Start with the right Bexar County criminal-record system
Bexar County criminal records are split among several offices. Felony court files are maintained by the District Clerk, misdemeanor court records by the County Clerk, recent qualifying arrests can appear through Central Magistrate, jail activity is published by the Sheriff’s Office, statewide Texas criminal-history information is handled by the Department of Public Safety, and state-prison records come from TDCJ. Choosing the right system first can save a surprising amount of time.
Who keeps criminal records in Bexar County?
The phrase “Bexar County criminal records” can refer to several different records. A court case, sheriff incident report, jail booking and Texas criminal-history record are not interchangeable.
| What you need | Primary official source | Best starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Felony criminal court case | Bexar County District Clerk | Justice Information Portal |
| Class A or B misdemeanor court case | Bexar County County Clerk | Justice Information Portal |
| Recent qualifying arrest | Bexar County Central Magistrate | Central Magistrate Search |
| Recent jail activity | Bexar County Sheriff’s Office | Jail Activity Reports |
| Incident / offense report | Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, if BCSO handled the event | Sheriff Central Records |
| San Antonio city citation or municipal warrant | San Antonio Municipal Court | City traffic/criminal case search |
| Texas statewide criminal history | Texas Department of Public Safety | DPS Criminal History Name Search |
| Texas prison / parole offender information | Texas Department of Criminal Justice | TDCJ Offender Search |
| Federal criminal case | U.S. District Court | PACER / Western District of Texas |
Bexar County Justice Information Portal
Bexar County now uses a consolidated Justice Information Portal for public court-record searches. The county states that the newer portal consolidated several older search applications, including the former Court Records Search and Fugitive Search.
Public users do not need to register simply to access the public portal. Registration or elevated access is different and is intended for authorized justice partners.
How to search Bexar County criminal cases step by step
Open Smart Search
Enter the Justice Information Portal and choose its Smart Search function.
Search by case number when you have it
A complete case number is usually the most precise search key and helps avoid confusing two people with similar names.
For a name search, use Last, First Middle
Bexar County’s official Odyssey Portal guide instructs users to enter names in Last, First Middle Name order.
Try a wildcard when spelling is uncertain
The portal supports the asterisk as a wildcard. The county’s own example shows that a search such as Smith, J* can help when only part of a first name is known.
Use the location filter
Portal filters can distinguish County Clerk and District Clerk records. This matters because misdemeanor and felony files have different official custodians.
Include the relevant record categories
The official guide allows searches across categories including cases, judgments, warrants and protection orders. For warrant research, make sure the warrant category is actually included.
Verify the result before relying on it
Compare the defendant name, date of birth where displayed, case number, filing date, court, case type and status. For certified proof, order an official copy from the clerk.
Bexar County felony criminal records
The Bexar County District Clerk is the official custodian of criminal felony court records filed in the county’s district courts. Criminal Operations files felony indictments, issues subpoenas, sets initial case settings and processes criminal appeals and post-conviction writs.
Search felony cases
Use the Justice Information Portal and filter for District Clerk records when needed.
Public kiosk search
The District Clerk says public kiosks are available in Criminal Operations for on-site self-service record searching.
Order copies
Felony documents can be requested from the District Clerk’s Criminal Operations section.
District Clerk – Criminal Filing
Paul Elizondo Tower101 W. Nueva St.
San Antonio, TX 78205
Criminal main line: 210-335-2591
Main District Clerk Office
Paul Elizondo Tower101 W. Nueva, Suite 217
San Antonio, TX 78205-3411
Main office:
210-335-2113
Records Office:
210-335-2653
Official information: Bexar County District Clerk Criminal Operations.
Bexar County misdemeanor records
The Bexar County County Clerk is the record custodian for misdemeanor cases handled in the County Courts at Law. The county directs public users to the same Justice Information Portal for misdemeanor record searches.
Bexar County’s Criminal District Attorney explains that Class A and Class B misdemeanors are prosecuted in the County Courts at Law. The county also handles certain Class C criminal traffic cases filed in Justice of the Peace courts.
County Clerk – Criminal Central Filing
Bexar County Courthouse100 Dolorosa, Basement
San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone: 210-335-2238
County Clerk main office
Bexar County Courthouse100 Dolorosa, Suite 104
San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone:
210-335-2216
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., except county holidays.
Official misdemeanor-record guidance: Bexar County Clerk Criminal Division.
Class C cases and San Antonio Municipal Court records
Not every lower-level criminal or traffic matter in the San Antonio area will appear in exactly the same county-court workflow. Bexar County states that Central Magistrate processes Class C charges filed out of Justice of the Peace courts, while city violations may be handled through the City of San Antonio.
San Antonio Municipal Court
401 S. Frio St.San Antonio, TX 78207
Phone:
210-207-8970
Regular hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., except city holidays.
The city provides a Traffic/Criminal Case Search for municipal matters and also publishes information about city warrants and the San Antonio Arrestee Processing Center.
Search Bexar County recent arrests
The Bexar County Central Magistrate Search is designed for very recent arrest information.
Bexar County states that the Central Magistrate Office processes arrests made within the county for offenses of Class B or higher, along with certain Class C charges filed from Justice of the Peace courts. The public recent-arrest search covers people processed through Central Magistrate during the previous 24 hours.
Bexar County Central Magistrate
200 N. ComalSouth Tower
San Antonio, TX 78207
Phone:
210-335-6111
Operation: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Bexar County jail and inmate information
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office publishes Jail Activity Reports. The Sheriff’s Office states that these reports are maintained online for a maximum of seven days.
Booking data can lag while someone is still moving through the booking process, so a missing entry immediately after an arrest should not automatically be interpreted as proof that the person was not booked.
Need current charges, bond or warrant information by phone?
BCSO Central Records lists an Inmate Information Line at 210-335-6201. The Sheriff’s Office says callers should have the person’s full name and date of birth.
How to search Bexar County warrants
Bexar County’s Justice Information Portal can display warrant information when the appropriate search category is enabled. The county’s Odyssey Portal guide specifically instructs users performing a warrant search to include Cases, Judgments and Warrants and allows searching by case number or specific warrant number.
Open the Justice Information Portal
Use Smart Search rather than relying on an unofficial warrant website.
Include the Warrants category
Search settings matter. If Warrants is not included, you may not be looking across the information you actually want.
Use a case or warrant number when possible
A precise number can be more reliable than a common-name search.
Confirm status
The portal can distinguish warrant statuses such as executed or recalled. For a warrant affecting you personally, confirm current status with the responsible court or law-enforcement agency before acting.
Bexar County’s County Clerk FAQ also directs warrant inquiries to the Sheriff’s warrant division at 210-335-6030.
DWI and family-violence fugitive search
The County Clerk formerly maintained a separate DWI/Family Violence Fugitive Search. Bexar County states that its fugitive-search functionality was consolidated into the newer Justice Information Portal.
San Antonio city warrants are different
For City of San Antonio citations and municipal warrants, use the San Antonio Municipal Court warrant guidance. City cases should not be confused with felony District Court warrants.
Bexar County Sheriff’s incident reports, mugshots and record services
If the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office created the record, its Central Records Division is often more useful than the court clerk.
Offense / incident records
BCSO asks requesters to provide the case number or the date, location and name of the complainant.
Mugshot request
The Sheriff’s records page provides the current request email and asks for the full name, SID number or date of birth.
Body-worn camera request
BCSO says a request should identify the date and approximate time, specific location and at least one known subject of the recording.
Current Sheriff’s Central Records service fees
| Service | Published fee | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Offense / incident report | No cost | Current BCSO Central Records fee table. |
| Accident report | $6 | BCSO also directs accident-report users to the TxDOT system. |
| Certified accident report | $8 | Published by BCSO Central Records. |
| Record check | $3 | Local Sheriff’s records service. |
| Criminal history | $8 | Do not confuse this local service with the statewide Texas DPS search. |
| Sheriff’s letter | $2 | Published current service-fee listing. |
Fees and accepted payment methods can change. The current BCSO page states that its listed Central Records service fees are cash-only and does not accept bills over $10 for those services. Verify before traveling to the office.
When to use a Bexar County open-records request
Texas Government Code Chapter 552, commonly called the Texas Public Information Act, gives the public access to many records held by governmental bodies, subject to statutory exceptions.
Bexar County provides an Open Records Request Portal. However, the county specifically directs judicial-record requests to the appropriate clerk.
Court records
Felony District Court records should go through the District Clerk. County Court at Law misdemeanor records should go through the County Clerk.
Other government records
Agency administrative records, certain sheriff records and other qualifying county records may be requested through the appropriate Public Information Act process.
What to put in a public-information request
- your name
- reliable contact information
- whether you want inspection or copies
- a specific description of the records
- date range when known
- case, incident or report number when available
- agency or department believed to hold the record
- format preference if relevant
How to obtain Bexar County criminal court copies
A screenshot from a search portal is not the same as a clerk-issued copy. If the document will be submitted to another court, agency, licensing body or other institution, ask what type of copy is required.
Felony record copies — District Clerk
The District Clerk’s Criminal Operations page currently states that copies of felony matters may be requested in person, by fax or by mail, and that payment must be received before copies are prepared.
The District Clerk currently lists a fee of $1 per page for plain and certified felony copies. For mailed requests, the office lists cashier’s checks and money orders as acceptable forms of payment.
Misdemeanor copies — County Clerk
Bexar County’s 2026 Criminal & Bond Forfeiture Fee Schedule lists:
| County Clerk service | 2026 published fee |
|---|---|
| Copies | $1 per page |
| Document certification | $5 |
| Background check | $5 |
Bexar County local criminal background checks
There are several different things people describe as a “Bexar County background check.” They do not all cover the same records.
District Clerk background check
Criminal Operations conducts Bexar County felony background checks. The published fee is $5.
The District Clerk states that these requests can be made in person or by mail when payment accompanies the mailed request.
County Clerk background check
The County Clerk’s current 2026 criminal fee schedule lists a $5 background-check fee.
Texas DPS search
Use the Department of Public Safety when you need a Texas statewide criminal-history search rather than only Bexar County court records.
Texas DPS statewide criminal-history search
The Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Records Division operates the state’s Criminal History Name Search.
DPS currently charges one $1 search credit per search. Additional card-order transaction charges apply when credits are purchased by credit card.
Search fields
The DPS system allows users to enter information including:
- first name
- last name
- middle or maiden name
- full date of birth
- partial date-of-birth information
DPS recommends entering as much accurate identifying information as possible and warns that name-based searching can produce records belonging to a different person.
Search Texas prison and offender records
A person who has moved from Bexar County jail into Texas state custody should generally be searched through the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Offender Search.
TDCJ’s current search supports identifying information such as name, SID number and current TDCJ number. The service also supports wildcard searching for partial names or numbers.
Offender detail information may include current status, identifying numbers, facility information and release-related information where public.
Federal criminal records in San Antonio and Bexar County
A federal criminal case is not a Bexar County District Court case. Bexar County lies within the federal court system served by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, which includes a San Antonio Division.
Federal docket information and public filings are generally accessed through PACER. PACER registration and federal access fees may apply.
Western District of Texas Search federal casesExpunction and orders of nondisclosure in Texas
A record that once appeared publicly may later become unavailable because of an expunction, order of nondisclosure, sealing rule or another legal restriction. These remedies are not interchangeable.
Removal of qualifying records
Current Texas expunction law is primarily organized under Chapter 55A of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Eligibility depends on the particular arrest, charge, disposition and statutory requirements.
Restriction on public disclosure
Orders of nondisclosure are governed by provisions in Texas Government Code Chapter 411, Subchapter E-1. They generally restrict public disclosure of qualifying criminal-history information but are different from expunction.
The Texas Judicial Branch publishes official nondisclosure forms and instructions.
The current Bexar County County Clerk criminal fee schedule also contains local nondisclosure filing fees. Because eligibility and filing requirements depend heavily on the exact case history, the fee schedule should be checked again immediately before filing.
Bexar County juvenile records
Juvenile delinquency records should not be treated like ordinary adult criminal records. The Bexar County District Clerk has a separate Juvenile Division that files juvenile delinquent-conduct and Children in Need of Supervision matters and also processes applications for sealing juvenile records and restricted access.
Important Bexar County criminal-record offices
Bexar County Courthouse
100 DolorosaSan Antonio, TX 78205
County Clerk Criminal Central Filing is in the courthouse basement.
Paul Elizondo Tower
101 W. Nueva St.San Antonio, TX 78205
Houses District Clerk functions including felony Criminal Operations, along with other county justice offices.
Central Magistrate
200 N. ComalSouth Tower
San Antonio, TX 78207
Processes qualifying recent arrests and operates 24 hours a day.
Bexar County Courthouse map
The historic Bexar County Courthouse is at 100 Dolorosa, San Antonio, TX 78205. County Clerk criminal filing is located here. Felony District Clerk operations are nearby in Paul Elizondo Tower at 101 W. Nueva.
Local search tips that can save time
Felony or misdemeanor first
That single distinction tells you whether the District Clerk or County Clerk is the primary court-record custodian.
Use Last, First Middle
This is the name order Bexar County’s official Justice Information Portal guide recommends.
Use the wildcard
If you are unsure of part of a name, the Odyssey portal supports an asterisk wildcard.
Very recent arrest?
Go to Central Magistrate first. Ordinary case searching may be less useful in the first hours.
Older than seven days?
The Sheriff’s jail activity reports are only maintained online for up to seven days. Switch to court records or Sheriff’s Central Records when needed.
City citation?
Search San Antonio Municipal Court rather than assuming it belongs in a Bexar County felony or County Court at Law search.
Need a document for official use?
Order a clerk-issued copy. Do not rely only on a portal screenshot.
Name match is not enough
Compare DOB, SID, booking number, case number and other available identifiers.
Search the final disposition
An arrest or filed charge does not tell you whether the case resulted in conviction, dismissal, acquittal or another outcome.
If the record does not appear online
A missing online result is not necessarily a definitive answer. Work through the problem systematically instead of repeatedly submitting the same search.
Also consider former names, maiden names, spelling variations, municipal-court cases, records outside Bexar County, Texas statewide records, federal records and legally restricted records.
Using criminal-record information for employment, housing or other decisions
Searching an official public court or jail database for informational purposes is not automatically the same as obtaining a legally compliant consumer background report.
When an employer obtains a background report from a company that compiles background information, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act can impose notice, authorization, accuracy and adverse-action requirements. Similar rules can apply to other regulated eligibility decisions.
Bexar County criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Where can I search Bexar County criminal court records online?
Start with the official Bexar County Justice Information Portal. It consolidates public County Clerk and District Clerk court-record searching and is the primary online starting point for Bexar County felony and misdemeanor case research.
2. Is the Bexar County criminal court search free?
Public access to the Bexar County Justice Information Portal is provided as a free public resource, and public registration is not required for ordinary portal access. Charges can apply when ordering copies, certifications or background checks from a clerk.
3. Who keeps felony criminal records in Bexar County?
The Bexar County District Clerk is the official custodian of felony criminal District Court records. Its Criminal Operations section is located in Paul Elizondo Tower at 101 W. Nueva St. in San Antonio.
4. Who keeps misdemeanor records in Bexar County?
The Bexar County County Clerk maintains misdemeanor criminal records for the County Courts at Law. Criminal Central Filing is located in the basement of the Bexar County Courthouse at 100 Dolorosa.
5. How do I search someone arrested in Bexar County today?
Use the Bexar County Central Magistrate Search. It covers people processed through Central Magistrate for qualifying arrests during the last 24 hours. For jail information, the Sheriff’s Office also publishes jail activity reports and provides an inmate-information line.
6. How far back do Bexar County Jail Activity Reports remain online?
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office states that Jail Activity Reports are maintained online for a maximum of seven days. Older information may require court-record research or a request to the Sheriff’s records office.
7. How can I check a Bexar County warrant?
The Bexar County Justice Information Portal supports warrant searches when the warrant category is included. The County Clerk also directs warrant questions to the Sheriff’s warrant division. San Antonio municipal warrants use the city’s Municipal Court system instead.
8. How much is a Bexar County criminal background check?
The Bexar County District Clerk currently lists a $5 fee for a local felony background check, while the County Clerk’s 2026 criminal fee schedule lists a $5 background-check fee. These are local checks and should not be confused with a Texas statewide DPS search.
9. Can I search all Texas criminal history through Bexar County?
No. Bexar County searches cover county records. For a Texas statewide criminal-history name search, use the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Records Division. DPS currently charges one $1 search credit per submitted name search.
10. Does an arrest record mean the person was convicted?
No. An arrest, jail booking or filed criminal charge does not establish guilt. Review the official court disposition to determine whether the case resulted in a conviction, dismissal, acquittal or another outcome.
Official sources and verification links
Criminal-record websites and government portals can change. The following primary sources were used to verify the procedures and contact information in this guide.
- Bexar County — New Justice Information Portal
- Bexar County Justice Information Portal
- Bexar County District Clerk — Records
- Bexar County District Clerk — Criminal Operations
- Bexar County County Clerk — Criminal Division
- Bexar County Central Magistrate Search
- Bexar County Sheriff’s Office — Jail Activity Reports
- Bexar County Sheriff’s Office — Central Records
- Bexar County — Public Records Requests
- Bexar County County Clerk — 2026 Criminal & Bond Forfeiture Fee Schedule
- Texas Department of Public Safety — Crime Records
- Texas Department of Criminal Justice — Offender Search
- Texas Judicial Branch — Orders of Nondisclosure
- Texas Code of Criminal Procedure — Chapter 55A Expunction
- City of San Antonio — Municipal Court
- U.S. District Court — Western District of Texas