Montgomery County, Texas maintains an extensive system of property records that serve homeowners, title companies, attorneys, and researchers alike. Managed primarily through the Montgomery County Clerk’s Office and the Montgomery Central Appraisal District (MCAD), these records include deeds, liens, property transfers, and appraisal data dating back to 1838, during the era of the Republic of Texas.

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The Montgomery County Clerk’s Recording Division handles the filing and maintenance of deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, liens, and lien releases, while MCAD oversees property valuation, exemptions, and field appraisals that determine annual tax assessments. Field appraisers routinely conduct exterior inspections throughout the county to help ensure accurate and fair property valuations, and residents can verify appraiser credentials by contacting MCAD directly at 936-756-3354.

How Property Transfers and Liens Are Recorded

Property transfers and ownership changes become part of the public record once a deed is filed with the County Clerk. These documents must be signed by the grantor, properly notarized, and include the grantee’s mailing address. Deeds, along with other real property records, are searchable through the County Clerk’s Official Records Search database, which allows users to look up documents by grantor, grantee, subdivision, document type, or recording date. Liens, including federal tax liens, are also recorded and searchable through this system. A written federal tax lien search costs $15, and a verbally requested federal tax lien search costs $10.

Recording and Copy Fees

Accessing these records comes with modest, clearly defined fees. According to the Montgomery County Clerk’s Recording Fees Sheet (updated May 1, 2024), the fees are as follows:

    Recording a standard real property document costs $25 total, covering the $5 recording fee, $10 records management fee, and $10 records archive fee.
    Each additional page costs $4.
    Plain copies of recorded documents cost $1 per page
    Certified copies, which carry the same legal authority as the original, cost $1 per page plus a $5 certification fee per document.
    Residents may also print plain copies for free directly from the public records database.

Appraisal and Tax Information

For property owners seeking appraisal or tax information rather than recorded documents, the Montgomery Central Appraisal District’s Property Search tool provides details on market values, legal descriptions, and ownership for each of the county’s more than 344,000 parcels. Together, these resources give Montgomery County residents a transparent, accessible way to research deeds, transfers, liens, and appraisals, whether for a real estate transaction, a title search, or simple due diligence.