How to Record a Deed in Harris County

Where to file

File with the Real Property Department of the Harris County Clerk's Office. In person, the office is at 201 Caroline, 3rd Floor, Suite 320, Houston, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Everyone entering the building must go through security. By U.S. mail, send the original document and payment to Teneshia Hudspeth, Harris County Clerk, Attention: Real Property, P.O. Box 1525, Houston, TX 77251-1525. By tracked delivery (FedEx, UPS, or similar), send to 201 Caroline, 4th Floor, Suite 460, Houston, TX 77002, Monday through Friday only.

The fee

The Clerk's page states the Real Property filing fee under Texas Local Government Code section 118.011 as $25 for the first page, $4 for each additional page, and $0.25 for each name in excess of five names that has to be indexed. The Clerk's fee-schedule table states the same total in components: a $5 first-page fee, a $10 archive fee, and a $10 management fee, plus $4 for each additional page and $0.25 for each name over five indexed. A one-page deed with five or fewer names to index costs $25. Each additional page adds $4. Each indexed name over five adds $0.25.

If the grantee's mailing address is missing, Texas Property Code section 11.003 provides a penalty filing fee equal to the greater of $25 or twice the statutory recording fee for the instrument, unless the address appears in the instrument or in a separate writing signed by the grantor or grantee and attached to the instrument. The validity of the conveyance between the parties is not affected by failure to include the address.

What the document must contain

The Clerk's page states the following requirements. The document must be the original; Xerox copies cannot be accepted. The Real Property Department can only accept original documents or certified copies of court documents for filing in person, by mail, and electronically, and all signatures must be original. The appropriate person must sign, and the signature must be notarized for documents such as a release, deed of trust, or deed. The document must include a legal description when applicable. Documents of conveyance must indicate the grantee's address under Texas Property Code section 11.003. All names must be printed under all signatures, with the capacity of the signer and the entity for which the signer is signing indicated. A return address must be printed on the document. There should be a 1 to 2 inch margin across the top and left margin of the document for recording information.

No affidavit-of-value or transfer-declaration requirement is stated here for Harris County, because no such requirement appears on the Clerk page opened for this guide. Do not import an affidavit requirement from another state.

Filing routes and identification

In person, photo identification is required under Local Government Code section 191.010(b)(c). Everyone must present their own valid government-issued identification when submitting a document for recording in person. By mail, include the original document with the appropriate recording fee; do not mail cash or personal checks. Mail payment must be by cashier's check or money order payable to Teneshia Hudspeth, Harris County Clerk. The Clerk's page states that a document that does not meet statutory recording requirements or is not accompanied by the correct fee will not be accepted for recording.

Electronic filing is accepted only through an e-recording provider under Local Government Code section 195.003. The Clerk's office cannot accept electronically submitted real-property documents except through its e-recording system. E-recorded documents must be placed in the queue before 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time to be processed the same business day; documents placed in the queue later are processed the next business day. The Clerk lists Corporation Service Company, eRecording Partners Network, and Simplifile as known vendors.

No margin or format requirement beyond the Clerk's stated 1 to 2 inch top and left margin is stated here. No paper-size rule is stated, because no paper-size rule appears on the Clerk page opened.

For recording requirements in other counties, see the Document Recording by County directory. To check fee and format requirements by county, use the Document Recording Requirements Checker.

Source

Sources: Harris County Clerk's Office, Real Property, Real Estate Information and Fee Schedule (cclerk.hctx.net). Facts verified 2026-11-03.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to the Harris County Clerk.