La Salle County, TX Property Records

    La Salle County is in deep South Texas, midway between Laredo and San Antonio. Its population at the 2020 U.S. Census was 6,664, with 2025 estimates placing it near 6,517. The county seat is Cotulla, which is the county's only significant city. Encinal is a smaller incorporated community. The county was created in 1858 and organized in 1880. It is named for René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, the 17th-century French explorer who claimed the Mississippi basin for France and is thought to have died near present-day East Texas in 1687.

    The housing market is thin and highly variable. Median sale prices ranged from $74,900 to $259,000 in recent transactions, reflecting both modest local housing stock and occasional higher-priced properties. Days on market range from 47 to 334 days. The median home value is approximately $130,000–$145,000. The median household income is approximately $55,469, with significant year-to-year volatility tied to oil field employment cycles. According to Federal Reserve Economic Data, an estimated 27–31% of households are cost-burdened.

    Property records are maintained by the County Clerk at 101 Courthouse Square, Cotulla. The volume of recorded oil and gas instruments in La Salle County is among the highest in South Texas, reflecting a decade of intensive Eagle Ford drilling activity.

    Who Keeps the Official Land Records

    The La Salle County Clerk maintains all official land records in La Salle County. The office is located at the La Salle County Courthouse in Cotulla, Texas.

    What County Property Records Include

    The County Clerk maintains all instruments affecting the ownership and encumbrance of real property. Recorded documents include:

    • Deeds: Warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, special warranty deeds, trustee deeds, and correction deeds.

    • Deeds of Trust: The primary mortgage instrument in Texas; conveys a security interest to a trustee on behalf of a lender.

    • Releases and Reconveyances: Discharge instruments releasing liens or deeds of trust once obligations are satisfied.

    • Oil and Gas Leases: Mineral leases, assignments, ratifications, and releases.

    • Easements and Rights-of-Way: Pipeline easements, utility easements, and access rights.

    • Mechanic's and Materialman's Liens: Filed under Chapter 53, Texas Property Code.

    • Powers of Attorney: Including durable and real-property-specific instruments.

    • Assignments: Including assignments of leases, rents, and mineral interests.

    • Lis Pendens: Notices of pending litigation affecting title.

    • Subdivision Plats: Plat maps of subdivisions within the county.

    How to Access La Salle County Property Records

    Online Access

    Search Texasfile and select La Salle County. TexasFile's coverage includes deeds, oil and gas leases, mineral deeds, liens, rights-of-way, plat maps, and probates.

    In Person

    Visit the La Salle County Courthouse at 101 Courthouse Square, Cotulla, TX 78014 during office hours.

    By Mail

    Mail requests to P.O. Box 1530, Cotulla, TX 78014-1530 with instrument details, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

    What's Not at the County Clerk's Office

    • Property Appraisal: La Salle County Appraisal District, 204 NE Lane St., Cotulla, TX 78014. Phone: (830) 879-4756.

    • Property Taxes: Tax Assessor-Collector Dora A. Gonzales, 101 Courthouse Square, Suite 114, Cotulla, TX 78014. Phone: (830) 483-5134.

    • Mineral Valuation Inquiries: Wardlaw Appraisal Group, 16601 Blanco Rd. #100, San Antonio, TX 78232. Phone: (210) 448-2000.

    • Texas RRC: RRC for Eagle Ford well records, production histories, and GIS maps.

    Step-by-Step: How to Pull a Deed Online

    To research a property deed using online resources:

    • Search TexasFile: Go to Texasfile and select the county. Search by grantor/grantee name, document type, and date range.

    • Identify the instrument: Note the volume and page number or instrument number and recording date.

    • Retrieve a copy: Download images if available. If not, contact the County Clerk at the courthouse or mail a request to P.O. Box 1530, Cotulla, TX 78014 with instrument details and applicable fee.

    • Verify appraisal data: Cross-reference the parcel at the county appraisal district for assessed value, ownership, and exemption status.

    • Check mineral interests: For properties with oil and gas activity, search the Texas RRC for well locations and production data.

    • Confirm tax status: Verify current tax payment history with the County Tax Assessor-Collector.

    Cities & Towns in La Salle County

    • Cotulla: County seat. Population approximately 3,600. The city's economy is closely tied to the oil and gas cycles. President Lyndon B. Johnson taught school in Cotulla in 1928–1929 while a student at Southwest Texas State; the experience is credited with shaping his views on poverty and education.

    • Encinal: A smaller incorporated community on Interstate 35. Population approximately 500.

    City/Town Resources for Assessments & Taxes

    • La Salle County Appraisal District: 204 NE Lane St., Cotulla, TX 78014. Phone: (830) 879-4756.

    • Tax Assessor-Collector Dora A. Gonzales: (830) 483-5134. Website

    • Texas Comptroller

    County-Specific Nuances

    • Eagle Ford Shale highest oil and gas instrument volume: La Salle County is at the geological and commercial center of the Eagle Ford Shale. Every rural property title search must include a comprehensive review of leases, assignments, ratifications, pooling agreements, and surface use agreements, in addition to standard deed and mortgage research.

    • Surface use agreements are a distinct instrument type: Eagle Ford operators frequently record surface use agreements (SUAs) that govern access, pad locations, pipeline routes, and compensation for surface disturbance. These instruments run with the land and affect surface property rights independently of the mineral lease.

    • Income volatility tied to oil cycles: The county's median household income dropped 11.7% in a single year (2022 to 2023), reflecting exposure to commodity price and drilling activity cycles. Property market statistics are correspondingly volatile and should be interpreted with caution.

    • LBJ historical connection: Lyndon B. Johnson taught school in Cotulla in 1928–1929. This is a point of local historical identity but has no bearing on property records or title research.

    • Texas uses a County Clerk, not a Recorder of Deeds: The County Clerk is the statutory custodian of all recorded land instruments under the Texas Local Government Code.

    • Texas uses deeds of trust, not traditional mortgages: Search for "deed of trust" rather than "mortgage" when examining encumbrances.

    • Severed mineral estates are common: A deed to the surface does not convey mineral rights unless explicitly stated. Mineral ownership must be traced through a separate chain of instruments.

    • Texas homestead rights: Both spouses must sign a deed or deed of trust conveying or encumbering the homestead, even if the title is in only one spouse's name.

    • Community property state: Property acquired during marriage is generally owned equally by both spouses.

    • Agricultural land exemptions: Land qualifying for ag appraisal is valued on productive capacity rather than market value. Assessed values may be substantially lower than market value.

    Typical Contents of a La Salle County Property Record

    • Deeds:

      • Grantor and grantee names

      • Full legal description

      • Consideration

      • Warranty covenants

      • Acknowledgment

      • Recording volume and page.

    • Deeds of Trust:

      • Borrower,

      • Lender and trustee names;

      • Loan amount;

      • Legal description;

      • Power of sale clause.

    • Oil and Gas Leases:

      • Lessor and lessee names

      • Description of leased premises

      • Primary term; royalty rate

      • Bonus consideration

      • Pugh clause

      • Depth clause if applicable.

    • Surface Use Agreements:

      • Operator and surface owner parties;

      • Permitted uses

      • Pad locations

      • Pipeline routes

      • Compensation and damage provisions

      • Term.

    • Pipeline Easements:

      • Grantor and grantee

      • Easement corridor description

      • Pipe diameter or specifications

      • Compensation

      • Term.

    • Releases:

      • Reference to the original deed of trust

      • Statement of satisfaction

      • Lender signature.

    Recording Changes to Property Titles

    All instruments affecting real property must be recorded with the County Clerk in person, by mail, or through an approved e-recording service.

    Documents must satisfy the following requirements:

    • Acknowledgment: Must be acknowledged before a notary public; dated on or after execution.

    • Legal Description: Complete legal description referencing the appropriate survey, abstract number, and block/lot designations.

    • Legibility: 8.5 x 11 inches, clearly printed, with a 3-inch top margin on the first page.

    • Grantor/Grantee Names: All parties identified by full legal name.

    Practical Research Flow (Checklist)

    • Identify the parcel: Obtain the legal description from the deed, tax records, or the county appraisal district.

    • Search the grantor/grantee index: Use TexasFile or the County Clerk's in-office index.

    • Retrieve deed documents: Trace all deeds in the chain of title. Review for legal description accuracy, warranty covenants, and reservations.

    • Search for encumbrances: Search for deeds of trust, mechanic's liens, lis pendens, and other recorded encumbrances.

    • Review oil and gas instruments: Search mineral-related instruments, including leases, assignments, ratifications, and pooling agreements. Determine whether the mineral estate has been severed.

    • Check Texas RRC records: Visit RRC for active wells, operators, and production data.

    • Verify appraisal and tax status: Confirm assessed value, exemption status, and tax payment history.

    • Confirm homestead status: Determine whether the property carries a homestead exemption.

    • Review plat records: For subdivided properties, confirm plat recording.

    • Obtain certified copies: $5.00 first page, $1.00 per additional page.

    Appendix A Municipalities in La Salle County, TX

    La Salle County has 2 incorporated cities and several unincorporated municipalities, including the following.

    • Cities and Towns: Cotulla, which is the county seat, and Encinal.

    • Unincorporated Communities and Census-Designated Places: Artesia Wells, Los Angeles, Millett, and Woodward.

    *These communities do not have independent governments. They exist only for mailing or statistical purposes. (Wikipedia).

    Appendix B Key Contacts & Portals