Nolan County Property Records

Nolan County property records are maintained by the County Clerk in Sweetwater, Texas. All deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and other real property documents for land in the county are filed and indexed through this office. Nolan County sits in West Texas and has both agricultural land and growing wind energy infrastructure, both of which generate a variety of recorded property instruments. This guide covers how to search Nolan County property records and what resources are available.

Nolan County Clerk Office

The Nolan County Clerk at co.nolan.tx.us is the official keeper of all land records in the county. The office records deeds, deeds of trust, mechanic's liens, lien releases, easements, wind energy easements, plat maps, and all other real property instruments. Online access to current records is available through the county's public search portal.

The Nolan County Appraisal District at nolancad.com maintains a separate database of all taxable property in the county. Their online portal lets you look up property by owner name, address, or account number. Use both the clerk's deed records and the CAD database together for complete property research in Nolan County.

Search Nolan County Property Records

The Nolan County Appraisal District at nolancad.com provides a public property search portal where you can look up any taxable parcel by owner name, address, or account number.

CAD records are a fast starting point for identifying property ownership. For the actual recorded deed and lien instruments, use the County Clerk's online portal at co.nolan.tx.us. Search by grantor or grantee name, document type, or date range. Document images are available online for current records.

Nolan County has extensive wind farm development, which has led to a large number of wind energy lease agreements, easements, and right-of-way documents being recorded with the clerk. These are all public records and indexed the same way as any other property instrument.

Note: For older records not available digitally, contact the clerk's office directly. Physical index books are maintained at the courthouse in Sweetwater.

Types of Property Records in Nolan County

The County Clerk records all instruments affecting real property in Nolan County. Under Texas Property Code Section 12.001, recording is required for instruments to provide constructive notice to the public. Each document gets an instrument number and is indexed under all party names.

Common record types include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mechanic's liens, lien releases, federal and state tax liens, wind energy lease agreements, wind easements, oil and gas leases, mineral deeds, agricultural easements, right-of-way agreements, and subdivision plats. The wind energy sector has added a significant new category of recorded instruments in recent years, as landowners in Nolan County have entered into long-term lease and easement agreements with energy companies. These documents run with the land and are binding on future owners.

Under Texas Property Code Section 13.001, recorded instruments bind future parties who acquire an interest in the property, whether or not they reviewed the records before buying.

Nolan County Appraisal District

The Nolan County Appraisal District at nolancad.com appraises all real and personal property in the county for tax purposes. Their database is searchable online by owner name, address, or account number. Records include ownership history, appraised values by year, exemptions, and property characteristics. Wind energy installations are also appraised by the CAD as personal property or as improvements to real property, depending on the ownership structure.

Property owners can protest their appraised value by filing with the appraisal review board before May 15 or within 30 days of receiving their notice. The Texas Comptroller's Property Tax Assistance Division provides guidance on protest procedures and property tax rules applicable in Nolan County.

Recording Fees and Procedures

The fee to record a document with the Nolan County Clerk is $26 for the first page and $4 for each additional page. The extra name indexing charge is $0.25 per name beyond five parties listed. These fees are set by state law and are uniform across Texas.

You can record documents in person at the courthouse in Sweetwater, by mail, or through an eRecording service if the county participates. Mail filings should include a check payable to the County Clerk and a return envelope. The clerk stamps the document with the recording date and instrument number and returns the original to the submitter. eRecording through vendors like Simplifile is the fastest option for those who submit frequently.

Certified copies cost $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee. Plain copies cost less and are acceptable for most research uses.

Texas Public Information Act

All Nolan County property records are public under Texas Government Code Chapter 552. Anyone can request and receive copies of these records without giving a reason. The clerk's office must respond within ten business days. For records already indexed online, access is typically immediate through the public portal.

The Texas Attorney General's Open Government Division handles disputes about access to public records. If a request is denied or not answered within the legal timeframe, a complaint can be filed with the AG's office, which can issue binding opinions on what must be released.

Additional Property Research Resources

The Texas General Land Office holds original land grant records for Nolan County from the early Texas statehood period. Many West Texas parcels were originally surveyed and patented in the late 1800s, and those early records form the base of the chain of title. The GLO archive is searchable online at no cost.

The Texas Secretary of State's SOSDirect covers UCC filings and business entity records. For wind energy companies and other commercial parties in recorded instruments, SOS records can verify legal names and standing. The Texas State Law Library provides free research guides on Texas property law topics applicable in Nolan County.

Nearby Counties

Nolan County is in West Texas. Properties near county lines may be recorded in an adjacent county.