certificates, marriage licenses, and probate records. Each instrument is indexed under all party names with recording date, instrument number, and book and page reference.

Under Texas Property Code Section 12.001, instruments affecting real property must be written and properly acknowledged to be recorded. Recording gives constructive notice under Section 13.001 to all future buyers and lenders. Because Leon County records go back to 1828, a full chain of title search here can be especially detailed and may require searching across multiple index formats and time periods.

Leon County Appraisal District

The Leon County Appraisal District is at P.O. Box 536, Centerville, TX 75833. Chief Appraiser Jeff Beshears oversees the office. Phone is (903) 536-2252 and fax is (903) 536-2377. The CAD maintains records on all taxable property in the county including current ownership, appraised values, exemptions, and property characteristics for both surface and mineral interests.

Online property search by owner name, address, and account number is available through the CAD. Records show the current owner, situs address, legal description, land area and improvement details, total appraised value, exemptions applied, and taxing entities. Standard Texas exemptions are available including homestead, over-65, disability, and disabled veteran exemptions. Agricultural use valuation is relevant for the large amount of farm and ranch land in Leon County.

Leon County also has eRecording available through three vendors: Simplifile at (800) 460-5657, CSC at (866) 652-0111, and ePN at (888) 325-3365. All three connect directly to the Leon County Clerk for electronic document submission and return. A property fraud alert service is also available in the county through registration with the clerk's office.

Recording Fees and Procedures

Recording a document with the Leon County Clerk costs $26 for the first page. Each additional page is $4.00. Names beyond five indexed cost $0.25 per additional name. These fees apply to standard real property documents. Certified copies are available upon request at the clerk's standard fees. Non-certified copies are $1.00 per page.

Documents can be submitted in person at 155 N Cass in Centerville, by mail to P.O. Box 98, or through eRecording. The recording counter closes at 4:00 PM even though the office stays open until 4:45 PM. Plan your in-person filings accordingly. For mail submissions, include a check payable to the County Clerk and a return address for the original document after recording.

eRecording through Simplifile, CSC, or ePN is the most efficient option for title companies, lenders, and attorneys who record documents regularly in Leon County. Once recorded, documents are indexed and made available online, typically within a few business days.

Texas Public Information Act

All records filed with the Leon County Clerk are public documents. Under Texas Government Code Chapter 552, the Public Information Act gives anyone the right to request government records without having to explain why. You do not need to be a property owner, attorney, or party to a transaction to access Leon County property records.

The clerk must respond promptly to records requests. If it will take more than ten business days, the office must notify you of the timeline. If a request is improperly denied, the Texas Attorney General's Open Government Division can assist with disputes and issues binding opinions. The AG also publishes a free Public Information Handbook updated every two years.

Online document images may have certain personal identifiers redacted under Texas Property Code Section 11.008(k)(1-2). Financial account numbers and similar data are removed from the online versions. The original paper records in the clerk's office contain all information intact.

Additional Resources for Leon County

The Texas Comptroller's Property Tax Assistance Division provides oversight of appraisal districts, publishes the Texas Property Tax Code after each legislative session, and offers about 200 forms covering exemptions, protests, and special appraisal methods. The Comptroller's site is the go-to resource for understanding how Texas property taxes work at the local level.

The Texas General Land Office holds original land grant records from the Spanish, Mexican, and Republic of Texas eras. For Leon County land going back to the 1800s, the GLO archive can supply the original patent details that pre-date even the 1828 clerk records. The database is searchable online at no charge.

The Texas Secretary of State's SOSDirect covers UCC filings and business entity records for any encumbrances or entities that appear in Leon County property research. The Texas State Law Library provides free research guides on property law, oil and gas records, recording requirements, and title issues that may be relevant to your Leon County research.

Nearby Counties

Check the county carefully if the property is near a line. Leon County is in East Central Texas and borders several counties.