Criminal Statistics
As part of the federally commissioned Uniform Crime Reporting Program, the Texas Department of Public Safety maintains a repository of crime statistics accessible by members of the public. According to the 2017 summary, the crime rate per 1,000 declined 13.62%, going from 28.12 in the previous year to 24.49 in 2017.
A further breakdown revealed that larceny accounted for 62% of the 3,567 crimes, with over 2000 reported incidents in that year alone. However, aggravated assault remained the most popular of violent crimes with 315 reported incidents, while other violent crimes roughly made up 6% of the total reported crimes with only 69 reports of robbery, 138 reported incidents of rape, and 4 murders. On the other hand, other property crimes accounted for 19.9% of the net total with burglary and motor vehicle theft reportedly recurring 522 and 189 times respectively.
Criminal Records
The Hays County Sheriff's Office primarily functions as the law enforcement agency of the county, all queries relating to criminal records and background checks are directed to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The department maintains a state-wide conviction database which includes arrest, prosecution and disposition data of all residents within Texas.
How to Get Criminal Records
Interested persons may obtain non-confidential criminal history information of Hays county residents using the DPS Computerized Criminal History System. To access data using this system, intending users are required to register as an individual or a company. After the sign-up process is completed, the user must then purchase credits for each search to be performed. Credits cost $3 excluding credit card or order plus fees.
Subsequently, searches can be conducted using search parameters such as the first and last name of the subject, their maiden name and their birth date if available. Search results are provided to the requestor in a matter of minutes.
How to Get Police Reports
The Hays County Sheriff's office responds to requests for public record police and incident reports. Interested persons may send a written request or request for the reports in person at the office of the Sheriff, but will be required to provide details of the report, including the date of occurrence, the victim/plaintiff and other relevant information. In-person and mail queries may be made to:
Hays County Sheriff’s Office
1307 Uhland Road
San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 393-7800
How to Find Sex Offender Information
In compliance with state laws, Texas sex offenders are registered by the Department of Public Saftey, and all information relating to their location and compliance are made public on the state Sex Offender Registry.
To obtain details of sex offenders resident in Hays county, interested persons may search the registry by the name of the offender, their map address, and their proximity to any of the higher institutions within the state. Users may also use the “Unmapped” feature on the registry to view additional data of offenders in a specific area.
How to Find Inmate and Jail Information
The Hays County Corrections Bureau is primarily tasked with overseeing the overall running of the Hays county jail and maintaining jail and inmate information of persons incarcerated in the county. To obtain this information, interested persons may call the Jail Records Division on (512) 393-7832. However, details regarding other jail support services such as inmate commissary, visitation, mail, and inmate property are available on the Hays County Jail Information Page.
Court Records
Where and How to Get Court Records
The Hays County District Clerk’s Office provides a variety of services for Hay county residents, including recording and maintaining documentation of court filings and proceedings. The office provides access to non-confidential court records via the Hay County Courts Records Inquiry Tool. Interested persons may use the tool to obtain records of criminal, civil, family and probate case records. However, users will be required to have information about the case of interest including the date of the filing, the case file number or the plaintiff/defendant name.
Location of All Courts in County
Listed below are the addresses and contact information of all the courthouses located in Hays County, Texas:
Hays County 22nd, 207th, 274th & 428th District Court
Hays County Government Center
712 S Stagecoach Trail,
Suite #2211,
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 393-7660
Hays County Constitutional Court & County Court at Law
Hays County Government Center
712 S Stagecoach Trail,
Suite #2008,
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 393-7738
Fax: (512) 393-7735
Hays County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 - Place 1
712 S Stagecoach Trail,
Suite #2235,
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 393-7871
Fax: (512) 878-6565
Hays County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 - Place 2
712 S Stagecoach Trail, #2235,
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 393-7636
Fax: (512) 393-7641
Hays County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
5458 FM 2770,
P.O. Box 1449,
Kyle, TX 78640
Phone: (512) 268-3151
Hays County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
200 Stillwater,
P.O. Box 366,
Wimberly, TX 78676
Phone: (512) 847-2000
Hays County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
195 Roger Hanks Pkwy,
Suite #2,
Dripping Springs, TX 78620
Phone: (512) 858-7446
Fax: (512) 858-4779
Hays County Justice of the Peace Precinct 5
500 Jack C. Hays Trail,
P.O. Box 215,
Buda, TX 78610
Phone: (512) 295-2700
Buda Municipal Court
121 Main St,
P.O. Box 1218,
Buda, TX 78610
Phone: (512) 295-2562
Fax: (512) 295-5981
Dripping Springs Municipal Court
511 Mercer St,
P.O. Box 384,
Dripping Springs, TX 78620
(512) 858-4725
Kyle Municipal Court
100 W Center St,
P.O. Box 40,
Kyle, TX 78640
Phone: (512) 262-3994
Fax: (512) 262-3800
San Marcos Municipal Court
712 Stagecoach Trail,
Suite #2233,
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 393-8190
Fax: (855) 246-9121
Wimberley Municipal Court
P.O. Box 2027,
Wimberley, TX 78676
(512) 847-0025
Woodcreek Municipal Court
41 Champions Circle,
Woodcreek, TX 78676
(512) 847-9390
Where and How to Obtain Property Records
The Records Division of the Hays County Clerk's Office maintains official public records of the county including real property documents such as property deeds, liens, etc. Interested persons may obtain copies of these records by requesting them from the office in person at:
Hays County Government Center, Suite 2008
712 South Stagecoach Trail
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 393-7330
Fax: (512) 393-7735
Vital Records
The Vital Statistics Unit of the Texas Department of State Health Services maintains and provides public access to state-wide vital records. Hays County vital records may be obtained from the state department or from the Records Unit of the County Clerk's Office, which maintains records of births, deaths, and marriages that occurred within county limits.
Where and How to get Divorce Records
The Hays County District Clerk’s Office maintains records of family and probate case records which also includes records of divorces granted by county courts. Interested persons may view divorce records using the Hay County Courts Records Inquiry Tool. This will require information about the divorce, including the divorcee names, the date, and place of the divorce as well as the case file number if available. Requests for divorce records may also be made by sending a written request or querying the District Clerk's office in person at:
Hays Government Center, Suite 2211
712 S. Stagecoach Trail
San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 393-7660
Email: distclerk@co.hays.tx.us
Where and How to get Marriage Records
Records of marriages licensed in Hays County are maintained by the Records Division of the Hays County Clerk's Office. To obtain copies of these records, interested persons may make in-person requests to any of the three substations of the office or send a written request to the office at:
The Government Center,
County Clerk's Office
712 S. Stagecoach Trail, Ste. 2008
San Marcos, TX
The requesting party will be required to provide details of the marriage at the time of the request. This may include the names of the spouses, the date and place of the marriage as well as the date the marriage license was issued.
Where and How to get Birth and Death Records
The Hays County Clerk's Office processes requests for birth and death records. However, only eligible persons may request either of these records as per state laws. To meet eligibility requirements, the requestor must either be the registrant, an immediate family member of the registrant or their legal representatives/persons with legal authorization to access the record.
Eligible persons may request birth or death records by completing and notarizing a Birth/Death Certificate Request Form. The completed application should be sent along with a copy of the requestors photo ID and a cheque or money order payment of $23 (for birth records) or $21 (for death records) to:
Hays County Clerk
712 S. Stagecoach Trail
Suite #2008
San Marcos, TX 78666
In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county, or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.
Are Property Records Open to the Public in Hays County?
All property records in Hays County are considered public under the Texas Public Information Act. Texas law provides public access to all persons who submit requests to the county's record keepers.
Where and How to Find Property Records in Hays County
The Hays County Clerk's Office maintains property records and issues copies to all interested persons. Plain copies of Hays County property records cost $1 per page while certifications cost $5 per document. The Clerk's Office also provides 18 x 24 plats at $4 per page. In addition, plats are receivable by email at $2 per page. Individuals may submit requests in person or by mail.
To send a mail request to the Clerk's Office, the applicant must complete a Documents Request Form. The form should contain the document number, title, and a detailed description of the record, including all known details. Requestors should also fill in their contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses. A receiving address is also required. Interested persons may mail or email the request, or make in-person applications at the address below:
Hays County Clerk's Office
712 S. Stagecoach Trail
Suite 2008
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 393-7330
Fax: (512) 393-7735
Email: recordsdivision@co.hays.tx.us
Members of the general public can also submit property records requests to the Hays Central Appraisal District (HCAD), responsible for the appraisal of all taxable properties in the county. The HCAD allows public access to records generated in the course of assessment and appraisal. Anyone interested in these records should send a completed request form to the HCAD or visit the:
Hays Central Appraisal District
21001 North IH 35
Kyle, TX 78640
Phone: (512) 268-2522
Fax: (512) 713-0563
Email: info@hayscad.com
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
How to Look Up Hays County Property Records
The Hays County Clerk's Office offers an Official Public Record Search for online access to county public records. The platform has documents indexed since Aug 24, 1848. Users may search the online platform by name, grantor, grantee, recording date range, instrument number, book and page numbers, and document types. The Hays County Appraisal District also provides a public property search with an advanced option for a variety of search queries. The registry displays account, location, and owner information. Other available data include improvement and assessed values, property taxing jurisdiction, value history, and deed history. Users should note that available details may be preliminary values subject to change before certification.
Location of Hays County Property Assessor
Hays Central Appraisal District
21001 North IH 35
Kyle, TX 78640
Phone: (512) 268-2522
Fax: (512) 713-0563
Email: info@hayscad.com
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
