County Clerk land records
Recorded deeds, liens, plats, releases, notices, and related instruments. This is the primary record-search system.
AnswersWhat was recorded, when, under which names and reference. Bexar County land-record guidance
Missing deed—or a missing link in the record?
Find the recorded instrument, trace names and references, organize the document chain, and know when a copy problem has become a legal title question.
No document upload Private tools Official County links
LocateNames, dates, references, legal descriptionTraceGrantor to grantee across instrumentsVerifyRecorded image, index, and certified copy needEscalateTitle, correction, probate, or fraud question
Three systems, three jobs
Do not ask one database to answer every question.
BCAD appraisal record
Appraisal ownership, situs, legal-description clues, property characteristics, exemptions, and maps.
AnswersUseful search clues and appraisal administration—not legal title.Title examination
A professional reviews the chain, instrument effect, estates, liens, exceptions, signatures, legal descriptions, and insurability.
AnswersWhether the record supports the ownership or transaction needed.Interactive tool 01
Build the deed-finding path.
Five answers create a search workflow and show when retrieval has become a title question.
0/5answered
Search like a title researcher
Names lead to documents. Documents lead to references.
Do not stop at the first matching name. Confirm the property description and follow the chain in both directions.
Open the current clue
Start with the newest reliable deed, title policy, closing document, tax record, or BCAD legal description.
Search every name form
Grantor and grantee; surname first; initials; suffixes; former names; spouses; trusts; estates; LLCs; spelling variants.
Use dates as ranges
Execution and recording differ. Widen the window and search around refinances, deaths, divorces, and sales.
Read the image
Index data can be abbreviated or wrong. Confirm parties, legal description, reservations, signatures, acknowledgments, and references.
Follow prior references
Trace 'being the same property conveyed by' and volume/page or instrument numbers backward.
Build the question
State the exact gap or conflict. Then the Clerk, title company, or attorney can address the right problem.
Interactive tool 02
Recorded-document chain builder
Enter only facts visible on recorded documents. A timeline helps reveal gaps; it does not prove title.
DateTypeFrom / grantorTo / granteeInstrumentNotes
Correction is a legal category
Not every mistake is corrected the same way.
Texas law distinguishes nonmaterial and material corrections and sets requirements for who may execute, what must be disclosed, notice, signatures, recording, and effect.
Nonmaterial examples
Certain clerical errors in names, dates, recording references, acknowledgments, or legal-description elements may fit Section 5.028—but only if its requirements are met.
Material examples
Changes involving land, lot/unit identity, interests, or other substantive matters can require execution by parties, heirs, successors, or assigns under Section 5.029.
Not a DIY classification
A deed that appears simple may affect a spouse, heir, lender, creditor, purchaser, trust, entity, easement, lien, or homestead right.
Interactive tool 03
0/10The title-question file
Organize the evidence before paying someone to reconstruct it.
Official record desk
Go directly to the custodian.
Bexar Property Desk is private. It does not record instruments, certify copies, examine title, or determine ownership.
Bexar Official Records SearchFree land-record search, images, and printable uncertified copiesCounty public-record search guideRecords included and official search overviewReal Property / Land RecordsRecording, copy, lien research, and office informationCounty Clerk services + contactsDeed Records and Recordings Division phone and locationsCurrent recording and copy feesOfficial real-property filing and deed-copy feesBexar Central Appraisal DistrictAppraisal record, ownership clue, maps, and property descriptionFree Bexar Property AlertRecorded-document notifications for a property or nameTexas Property Code Chapter 5Official correction-instrument statutes and conveyance law
Do not create a second title problem while trying to fix the first.
Do not alter a recorded image, backdate, imitate a signature, notarize without lawful appearance, use an internet deed without review, or record a document that misstates ownership or authority.
Deed-record questions
Retrieval first. Legal conclusions second.
Use these answers to identify the proper record, official office, or professional—not to decide ownership.
I lost my original deed. Do I still own the property?
Misplacing the paper original does not by itself undo a recorded conveyance. Search the County Clerk's land records and obtain a certified copy if needed. Ownership questions require title review, not possession of a decorative paper copy.
Can I print a deed online?
The County Clerk says its Official Records Search is free and uncertified copies may be printed online. Certified copies are available through Deed Records for the current fee.
Why does BCAD show a different owner?
Appraisal records and deed records serve different purposes and can update on different schedules. A BCAD name is a search clue, not a substitute for the recorded chain or a title determination.
Can the County Clerk tell me who owns the property?
The Clerk maintains and provides records but generally does not determine legal ownership, interpret instruments, or advise which document to prepare. A title company or Texas real-estate attorney evaluates title.
Can I record a photocopy of a deed?
The Bexar County Clerk states that original documents with original signatures are required for recording and that the office will not record a copy. A copy is useful for research, not a replacement conveyance.
What if a name or legal description is wrong?
Texas Property Code Sections 5.027–5.030 address correction instruments and distinguish nonmaterial from material corrections. The statutory execution, notice, and recording requirements vary. Do not alter the recorded image or improvise a correction.
What if the recorded owner has died?
Gather the deed, death certificate, will, probate case, marital history, heirs, and later filings. Death and inheritance can require probate, heirship, administration, or other legal work; appraisal-name changes do not themselves establish marketable title.
What if I find a deed I did not sign?
Preserve the full image and recording reference, enroll in the County's free Property Alert, contact relevant title or loan parties, and promptly seek qualified legal guidance. Do not confront an unknown signer or file a homemade correction.
Start with the record
Build my search path Find the instrument. Build the chain. Name the gap.
A precise title question is faster and safer than a homemade deed.