Motley County Property Records

Motley County property records are held by the County Clerk in Matador, Texas. The clerk's office maintains all deeds, mortgages, liens, and other recorded instruments affecting real property in the county. Motley County is a small, rural county in the Texas Panhandle area, but its records system follows the same rules as larger Texas counties. This page explains how to search Motley County property records and what you will find when you do.

Motley County Clerk Office

The Motley County Clerk in Matador is the official custodian of all real property records filed in the county. The office records deeds, deeds of trust, liens, lien releases, oil and gas leases, easements, plat maps, and all other instruments affecting real property in Motley County. Each document gets an instrument number and is indexed by party name. The records are available to the public without any requirement to explain your reason for looking.

Because Motley County is a small county, the volume of filings is lower than in larger Texas counties. That can make it easier to search if you are looking through older index books. The clerk accepts documents in person and by mail. eRecording may also be available. For current record searches, online access through third-party vendors is available for Motley County. For older or historical records, contacting the clerk's office directly is the best approach.

Third-party services like TexasFile provide remote access to Motley County deed records and related instruments. You can search by name, document type, or date range. For records not available online, visit the courthouse in Matador or send a written request to the clerk's office.

Search Motley County Property Records

The clerk's index organizes all recorded instruments by grantor and grantee name. Start your search with the name of the person who transferred the property (grantor) or the person who received it (grantee). If you have a prior instrument number or book-and-page reference, those will take you directly to the document. The clerk's office in Matador keeps the index and can direct you to the right system when you visit.

Online searches through TexasFile or similar vendors give you access from home. Enter the owner's name or search by date and document type. Results show instrument details and often include document images. For recent recordings not yet indexed online, call the clerk to confirm the status. For very old records, the historical index may be available only in person at the courthouse.

Title companies and abstract firms that handle west Texas properties can conduct full title searches in Motley County. They trace ownership back through the chain of title and identify all liens and encumbrances. If you are buying property in the county, a title search is standard practice.

Note: Property records in Motley County are public under Texas law, and no one can deny you access based on who you are or why you are looking.

Types of Motley County Property Records

The Motley County Clerk records all instruments that legally affect real property in the county. Common types include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, mechanic's liens, tax lien filings, lien releases, oil and gas leases, agricultural easements, right-of-way agreements, and plat maps. Under Texas Property Code Section 12.001, instruments must be recorded to give constructive notice to the public.

Ranch land and agricultural properties make up a significant portion of Motley County's land base. Property records for ranches often include water rights agreements, surface use agreements, and grazing leases in addition to the standard deed and lien filings. If you are researching a ranch property in Motley County, look for these additional instruments in the clerk's index. They may affect how the land can be used and by whom.

Oil and gas leases are also filed with the clerk. If the property you are researching has any mineral production history, there may be recorded lease agreements in the index. Under Texas Property Code Section 13.001, those recorded leases give constructive notice to all future buyers of the surface estate.

Motley County Appraisal District

The Motley County Appraisal District maintains appraisal records for all taxable property in the county. The CAD database shows current ownership on the tax rolls, appraised values, exemptions applied, and property characteristics. You can search the appraisal district's records online at motleycad.com by owner name, address, or account number. The search is free.

If your appraised value seems too high, you can file a protest by the May 15 deadline each year. The district processes applications for homestead, over-65, and disability exemptions. The CAD is useful for getting a quick snapshot of a property's tax status and current assessed value. However, the appraisal district records lag behind actual deed transfers by several months. Always confirm ownership through the County Clerk's deed records for the most current information.

Recording Fees and Filing

Recording a document with the Motley County Clerk costs $26 for the first page and $4.00 for each additional page under Texas Local Government Code Section 118.011. If a document names more than five parties to be indexed, the fee is $0.25 per additional name over five.

You can submit documents in person at the courthouse, by mail, or through eRecording vendors. Mail filings need a check or money order payable to the Motley County Clerk and a return address for the recorded document. eRecording handles the full process electronically and is the standard for lenders and title companies. Once recorded, the document gets a permanent instrument number and a recording date stamp. The original is returned to the submitting party.

Certified copies cost $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee. Uncertified plain copies are available for less. For most research or due diligence needs, uncertified copies work fine.

Texas Public Information Act

Motley County property records are public under Texas Government Code Chapter 552. Anyone can request copies of recorded instruments without giving a reason. The clerk must respond promptly. If a request takes more than ten business days to fulfill, the office must notify you of the expected timeline.

If your request is denied or delayed without reason, you can contact the Texas Attorney General's Open Government Division for guidance and dispute resolution. Personal identifiers such as social security numbers and bank account numbers are redacted from online images under Texas Property Code Section 11.008. The full original record stays on file at the clerk's office.

Additional Resources

For statewide property tax information, visit the Texas Comptroller's Property Tax Assistance Division. For historical land grant research, the Texas General Land Office holds early Texas survey and grant records. Business entity records and UCC filings are available through the Texas Secretary of State's SOSDirect. The Texas State Law Library offers free research guides on property law and recording requirements applicable to all Texas counties including Motley.

Nearby Counties

Motley County borders several other Texas Panhandle and Rolling Plains counties. If a property sits near a county line, confirm the correct jurisdiction before searching records.