Collin County Recorder of Deeds: Search & Office

Collin County publishes its own land-record search instructions. The online portal supports searches by name or document number.

The county also provides historical-record and plat search options. Use the recorded legal description to distinguish similarly named owners.

1. Open the land-record search.

   Use the official county-linked PublicSearch portal.

   Open Collin County Deed Search
   After opening: use the main search field. Enter a person or company name, or search by document number if you have it.
2. Find documents under the correct name.

   Search the owner’s name and review the returned document list. You may see multiple instruments for the same person.

3. Sort by recording date.

   The county’s instructions recommend clicking the recorded-date column and looking near the year the property was purchased.

4. Confirm the legal description.

   Match the subdivision, lot, block or other description against the Appraisal District record. A matching personal name alone is insufficient.

5. Open the document image.

   Double-click the matching result. The county’s instructions describe an online document image carrying an unofficial watermark.

6. Save the document reference.

   Record its instrument or document number and recording date. These details help when requesting an official copy.

Searching by document number

If you have an instrument number from a deed, title commitment or prior recording, search that number instead of trying multiple owner names.

Compare the document number, document type and recorded parties before ordering a copy.

Searching plats and subdivisions

Collin County’s instructions describe a separate Plats option in the search dropdown.

Choose Plats, enter the plat or subdivision name and open the corresponding result. A plat shows recorded subdivision information, not proof of current ownership.

What if the deed does not appear?

• Try the previous owner’s name if the property changed hands.
• Search using a company or trust name if the property is not titled individually.
• Check the legal description instead of relying on street address alone.
• Look for older recordings in Historical Records.
• Allow for the Clerk’s stated public-index posting delay after a recent recording.
• Contact the Clerk if the official record needs staff review.

The deed portal is organized around recorded documents. The Appraisal District is usually the better starting point when you know only the property’s address.

1. Open Collin CAD Property Search.

   Choose the Address search tab or advanced search.

   Open Collin CAD Property Search
   After opening: enter the street number and street name in separate fields. The site recommends entering the street name without a prefix, suffix or unit number.
2. Identify the parcel.

   Open the result matching the location. Note the owner name, property ID and legal description.

3. Return to the Clerk’s portal.

   Search the owner name and locate the recorded deed using the legal description and approximate purchase date.

The county’s current Clerk homepage warns that its Plano office is closed until further notice because of flooding. For deed recording or pickup, use the McKinney office unless the county confirms another location.

Bring a document reference or owner name for searches. If recording, bring the original signed instrument, correct payment and a return address.

Texas law generally requires real-property instruments to be recorded in the county where the land is located. The Collin County Clerk records qualifying documents affecting real property in Collin County.

A recorded deed is different from an appraisal record or tax account. A deed transfer can also have legal consequences that Clerk staff cannot evaluate for you.

1. Prepare the correct legal instrument.

   Use a qualified Texas real-estate attorney or title professional if you are unsure whether you need a warranty deed, special warranty deed, quitclaim deed or another instrument.

2. Check execution and acknowledgment.

   Confirm the parties, legal description, signatures and required acknowledgment or notarization.

3. Review the confidentiality notice.

   Texas Property Code §11.008 addresses the notice and personal information in instruments transferring an individual’s property interest.

4. Add the return address.

   Collin County’s filing instructions request “RETURN TO” or “AFTER RECORDING RETURN TO” on the instrument.

5. Calculate the fee and submit.

   File at the McKinney Clerk’s office or mail the signed original and payment to the published land-recording address.

6. Keep the recording information.

   Save the assigned document number and the filed-marked copy or returned original for your records.

Collin County’s published fee schedule identifies the following charges for common land-recording services. Fees vary by document type and additional indexing requirements.

For ordinary deed recordings, the schedule includes deeds of trust, warranty deeds, affidavits, releases, easements and many other land instruments.

Additional pages, more than five indexed names, document-specific charges and certain attachments may affect the amount due.

Recording-fee examples

Mailing and payment requirements

Mail land-record documents to Stacey Kemp, County Clerk, 2300 Bloomdale Road, Suite 2106, McKinney, TX 75071.

Make checks payable to Collin County Clerk. The county’s published fee sheet requires preprinted identifying and banking information on checks and states that checks older than 90 days are not accepted.

Do not send a handwritten check that fails the Clerk’s published requirements. Call the office about acceptable current payment methods if uncertain.

The online portal can display document images, but the county’s instructions say images may carry an unofficial watermark.

If a lender, court, attorney or title company requires certified copies, use the Clerk’s official copy-request process instead of relying on a screenshot.

The county’s Land Recordings page offers an Online Property Records Request Form for obtaining land-record documents.

When will a new recording appear?

Collin County’s FAQ states documents are recorded when received, generally appear on public search stations in about 7–10 business days, and are returned in about 2–3 weeks.

Those are published processing estimates, not guarantees. Contact the Clerk if a recent filing is not visible after the expected period.

Deeds of trust and releases

Texas frequently uses a deed of trust to secure real-estate loans. These instruments and their releases may appear in the County Clerk’s land records.

If your mortgage company sends a release of lien, Collin County’s FAQ says you may bring it to the McKinney office or mail it for recording with the applicable fee.

Mechanic’s liens and other recorded liens

Some recorded liens appear in real-property records, but not every debt or legal claim can be fully evaluated through a deed search.

The County Clerk FAQ states staff cannot perform lien searches for callers over the phone. For a title transaction, a qualified title professional can evaluate the full record.

Foreclosure notices

Recording and posting a foreclosure-related notice does not by itself establish that a sale occurred or that title transferred.

Search later documents and consult a qualified professional before drawing conclusions from a single notice.

Plat filing requirements

Collin County’s Land Recordings page specifies 24-by-36-inch plats, legible original seals and signatures, notarization, tax certificates and a designated recording-label space.

The county also states plats received after 3:00 PM are accepted the following business day.

Collin County’s Land Recordings page includes a notice referencing House Bill 4350, enacted by the 89th Texas Legislature.

The county states certain information has been redacted from online instruments. The searchable online database is not the official repository and may differ from the complete official record.

This matters when reviewing older deeds, checking names or examining records that may contain confidential information.

Texas Property Code §11.008 also addresses the confidentiality notice used on instruments transferring interests to or from individuals.

• Only have an address? Search Collin CAD first, then use the owner name and legal description in the deed portal.
• Too many matching names? Sort by recording date and compare the legal description, not only the owner name.
• Recently recorded a deed? Allow for the Clerk’s published public-index posting window.
• Document image is watermarked? Use the portal’s paid-copy flow or the Clerk’s certified-copy process.
• Need a title correction? A new, properly prepared instrument or legal procedure may be required. The Clerk cannot give title advice.
• Property tax or exemption issue? Contact Collin CAD or the appropriate Tax Assessor-Collector rather than the County Clerk.
• Mailing a deed? Verify page count, payment, return address and grantee-address requirements before posting.
• Visiting Plano? Check the County Clerk homepage first because its Plano closure notice remains posted.

These official resources support the procedures described above. Use the accompanying steps to find the correct service without searching the entire county website.

Independent Records Guide and Legal/FCRA Notice

This page is independent informational content, not an official Collin County government website, deed, title report or legal opinion.

Recording rules, office hours, fees and online systems can change. Verify requirements with the Collin County Clerk before mailing documents or relying on a filing deadline.

Recorded instruments and appraisal records do not automatically establish clear title. For ownership disputes, trusts, estates, lien priority or conveyance decisions, consult a qualified Texas attorney or title professional.

Do not use public property records for employment, tenant screening, credit, insurance underwriting or other decisions governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. This independent site is not a Consumer Reporting Agency.