Austin County Background Check and Criminal Records
Austin County background check records are held by the County Clerk, District Clerk, and Sheriff's Office in Bellville, Texas. This is Austin County, a rural Southeast Texas county with Bellville as its county seat, not the city of Austin. Criminal history, court filings, arrest records, and property documents here date back to 1837, making this one of the older record collections in the state. If you need to search criminal history or look up court cases in Austin County, this page covers the offices and tools you need.
Austin County Overview
Austin County Clerk Records in Bellville
County Clerk Rosalie W. Kucera maintains official records for Austin County at 1 E. Main Street in Bellville. Mailing address is PO Box 78, Bellville, TX 77418. The main phone is (979) 865-5911 ext. 2201. Fax is (979) 865-3616. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Austin County is one of the original counties of Texas, and its records extend back to 1837. The County Clerk holds misdemeanor criminal records, civil court filings, probate records, real property documents, marriage licenses going back to 1837, birth and death certificates from 1903, and DBA filings. These records can be accessed in person at the courthouse in Bellville. The clerk also maintains commissioners court minutes and marks and brands records. Recording fees are $26 for the first page and $4 per additional page. Copies cost $1 per page, and certified copies are $5 plus the per-page fee.
| Office | Austin County Clerk |
|---|---|
| County Clerk | Rosalie W. Kucera |
| Address | 1 E. Main Street, Bellville, TX 77418 |
| Phone | (979) 865-5911 ext. 2201 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | austincounty.com |
Austin County District Clerk Felony Records
District Clerk Carla R. Bode handles records for the 155th and 434th District Courts in Austin County. Both courts serve Austin County and handle felony criminal cases, major civil matters, and family law. The office is at 1 E. Main Street in Bellville, Suite or Room as marked in the courthouse. Mail goes to PO Box 69, Bellville, TX 77418.
Phone is (979) 865-5911 ext. 2204 and fax is (979) 865-7082. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The District Clerk processes felony criminal records, civil district court records, family law cases, and child support matters. For online case searches, the statewide re:SearchTX portal provides free access to participating Texas courts. E-filing goes through efile.txcourts.gov.
| Office | Austin County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| District Clerk | Carla R. Bode |
| Address | 1 E. Main Street, Bellville, TX 77418 |
| Phone | (979) 865-5911 ext. 2204 |
| Courts Served | 155th District Court, 434th District Court |
Austin County Sheriff Arrest Records
Sheriff Jack Brandes operates the Austin County Sheriff's Office at 1 E. Main Street in Bellville. For non-emergency calls, reach the office at (979) 865-3111. For emergencies, dial 911. The fax is (979) 865-7435. Mail goes to PO Box 845, Bellville, TX 77418.
The Sheriff's Office handles arrest records, incident reports, jail information, and warrant inquiries for Austin County. Open records requests should be in writing and are processed under the Texas Public Information Act. Responses typically come within 10 business days. For state prison inmate records, the TDCJ offender search at tdcj.texas.gov covers current and former inmates across Texas. The Texas DPS maintains the official state criminal history database at txdps.state.tx.us.
| Office | Austin County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Sheriff | Jack Brandes |
| Address | 1 E. Main Street, Bellville, TX 77418 |
| Phone | (979) 865-3111 |
| Fax | (979) 865-7435 |
Austin County Courts
Two district courts serve Austin County. The 155th District Court and the 434th District Court both handle felony criminal cases, civil matters, and family law. Records for both are with the District Clerk. The county court handles Class A and B misdemeanors and probate, with records at the County Clerk's office.
Justice of the Peace courts operate in each precinct and handle Class C misdemeanors, traffic cases, and small claims. All district court e-filings go through the state portal at efile.txcourts.gov. For searches without a courthouse visit, use re:SearchTX for district court cases.
Austin County Records Online
The Austin County official website covers all county offices, services, and contact information for departments including the Clerk, Sheriff, and courts.
The county website links to office hours, mailing addresses, and services for the Clerk and Sheriff's Office in Bellville.
Online Tools for Austin County Background Checks
Several online tools can help you search Austin County background check records from anywhere. The statewide re:SearchTX system covers district court cases and allows name-based searches. The Texas DPS criminal history database at txdps.state.tx.us provides official name-based and fingerprint-based background checks for Texas.
For state prison inmates, use the TDCJ offender search at tdcj.texas.gov. E-filing records are accessible through efiletexas.gov. If you need certified records or official background check results specific to Austin County, contact the District Clerk at (979) 865-5911 ext. 2204 to submit a request.
Nearby Counties
Austin County is in Southeast Texas between Houston and the Brazos Valley. These surrounding counties also hold criminal records and background check offices.