Bexar County TX Recorder of Deeds: Search & Office

The Bexar County Clerk provides an Official Records Search with Quick Search and Advanced Search options.

The portal can search names, subdivisions, document types, document numbers and date ranges.

1. Open the official County Clerk search portal.

   Use the county’s dedicated public records website.

   Open Bexar Official Records Search
   After opening this link: Select Land Records, then choose Quick Search or Advanced Search.
2. Enter the information you know.

   Search for a grantor, grantee, subdivision, document type or document number.

   For a deed, the grantor is generally the conveying party and the grantee is the receiving party.

3. Use the recording-date filter.

   Add an approximate date or range to reduce unrelated results.

4. Choose an index or full-text search.

   Search Index Only uses indexed record information.

   Search Index & Full Text (OCR) searches document text where available.

5. Review the matching instrument.

   Compare the parties, document type, recording date and instrument number.

6. Save or download the available record.

   Create a free portal account when required for downloading, printing or alerts.

A deed copy may be needed for a refinance, estate matter, property sale, title examination or personal records.

The County Clerk offers plain record copies and certified copies.

1. Find the recorded deed online.

   Search the official public records portal.

2. Write down the instrument information.

   Save the document number, names, recording date and page count.

3. Decide whether certification is required.

   Ask the recipient whether a regular copy is sufficient.

4. Contact Deed Records for an official copy.

   Call 210-335-2273 to confirm the current request and delivery process.

The County Clerk records instruments that satisfy Texas recording law.

Clerk employees do not prepare deeds, decide which deed type you need or determine whether the instrument transfers title correctly.

Original-document rule

Bexar County states that real-property recordings submitted in person or by mail must be original documents with original signatures.

The office does not record ordinary photocopies in place of the required original.

Signatures and acknowledgment

Most deeds must be signed and acknowledged or otherwise proved as required by Texas law before recording.

Review the instrument with a qualified Texas attorney or title professional if you are unsure whether it meets the applicable execution rules.

In-person recording process

The Clerk says documents brought to its recording counter are generally recorded immediately.

After payment, instrument-number assignment and scanning, the original is returned.

Bexar County’s official Real Property Recording Fees page lists a $25 first-page charge and $4 for each additional page.

Its current fee schedule has been effective since January 1, 2024.

How to calculate the standard recording fee

The basic formula is $25 for page one, plus $4 for every page after the first.

For example, a four-page deed would cost $37 under the standard schedule.

A street-address search and a recorded deed search serve different purposes.

The Bexar Central Appraisal District, or BCAD, provides property addresses, owner information, property IDs, values and deed-history references.

The County Clerk is the official custodian of recorded deeds and other land instruments.

New BCAD Property Search workflow

BCAD updated its Property Search guidance in October 2026.

The new system supports searches by street address, owner name or BCAD Property ID.

1. Open BCAD.

   Go to the official appraisal district website.

   Open Bexar Central Appraisal District
   After opening this link: Select Property Search from the main navigation.
2. Enter the address or owner information.

   Use Quick Search or Advanced Search to narrow the result.

3. Open the correct property account.

   Record the BCAD Property ID and compare the address and legal description.

4. Review the Deed History section.

   Note available deed-related references, then verify the recorded instruments through the County Clerk.

Bexar County offers Vanguard Property Alert, a free service connected to the Clerk’s Official Public Records Search.

It can notify registered users when a new recorded document matches a monitored personal name, entity name or property-document information.

1. Create a public-records search account.

   Open the official Bexar search portal and select Register.

   Open Vanguard Registration
2. Verify the email address.

   Complete the registration confirmation process.

3. Select the Property Alert icon.

   Choose an alert based on a name or an existing recorded document.

4. Accept the terms and create the alert.

   Review the information being monitored and finish the setup.

The County Clerk accepts eligible real-property instruments through electronic recording providers.

This option is commonly used by title companies, attorneys, financial institutions and businesses that record documents regularly.

Vendor participation and service charges can change. Confirm your document’s eligibility with the provider and County Clerk before submitting.

The Bexar County Clerk maintains several public-service counters in downtown San Antonio and at its Southside Annex.

Mailing address for recorded documents

The main recording counter is in Paul Elizondo Tower at 101 W. Nueva, Suite 103, San Antonio, TX 78205.

The Deed Records office is in the same building, Suite B109.

Foreclosure notices

The County Clerk maintains notices of trustee sales and other public notices.

A foreclosure notice is not the same thing as a completed foreclosure deed or a final determination of ownership.

Homestead exemptions

The County Clerk records deeds but does not determine residential homestead exemption eligibility.

For exemptions, property appraisals and protests, contact the Bexar Central Appraisal District.

BCAD address: 411 N. Frio Street, San Antonio, TX 78207.

BCAD customer service: 210-242-2432.

Historical Bexar County land records

Bexar County maintains a Spanish Archives & Special Collections program with historical documents, land grants and sales.

These collections can be useful for early San Antonio history and historical property research.

Use these official resources for current recording rules, fees, offices and deed-search information.