Matagorda County Property Records

Matagorda County property records are filed and maintained by the County Clerk in Bay City, Texas. The clerk records all land instruments for the county, including deeds, deeds of trust, liens, oil and gas leases, and easements. Matagorda County covers the Texas coastal plain, and property records here often include farmland, coastal tracts, and industrial parcels near the Gulf Coast. This page explains how to search records, what types exist, and how to request copies.

Matagorda County Clerk Office

The Matagorda County Clerk is the official custodian of real property records for the county. The clerk's office is at the Matagorda County Courthouse in Bay City and is open Monday through Friday. Every deed, deed of trust, lien, release, plat map, and related instrument filed in the county goes through this office. Documents are indexed by the names of the parties and assigned instrument numbers when recorded.

Matagorda County has a diverse mix of property types, from row-crop farmland in the river bottoms to coastal recreational tracts near the Gulf. Each type of transaction generates different document types. Farm and ranch transactions often involve complex legal descriptions, mineral rights separations, and water right documents in addition to the standard deed. Industrial and energy-related properties near the coast add additional instrument types like pipeline right-of-way agreements and plant site leases.

Online searches for Matagorda County property records can be done through TexasFile. For certified copies, contact the clerk's office in Bay City. You can also search appraisal district records at matagordacad.com for current tax roll information.

How to Search Matagorda County Records

Search by grantor or grantee name. For deeds, the grantor is the seller and the grantee is the buyer. The clerk indexes every document under both names. If you are looking for a lien, search by the property owner's name as the debtor. For oil and gas leases, search by the landowner's name as the lessor and the lessee company's name.

Date range filtering helps narrow results when you have an approximate timeframe. If you only have a parcel description or address, the appraisal district search is a better starting point. The CAD can give you the account number and the current owner's name, which you can then use to search the deed index.

For records that are not yet in the online system, the clerk holds the original physical indexes and documents at the courthouse. Older records going back many decades are part of the permanent archive. Visits to the courthouse are allowed during business hours, and staff can direct you to the right index to begin your search.

Note: Always verify critical information with the clerk's office directly. Third-party databases may not reflect the most recent filings.

Types of Property Records in Matagorda County

The County Clerk records all instruments that affect real property in Matagorda County. Under Texas Property Code Section 12.001, instruments must be recorded to provide constructive legal notice. Common document types include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, lien releases, and tax lien notices.

Oil and gas leases are an important document type in Matagorda County given the county's history of energy production. These instruments convey the right to explore and extract minerals. Assignments of oil and gas leases and related agreements are also recorded. Pipeline right-of-way agreements affecting farmland and coastal properties are common. Easements for utilities, drainage, and access are also filed regularly.

Agricultural land transactions often include water rights instruments and irrigation agreements, which are recorded with the clerk. Plat maps are filed when land is subdivided. Mechanic's and materialman's liens protect contractors who have not been paid for work on a property. Each document type is indexed separately, so knowing what you need helps focus a search quickly.

Matagorda County Appraisal District

The Matagorda County Appraisal District maintains property valuation records for the county. The CAD is a separate system from the County Clerk's deed records. It shows current tax roll ownership, appraised values, exemptions, and property details. You can search by owner name, address, or account number at matagordacad.com.

Matagorda County's appraisal district values agricultural land using a special method based on its productive capacity rather than market value. If your land qualifies for an agricultural appraisal, the taxable value can be much lower than the market value. Applications for ag appraisal must be filed with the district. Other exemptions like homestead, over-65, and disability are also available.

Property owners who disagree with their appraised value can file a protest before May 15 each year. The appraisal review board hears protests and can reduce values when evidence supports it. Comparable sales data is available through the CAD website to help build a protest case.

Recording Fees and Procedures

The Matagorda County Clerk charges $26 for the first page of any recorded instrument and $4 for each additional page. The fee schedule comes from Texas Local Government Code Section 118.011. For documents with more than five parties to be indexed, add $0.25 for each name beyond five.

You can submit documents in person at the Bay City courthouse, by mail with a check payable to the County Clerk, or through an eRecording service. eRecording is the preferred method for title companies and lenders. It allows documents to be submitted and returned electronically. After recording, the original document is returned to the submitting party with a recording stamp and instrument number.

Copies of recorded documents cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies carry an additional $5.00 certification fee. Order plain copies for research and due diligence. Request certified copies when documents are needed for legal proceedings or government submissions.

Texas Public Information Act

Property records in Matagorda County are public. Under Texas Government Code Chapter 552, the Public Information Act, anyone can request government records without giving a reason. You do not need to be a party to a document or own property in the county to access records.

The clerk must respond promptly to public records requests. For standard property records already in the index, access is typically fast. If fulfilling a request will take more than ten business days, the office must notify you and give an estimated timeline. The Texas Attorney General's Open Government Division oversees compliance and handles complaints.

Online document images may have some fields redacted. Social security numbers and financial account numbers are removed from publicly available copies by law. The complete original documents are held at the clerk's office in Bay City.

Additional Research Resources

The Texas Comptroller's Property Tax Assistance Division provides information on exemptions, agricultural appraisal, and the protest process. The comptroller also publishes property value studies that assess how each appraisal district's values compare to market, which can help in a protest case.

For historical land records, the Texas General Land Office holds original land grant and survey records going back to the Republic of Texas. Matagorda County was one of the early Texas colonies and has some of the oldest land grant records in the state. Those original survey records are searchable through the GLO archive.

The Texas Secretary of State's SOSDirect provides UCC filings and business entity information. If a lien involves a company, SOS records identify the entity. The Texas State Law Library offers free research guides on property law, recording procedures, and title issues in Texas.

Nearby Counties

Matagorda County is on the Texas Gulf Coast. Check adjacent counties if the property sits near a county line.