State of Texas Criminal Records: Criminal Records Guide
State of Texas Criminal Records: Official DPS Background Checks, Court Cases and Public Records
To search State of Texas criminal records, use the Texas Department of Public Safety for publicly releasable criminal-history records, or the correct county court for criminal case details and certified documents.
Texas does not have one public search that contains every arrest, prosecution, misdemeanor, felony, court judgment and inmate record. The records are maintained by different courts and state or local agencies.
Where to Search Texas Criminal Records — Quick Answer
There are several official search routes in Texas. Choose according to the record you need, not simply the person’s name.
Texas DPS Conviction Name Search
Find publicly releasable DPS criminal-history information, including eligible conviction and deferred-adjudication records reported to the agency.
Cost: $3 per public search credit, plus payment-processing fees when applicable.
Go to DPS search →County and District Court Clerks
Find felony, misdemeanor, hearing, docket, judgment and sentencing information from the court that handled the prosecution.
Online access varies across Texas counties.
Find court and clerk →DPS Personal Criminal History Review
Request a fingerprint-based review of your own Texas criminal-history information using the official DPS process and approved fingerprint vendor.
Personal review instructions →Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Find information on TDCJ offenders, such as custody status, facility, state identifier and other available details.
Open TDCJ search →How to Search Texas DPS Criminal History Records Online
The Texas DPS Criminal History Conviction Name Search provides access to public records extracted from the state’s Computerized Criminal History (CCH) system.
The public database covers reportable conviction and deferred-adjudication information. It can provide associated arrests, prosecutions and dispositions for qualifying offenses, generally Class B misdemeanors or greater. Some reported Class C convictions may also appear.
-
Open the official DPS public search
Go directly to Texas DPS Criminal History Conviction Name Search . Confirm the website uses the official dps.texas.gov domain.
-
Create a public website account
Under New Users, select Create Account. Follow the public registration process. Do not apply for a restricted Secure Site account unless your organisation is legally authorised to use it.
-
Purchase public search credits
After signing in, open Purchase Credits. The official public service lists $3 per credit, with an additional payment fee when using a credit card.
-
Open Search Database
Enter the first and last name. Add a middle or maiden name and accurate date-of-birth details when lawfully available to improve matching.
-
Review the possible matches
The system may display exact, partial or similar-sounding name matches. Do not assume that every returned name belongs to the person you intended to search.
-
Inspect the correct result carefully
Review the available identifying information, arrest events, filed charges, case dispositions and reported court information. Opening additional records can require additional credits.
-
Save the result if needed
Keep your search reference and save the response according to the service’s instructions. If an official certified court judgment is needed, request it from the court clerk instead.
How Much Does a Texas Criminal Records Search Cost?
Per search credit. Payment fees are additional when applicable.
DPS currently lists a 2.25% convenience fee on credit-card credit purchases, plus $0.25 per purchase transaction.
Case viewing, record searches, document copies and certifications may have different county-specific charges.
For example, purchasing one $3 DPS credit by credit card would generally produce a total of approximately $3.32, based on the listed 2.25% processing charge plus the $0.25 transaction fee. Check the actual checkout amount before paying.
These amounts refer to the DPS public conviction search, not restricted law-enforcement access, IdentoGO fingerprint appointments or county certification fees.
Texas Criminal Court Records: Which Court Holds the Case?
Texas has no single public trial-court database covering every district, county, justice and municipal criminal case. The official custodian depends on the court.
| Case or record | Usual court | Where to request records |
|---|---|---|
| Felony criminal prosecution | District Court | District Clerk in the filing county |
| Class A or B misdemeanor | County Court or County Court at Law, depending on jurisdiction | County Clerk or relevant court custodian |
| Class C misdemeanor or local citation | Justice of the Peace or Municipal Court | Specific JP or municipal court |
| Criminal appeal | Texas Court of Appeals or Court of Criminal Appeals, depending on proceeding | Texas appellate case search or appellate clerk |
| Federal criminal prosecution | U.S. District Court | PACER or federal court clerk |
| Arrest or jail booking | Not necessarily a filed court case | Arresting police agency, sheriff or county jail |
How to find the correct Texas court
-
Identify the county where the charge was filed
Use the court notice, bond documents, cause number, arresting agency or prosecutor information. The person’s current residential county may not be the county where the prosecution occurred.
-
Open the Texas Judicial Directory
Visit the Texas Office of Court Administration directory . Search using county and court type to locate the relevant judicial office.
-
Find the official clerk’s criminal-record search
On the county website, look for District Clerk, County Clerk, Criminal Case Records, Online Records, Court Dockets or Public Case Search.
-
Search the case number before relying on a name
Case numbers are often more precise than names. Verify the court, filing date, charge, cause number and disposition.
-
Contact the clerk if the full case file is missing
Ask for the final judgment, sentencing order, dismissal order or certified disposition. Online summaries do not always include every filed document.
Texas Criminal Records Search: County Examples and Local Tips
A statewide guide is most useful when it explains how real Texas county systems differ. The following official county resources illustrate why selecting the correct jurisdiction matters.
Dallas Felony and Misdemeanor Records
Dallas County offers public felony and misdemeanor court case searches. Its District Clerk states that case information reaches back to 1975 and that documents for many felony cases filed after 2009 are available online.
Local tip: Dallas felony files belong to the District Clerk. County misdemeanor files are handled by the County Clerk.
Bexar Criminal Court Search
Bexar County provides a criminal court records search through its County Clerk and District Clerk. The official records page also links to daily dockets and limited online District Clerk criminal records.
Local tip: Do not confuse the Central Magistrate’s recent arrest information with the final judgment of a filed criminal case.
Travis Criminal Cases and Dockets
Travis County provides criminal case information through the Odyssey Portal and court settings through its criminal docket search.
Local tip: Travis County felony cause
numbers commonly begin D-1-DC, while
county misdemeanor case numbers commonly begin
with C. These prefixes can help
identify the likely records custodian.
When No Public Search Portal Exists
Some counties provide only limited docket information online, while others require the public to contact the clerk for a record search or inspection.
Local tip: Start with the Texas Judicial Directory, choose the filing county, identify whether the case is felony or misdemeanor, and contact the relevant clerk before making an unnecessary trip to the courthouse.
How to Obtain Your Own Texas Criminal History Record
If you need to know what Texas DPS reports about you, a fingerprint-based personal criminal-history review is more reliable for identity matching than a paid public name search.
-
Read DPS personal-review instructions
Open the official DPS Fingerprinting Services page and find the Texas personal review procedure.
-
Choose the correct fingerprinting request
The service code and process must correspond to a Texas Personal Review, not an unrelated employment, licensing or adoption fingerprint request.
-
Schedule through the approved vendor
Follow the DPS instructions to schedule an IdentoGO/FAST fingerprint appointment or use the permitted alternative procedure.
-
Bring acceptable identity documentation
Use the identification specified in the appointment instructions. The vendor will confirm the fingerprint and payment process.
-
Receive and review the result
Follow the official DPS response instructions. If information is inaccurate or appears to belong to someone else, use DPS’s record-review and correction procedures.
DPS Crime Records contact: 512-424-2474. Use the department’s published call options for personal review, criminal-history inquiries and fingerprinting questions.
Texas Criminal Court Dockets, Appeals and Certified Copies
A docket records case activity; a judgment documents a court’s decision; and a certified copy authenticates a document held by the record custodian.
If someone needs proof of the outcome of a specific Texas prosecution, a certified court disposition may be more appropriate than a statewide name-search response.
Requesting a certified criminal judgment
-
Locate the case and clerk
Obtain the cause number and find out whether the case belongs to a District Clerk, County Clerk or another court.
-
Identify the needed document
Specify a judgment of conviction, dismissal order, sentencing judgment, discharge order or another named document.
-
Ask about certified copies
Contact the clerk for the copy fee, certification charge, accepted payment methods, delivery options and possible identification requirements.
-
Check the received copy
Compare the cause number, court, case outcome and certification before providing it to a lawyer or requesting organisation.
Texas appellate criminal case search
If the criminal case was appealed, use the Texas Appeals Management and eFiling System (TAMES) . It provides searching for Court of Criminal Appeals and intermediate appellate court cases.
Select criminal cases, enter the appellate cause number or available party and trial-court details, then review opinions, orders, docket events and linked documents where available.
-CR. A Court of Criminal Appeals
writ number may begin with WR-,
while a petition for discretionary review
may begin with PD-.
Those patterns are clues, not a guarantee
that the record is complete.
Texas Inmate, Jail and Offender Records
If the purpose of a search is to locate someone in custody, a court or DPS conviction search may not be the fastest source.
TDCJ Offender Search
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice provides an offender search with fields for name, state identification number (SID) or TDCJ number.
Its system can display custody status, facility and other available details.
Open TDCJ offender search →County Jail and Recent Booking Records
County sheriffs and local jails maintain information about people held in local custody. Search the official sheriff or jail website for the county where the person was booked.
A recent booking will not necessarily appear in the state prison locator.
Locate relevant Texas jurisdiction →How to search the TDCJ offender database
- Open the official TDCJ search
Use the TDCJ IVSS offender search linked above.
- Enter an identifying search term
Search by name, SID or current TDCJ number. The official search also documents wildcard searching using an asterisk for partial matches.
- Review matching results
Compare identification details, facility, custody status and available offender information.
- Verify the source before relying on it
TDCJ information is subject to updates and restrictions. It is not a certified court judgment or a complete statewide criminal-history search.
Texas Sex Offender Registry and Federal Criminal Cases
Public Sex Offender Registry
Texas DPS maintains the statewide public sex offender registration database. It provides public registry information subject to legal disclosure rules.
This registry does not list every person with a criminal record, nor does it replace a criminal background check.
Open Texas Sex Offender Registry →Federal Criminal Court Search
Federal prosecutions in the Northern, Southern, Eastern or Western District of Texas are separate from state trial-court records.
Use PACER or the PACER Case Locator. Account registration is required and federal court access fees may apply.
Search PACER Federal Cases →Texas Expunctions, Orders of Nondisclosure and Restricted Criminal Records
A missing online record does not always mean an arrest, criminal charge or prosecution never occurred. Texas law provides several different forms of record relief and confidentiality.
Expunction
An expunction is a legal process that can remove qualifying arrest or criminal history records under Texas law.
Eligibility is governed primarily by Chapter 55A of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Not every dismissed case or arrest automatically qualifies.
Order of Nondisclosure
An order of nondisclosure can restrict public access to qualifying criminal-history information without operating in the same way as an expunction.
Eligibility and exceptions are governed by Texas Government Code Chapter 411, Subchapter E-1 and other applicable law.
Juvenile records, confidential filings, victim-identifying information and certain other case information may be restricted even when the case type is ordinarily public.
What If Your Texas Criminal Record Search Finds No Result?
| Search problem | Possible reason | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| No DPS public criminal-history match | No publicly releasable conviction/deferred record reported, spelling mismatch or missing data | Verify spellings and consider the proper fingerprint-based personal review if it is your record |
| Felony case missing from County Clerk search | The District Clerk may maintain the case | Search the filing county’s District Clerk |
| Traffic or Class C case missing | It may be in a municipal or justice court | Check the citation for the exact court |
| Online docket has no final judgment | Document not displayed or final entry not yet posted | Contact the clerk for an official disposition or judgment |
| Older criminal case not found online | Historical record coverage or archive restrictions | Ask the clerk about archived records and retention rules |
| TDCJ offender search has no match | Person may not be in TDCJ custody or supervision | Check county jail, local court or other appropriate official source |
| Federal case missing from state portal | Federal court cases are maintained separately | Use PACER or PACER Case Locator |
| Case may have been sealed or expunged | Access restrictions or legal record relief | Contact the court or seek legal advice regarding lawful access |
Can Texas Criminal Records Be Used for Employment or Tenant Screening?
Criminal record information can affect employment, rental housing, professional licensing, immigration and other important decisions. A casual search of a courthouse portal or DPS public name database should not be treated as a complete, identity-verified background report.
When an employer, landlord or other decision-maker obtains a consumer report from a consumer reporting agency, the Fair Credit Reporting Act may require specific authorisations, notices, accuracy safeguards, dispute opportunities and adverse-action procedures. Texas and local laws may also apply.
- Verify identity before relying on any name match.
- Check whether a charge ended in conviction, dismissal, acquittal or another disposition.
- Do not infer guilt from an arrest or pending prosecution.
- Respect expunctions, nondisclosure orders and record-access restrictions.
- Use the legally appropriate screening process for the decision being made.
See the Federal Trade Commission’s employer background-check guidance for federal compliance requirements.
State of Texas Criminal Records: Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I search State of Texas criminal records online?
Use the Texas DPS Criminal History Conviction Name Search for publicly releasable statewide criminal-history information. For a particular prosecution, search the county’s District Clerk, County Clerk, Justice Court or Municipal Court.
2. Is the Texas DPS criminal records search free?
No. The official public DPS conviction name search currently costs $3 per search credit, with applicable payment-processing charges. A credit may be consumed even if the search returns no matching record.
3. Does Texas have a free statewide criminal court case search?
Texas does not have a single public database containing every trial-court case. Some counties offer free case-information searches, while others have limited online access or fees. Appellate cases are searchable through TAMES.
4. Where do I find felony criminal records in Texas?
Felony criminal cases are generally handled in district courts. Contact the District Clerk of the county where the case was filed. Some district clerks provide online criminal case search.
5. Where are Texas misdemeanor criminal records kept?
Class A and B misdemeanor cases are generally handled in county courts or county courts at law. Class C cases may be in Justice of the Peace or Municipal Courts. Confirm the exact court named on the case documents.
6. How can I obtain my own Texas criminal history record?
Follow Texas DPS’s Personal Review procedure and its fingerprinting instructions. Fingerprint-based matching is more reliable for identifying your own criminal-history information than a public name-only search.
7. Can I search Texas inmate records by name?
Yes. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice offers an offender search by name, SID or TDCJ number. For recent county jail bookings, check the relevant sheriff or local jail website.
8. Do Texas criminal records include arrests without convictions?
Some criminal-history systems maintain arrest information, but the public DPS Conviction Name Search is restricted to publicly releasable information associated with reported convictions or deferred adjudications. A court or arresting agency may maintain other records subject to disclosure laws.
9. Can Texas criminal records be expunged or sealed?
Some qualifying records may be expunged or restricted through an order of nondisclosure. Eligibility depends on the offense, case outcome, applicable statutory requirements and other facts. Consult the Texas State Law Library or a qualified Texas attorney.
10. How do I get a certified Texas criminal court record?
Contact the clerk of the court where the case was filed. Provide the cause number and request the specific judgment, order or disposition. Ask about certification fees and available delivery methods.
Official Texas Criminal Records Sources
The following government, judicial and state-law resources provide the search services and procedures discussed in this guide.
Texas DPS and Criminal History
- Texas DPS Criminal History Conviction Name Search
- DPS Public Name Search Instructions and Fees
- Texas DPS Crime Records Division
- DPS Fingerprinting Services and Personal Review
- Texas Public Sex Offender Registry
Texas Courts and Case Records
- Texas Judicial Directory Search
- Texas State Law Library — Court Records
- Texas State Law Library — Criminal Court Records
- Texas TAMES Appellate Case Search
- Expunctions and Nondisclosure Orders Guide