Harris County

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Harris County Universal Services

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Harris County Records Management

Records Management department ensures efficient records management and compliance with statutory requirements. We provide off-site storage, digitize paper records, and coordinate the destruction of obsolete records. Our efforts help reduce storage costs, promote good records management practices, and ensure the security and accessibility of both physical and digital records.

We promote good records management practices by:
  • Providing and coordinating off-site storage of county departmental records at the Harris County Records Center. 
  • Maintaining the Records Management Plan — the county policy that provides direction and authority to county officials to manage their records. 
  • Maintaining the Records Control Schedule to stay current with statutory requirements and industry best practices. 
  • Ensuring the transfer of historically valuable records to the Harris County Archives.
  • Coordinating the destruction of valueless records, both physical and digital through methods that ensure complete and total loss of access to their information and in compliance with the Local Government Records Act. 
  • Digitization of paper documents to digital files to promote ease of access and secure storage.

With the increase in born-digital records and information, the Harris County Information Governance and Records Management Office, part of the Universal Services Department, has risen to the occasion to help County departments better manage their information, including digital content while also assisting them with their paper records needs.

Harris County Vital Statistics

Adoption Records

Birth and Death Records

Divorce Records

Marriage Records

Harris County Property Records and Maps

Appraisal Records (1895-1997)

Appraisal Records (1998-2008)

Appraisal Records (2009-Current)

Deeds

Property Maps

Tax Statements and Receipts

Harris County Court Records

County Court Records

District Court Records

Justice of the Peace Records

Harris County Law Enforcement and Public Safety Records

Accident Reports

Jail Inmate Search

Sheriff Offense Reports

Frequently Asked Questions

records

They can be, but usually aren't. The content of a document determines if it is a record—not the means of delivery. Just as most envelopes delivered by the U.S. Postal Service contain junk mail, most e-mails are non-record spam. But, not all. A good rule of thumb is if the e-mail documents that an obligation has been incurred or met, it is probably an official record. If not, it is probably not an official record.

records

We have a contract with a vendor certified by the National Association for Information Destruction to shred both official and unofficial records. Most office documents are placed into locked bins that are transported to the shredding facility in a locked truck where the locks are removed and the contents shredded. Operations that send records in bulk (such as the Harris County Records Center) palletize the records and the vendor typically picks up 10 or more pallets and transports them in a locked truck to the facility.

records

See the Public Records page to find helpful links to sources of public records throughout Harris County.