Galveston County Property Search
A Galveston County property search is an inquiry made by individuals to find more information about a property. Property information is typically available for public perusal because they are part of Galveston County public records. The County Clerk is the custodian for property records in Galveston County. Therefore, anyone can retrieve public property information at the Clerk’s Office. A property search helps to:
- Confirm the real owner of a property and its legal description
- Find out if there are any restrictions registered with a property.
- Investigate possible liens against a property.
Are Galveston County Property Records Public?
Yes. Per the Texas Public Information Act, the public has the right to view and copy property records. Therefore, Galveston County property record custodians must make property records available to residents during normal business hours. Texas State law prohibits the dissemination of certain property records. Examples of such records are:
- Trade secrets (Texas Code Sec. 552.110).
- The location of a property for a public purpose before the public announcement of the project (Texas Code Sec. 552.105).
- A property’s purchase price or appraisals for a public purpose before the formal award of contracts for the property.
Where to Perform a Galveston County Property Lookup
Individuals can perform a property lookup at the Galveston County Clerk’s Office. The Office has an AVA Search Portal that can be used to search real estate property records online. The search parameters are by last name/business name, start and end date, document type, document number, book, page, or reference number. There is an advanced criteria that can be used to narrow the search.
Record seekers can request certified copies of property records online by completing the Request A Certified Copy form. The Clerk’s office will send a notification by email of the total cost of the desired record and how to finish the request. Copies of property records can also be retrieved in person at the Clerk’s Office. The Office opens from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at:
Galveston County Main Office
600 59th Street
Suite 2001
Galveston, TX 77551
Phone: (409) 766-2200
Fax: (409) 765-3160
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Galveston County
Property owner lookups can be done online or in person at the Galveston Central Appraisal District (CAD). Online requests can be made through the CAD’s Property Search tool. Conduct a search by address or ID to find the property owner's information. Use the advanced feature to narrow the search. In-person requests can be made at the District from Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm and Fridays from 8 a.m. to Noon. The record staff would require a property address and the required fees to process the search. The District is located at:
Galveston Central Appraisal District
9850 Emmett F. Lowry Expressway
Ste. A101
Texas City, TX 77591
Phone: (409) 935-1980, (866) 277-4725
Fax: (409) 935-4319
Email: gcad@galvestoncad.org
How to Find Galveston County Property Records Online
Galveston County provides several online portals managed by different custodians for finding property records. For example, the Galveston County Tax office has a Lookup Property Tax tool that can be used to retrieve property tax information. Additionally, individuals can use the AVA Search Portal on the County Clerk’s website.
Alternatively, third-party aggregate databases can be used to find property records. Most of these sites require using an owner’s name or property address for a search. Individuals might be able to find basic property information for free, but a small fee may apply for extensive searches.
How to Find Property Owner by Address for Free
The Galveston County Clerk’s Office provides an AVA Search Portal where individuals can find property owners by address at no cost. The address search field is located in the Advanced Criteria section. The requester must enter a house number, street, city, or zip code to retrieve the desired property information.
Galveston County Property Tax Lookup
Individuals can obtain tax information online or in person at the Galveston County Tax office. Online requests can be made by entering a name, property address, account number, long account number, or fiduciary number in the appropriate search fields. The search will return basic property tax information like the current tax levy and amount due, the payer, payment date, prior year amount, and total amount due.
In-person requests can be made at any of the Galveston County Tax Office full-time locations from Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to Noon. Crystal Beach Satellite office responds to requests on the third Tuesday of the month from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm. It closes 1/2 hour for lunch from 11:30 to Noon. Requesters can visit the Friendswood Satellite office on Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm (closed from Noon to 1 for lunch) and Fridays from 8 a.m. to Noon. Contact the tax office by phone at (409) 766-2481 and by email at galcotax@co.galveston.tx.us to know other options for retrieving tax information in Galveston County.
How to Find Galveston County Property Appraiser
The Texas Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board (TALCB) has a License Holder Search tool that can be used to find Galveston County property appraisers. The tool is searchable by name or license number. Requesters can narrow the search by using other search fields like license type and license status. For a more specific search, and users can enter “Galveston” in the “County” search field and click “search” to view information about all licensed appraisers in Galveston County. Another way to find Galveston County property appraisers is to visit the TALCB from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Board is located at:
Texas Real Estate Commission
Stephen F Austin Building
1700 N. Congress Ave., Suite 400
Austin, TX 78701
Phone: (512) 936-3001
The major services property appraisers offer is to provide assessment of real estate in Galveston County. Individuals contact them to provide an impartial and objective valuation of properties.
Galveston County Property Assessor
The responsibility of the Galveston County Tax Assessor-Collector is to assess and collect real and personal property taxes. They estimate the property's value and convert it into an assessment, which is beneficial for tax computation. The tax assessor-collector can be contacted at:
Galveston County Tax Assessor-Collector
722 Moody Avenue (21st Street)
Galveston, TX 77550
Phone: (409) 766-2260
Toll Free: (877) 766-2284
Email: Cheryl.E.Johnson@co.galveston.tx.us
