Tarrant County criminal records are not kept in one database. Felony court files are maintained by the District Clerk, most Class A and B misdemeanor records by the County Clerk, certain fine-only Class C cases by Justice Courts or municipal courts, jail records by the Sheriff’s Office, and statewide Texas criminal-history information by the Department of Public Safety. This guide shows exactly which source to use and what to do when an online search does not answer the question.
Which Tarrant County criminal record do you actually need?
Tarrant County separates records by court level and agency. The same person can therefore appear in a jail system, a felony district-court file, a misdemeanor case, a Texas DPS criminal-history record and an appellate case without those systems being interchangeable.
| Record needed | Official source | Useful for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felony court case | Tarrant County District Clerk | District court felony filings and documents | Remote document access is not a simple free statewide search |
| Class A/B misdemeanor | Tarrant County County Clerk | County Criminal Court case information and copies | Does not provide felony case information |
| Class C citation | Justice Court or municipal court | Fine-only misdemeanor citation cases | Correct court depends on issuing agency/location |
| Current jail booking | Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office | Custody, charge and bond information | Not a complete criminal history |
| Recent county bookings | Sheriff Daily Booked-In Reports | Bookings during the previous 14 days | Recent activity only |
| Texas statewide criminal history | Texas Department of Public Safety | Public Texas conviction/deferred-adjudication data | Name search can produce false matches |
| Federal criminal case | PACER / Northern District of Texas | Federal criminal dockets and documents | Separate federal system |
Search Tarrant County felony criminal records
The Tarrant County District Clerk is the official custodian of criminal district-court records. Tarrant County currently has multiple district courts handling felony-level criminal matters, and the District Clerk’s Criminal Section maintains the filed records.
District Clerk Criminal Section
Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center401 W. Belknap Street, 3rd Floor
Fort Worth, TX 76196
Phone:
817-884-1342
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
For a one-time felony search
The simplest official route for many users is the public-access terminal or a Clerk-performed search at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center.
Onsite document lookup
The District Clerk currently offers free self-service document lookup at public-access terminals.
$5 basic record search
If you do not know the case number, a Clerk-performed basic records search carries a $5 research charge.
$5 local check
Tarrant County also offers a $5 felony background check covering Tarrant County felony cases only.
Can you search Tarrant County felony records online?
Tarrant County’s District Clerk offers a remote Web Based Access Service that includes felony district-court records and imaged court documents. It is primarily a subscription service rather than a simple one-time free public search.
The District Clerk’s current 2026 service page lists:
- $50 nonrefundable processing fee
- two months of service at setup
- $35 monthly fee for 1-5 users
- remote access approximately 23 hours per day
- civil, family, delinquent tax and criminal district records
- access to imaged court documents where available
A useful Tarrant County feature: records before a felony case is filed
Tarrant County is unusually helpful when a person has been magistrated but the prosecutor has not yet formally filed a felony case. Since 2021, the District Clerk has provided access to certain unfiled criminal documents.
Available records can include:
- probable-cause affidavit
- probable-cause determination
- arrest warrant
- arrest-warrant affidavit
- magistrate warning
- conditions of bail
- personal bond
- emergency-protection order
- firearm warning
- other qualifying magistration records
Preferred request email: dcmagrequest@tarrantcountytx.gov
Walk-in requests are also accepted through the District Clerk’s Criminal Section on the third floor of the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center.
Unfiled criminal documentsSearch Tarrant County misdemeanor criminal records
The Tarrant County County Clerk Criminal Division is the keeper of record for Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases arising from offenses in Tarrant County. The County Clerk states that its criminal records date back to 1976.
Tarrant County Clerk Criminal Division
Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center401 W. Belknap Street, 2nd Floor
Fort Worth, TX 76196
Case-status / records phone:
817-884-1066
Published office hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
The County Clerk can provide information such as:
- case number
- assigned court
- court date
- attorney name
- bondsman name
- copies of public misdemeanor records
Copy requests may be sent to: CountyClerkCriminalEfile@tarrantcountytx.gov .
Tarrant County Criminal CourtsClass C misdemeanor and citation records
Class C misdemeanors are generally fine-only offenses. In Tarrant County, some Class C cases are handled by Justice of the Peace courts, while municipal citations can be maintained by the city court that issued or received the case.
Tarrant County Justice Courts state that they handle Class C citations issued by agencies such as:
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens
- Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office
- other matters within Justice Court jurisdiction
Tarrant County’s public Odyssey records system can be used for supported Justice Court records.
Tarrant County Records SearchHow to read a Tarrant County criminal case result
The original accusation rarely tells the whole story. Follow the case through its final judgment or disposition before relying on it.
| Entry | What it generally means | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Arrest | Law enforcement took a person into custody or initiated the arrest process. | Whether a criminal case was later filed. |
| Complaint / information | A formal charging document, commonly used in misdemeanor proceedings. | Final disposition of each charge. |
| Indictment | A grand jury returned felony charges. | An indictment is not a conviction. |
| Deferred adjudication | The court deferred a final adjudication while conditions were completed. | Whether the case later became eligible for nondisclosure or other relief. |
| Dismissed | The charge or case was dismissed. | Whether arrest records remain elsewhere. |
| Acquitted | The defendant was found not guilty. | Whether expunction eligibility may exist. |
| Judgment of conviction | The court entered a conviction. | Offense, degree, sentence and later appellate activity. |
Tarrant County criminal record copies and certification fees
Felony District Clerk copy fees
| Copy type | Current published fee |
|---|---|
| Non-certified paper | $1 per page |
| Non-certified electronic, 1-10 pages | $1 total |
| Non-certified electronic, 11+ pages | $1 for pages 1-10 plus 10¢ per additional page |
| Certified paper | $1 per page + $5 certification/seal fee |
| Certified electronic | Electronic copy fee + $5 certification/seal fee |
| Research without case number | $5 |
For a mailed felony request, the District Clerk asks for a self-addressed stamped envelope for certified copies. For non-certified electronic copies, include a valid email address. The District Clerk does not accept personal checks for these copy requests.
Misdemeanor copies
The County Clerk handles copies of Class A and B misdemeanor cases. Call 817-884-1066 or email the Criminal Division for the current purchase process and exact fee for the requested record.
Tarrant County local criminal background checks
Tarrant County offers separate local background searches for felony and misdemeanor court records. Neither service is a statewide Texas background check.
District Clerk felony background check
Fee: $5
Coverage: Tarrant County felony cases only
Needed: full name and date of birth
Available on the third floor of the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center.
County Clerk misdemeanor background check
Fee: $5
Coverage: qualifying Tarrant County misdemeanor records
Contact: 817-884-1066
Available through the County Clerk Criminal Division on the second floor.
Tarrant County inmate and jail search
For current Tarrant County jail custody, use the Sheriff’s official inmate-search system.
Search Tarrant County inmatesIf someone is currently incarcerated, the Sheriff’s Office also lists 817-884-3000 for information regarding charges, bond amounts and other custody details.
Corrections Center
100 N. LamarFort Worth, TX 76196
817-884-3000
Lon Evans Jail
600 W. WeatherfordFort Worth, TX 76196
817-884-3000
Green Bay Jail
2500 Urban DriveFort Worth, TX 76106
817-884-3000
Recent Tarrant County booking records
The Sheriff’s Office publishes Daily Booked-In Reports for the previous 14 days. This is useful when researching very recent county jail activity.
View Daily Booked-In ReportsRequest Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office records
For Sheriff-created offense reports, jail records and other qualifying records, use the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Records Division.
Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office
200 Taylor Street, 6th FloorFort Worth, TX 76196
Phone:
817-884-2942
Email:
TCSO_Records@tarrantcountytx.gov
Helpful request details include:
- report number
- type of incident
- date of occurrence
- incident address
- names of people involved
- specific record or media requested
How Tarrant County criminal warrant information works
Tarrant County does not operate an unrestricted public online criminal-warrant name search through the Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s published policy says criminal warrant information is provided to licensed bondsmen, attorneys and law-enforcement agencies—not released generally to the public.
Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office
200 Taylor Street, 6th FloorFort Worth, TX 76196
Phone: 817-884-1289
Traffic warrants
For a traffic warrant, the Sheriff’s Office instructs users to contact the agency that issued the citation. If a Tarrant County Sheriff’s deputy issued it, contact the Justice of the Peace shown on the citation.
Executed search warrants and probable-cause warrants
Arrest warrants and executed search warrants are different records. Tarrant County District Clerk provides public access to qualifying executed search and probable-cause warrants.
To search an executed warrant, the District Clerk says you generally need either:
- District Clerk warrant number
- person information associated with the warrant
- location information associated with the warrant
For an official certified copy, contact the District Clerk instead of relying solely on a downloaded public-search image.
Tarrant County Public Information Act requests
Texas Government Code Chapter 552 gives the public a right to request government records, subject to statutory exceptions.
Tarrant County Public Information ActA major criminal-record limitation
Tarrant County’s Criminal District Attorney explains that a governmental body generally cannot respond to a broad request by compiling all arrests or criminal charges associated with a person. Such a compiled criminal-history request can be withheld.
Countywide requests can be submitted through Tarrant County’s online public-records portal, by email at openrecords@tarrantcountytx.gov, or through the other methods published by the county.
Texas DPS statewide criminal-history search
When Tarrant County alone is not enough, the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Records Division provides the state’s public criminal-history name-search system.
Texas DPS Criminal History Search$1 search credit
The current DPS public search uses credits costing $1 each. Card-purchase processing charges can apply.
Texas records
DPS is the Texas criminal-history repository. Its public service is not a nationwide FBI search.
Convictions and deferred adjudication
Texas DPS says conviction and deferred-adjudication records can be public under Texas law.
How to get better name-search results
- enter full first and last name
- include middle name when known
- include maiden name when relevant
- enter full date of birth when known
- avoid nicknames
- verify the person’s identifying details before relying on a match
Fingerprint-based Texas criminal-history review
If you are checking your own Texas criminal history or need an authorized fingerprint-based search, DPS uses fingerprint comparison rather than relying only on name and date of birth.
DPS’s published Crime Records guidance identifies fingerprint-based review as the more accurate method for confirming whether a criminal-history record belongs to a specific person.
The exact total cost can depend on the service and fingerprint provider, so verify current IdentoGO / FAST charges when scheduling.
Texas DPS Crime RecordsWas the Tarrant County criminal case appealed?
Criminal appeals from Tarrant County district and county courts generally go to the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth, except death-penalty appeals, which go directly to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Second Court of Appeals
Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center401 W. Belknap Street, Suite 9000
Fort Worth, TX 76196-0211
Phone:
817-884-1900
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
The appellate court’s public Case Information tools can show case events, documents, released orders and opinions.
Tarrant County expunction and nondisclosure records
Texas law distinguishes an expunction from an order of nondisclosure.
Removal of eligible records
Chapter 55A of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure governs many expunction proceedings. Eligibility depends on the arrest, disposition and other statutory conditions.
Restricted public disclosure
An order of nondisclosure generally limits public disclosure of qualifying criminal-history information while preserving access for authorized criminal-justice and other entities.
Tarrant County District Clerk’s Felony/Civil Section handles:
- felony and misdemeanor expunctions
- felony nondisclosures
- related criminal civil filings
Expunction information:
817-884-1231
Felony nondisclosure information:
817-884-2508
Someone else used your identity during an arrest?
Tarrant County’s District Attorney says residents whose identifying information was falsely used by an arrested person may be able to seek removal of that false identifying information. The county directs users first to the Sheriff’s Error Resolution Unit at 817-884-3049.
Federal criminal records for Tarrant County
Federal prosecutions involving Tarrant County are separate from county and Texas state court records. Tarrant County is within the Fort Worth Division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Eldon B. Mahon U.S. Courthouse
501 W. 10th Street, Room 310Fort Worth, TX 76102-3673
Phone:
817-850-6600
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
PACER
PACER provides federal docket and document access. Public terminals at federal divisional offices can also be used to search supported federal cases.
Search federal casesThe Northern District says public terminal party-name and case-number searching is available for cases filed since 1990. Older records can require microfiche or Federal Records Center access.
Tarrant County criminal courthouse map
The Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center is the central location for Tarrant County felony and misdemeanor criminal records. The District Clerk Criminal Section is on the third floor, while the County Clerk Criminal Division is on the second floor.
Tarrant County criminal-record search tips that save time
Felony and misdemeanor have different clerks
District Clerk handles felony records; County Clerk handles Class A/B misdemeanor records.
No filed felony? Check magistration documents
Probable-cause affidavits and arrest-warrant records can exist before the formal felony case is filed.
Get the case number before buying copies
District Clerk adds a $5 research charge when you cannot provide the felony case number.
Use the 14-day booking reports for recent arrests
The Sheriff publishes Daily Booked-In Reports covering the previous 14 days.
Do not ask open records to build a rap sheet
Identify specific cases first; broad compiled criminal-history requests can be withheld.
Warrant type matters
The Sheriff restricts general criminal-warrant information, while executed search warrants have a separate District Clerk access route.
City police records stay with the city
A Fort Worth or Arlington police report is not automatically a Sheriff’s Office record.
Use DPS when county-only coverage is too narrow
A Tarrant County background search does not automatically reveal Texas cases from other counties.
Read the judgment, not just the accusation
Always verify dismissal, acquittal, conviction, deferred adjudication or another final disposition.
Using Tarrant County criminal records for employment, housing or licensing
Public court information is not automatically the same as a legally compliant consumer background report. Employment, housing, licensing, credit and similar eligibility decisions can be governed by federal or Texas laws depending on who obtains the information and how it is used.
Tarrant County criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Where can I search Tarrant County felony criminal records?
Use the Tarrant County District Clerk Criminal Section. Felony records are maintained by the District Clerk, with free onsite self-service lookup and paid Clerk or subscription options.
2. Where can I search Tarrant County misdemeanor records?
The Tarrant County County Clerk Criminal Division maintains Class A and B misdemeanor case records. Its records currently date back to 1976.
3. How much is a Tarrant County felony background check?
The District Clerk currently charges $5 for a Tarrant County felony background check. It covers county felony cases only and requires the person’s full name and date of birth.
4. How much is a Tarrant County misdemeanor background search?
The County Clerk currently lists a $5 criminal background search for qualifying Class A and B misdemeanor records.
5. How do I find someone in Tarrant County jail?
Use the Tarrant County Sheriff’s official inmate search at inmatesearch.tarrantcounty.com. The Detention Bureau can also be contacted at 817-884-3000.
6. Can I search Tarrant County arrest warrants online?
The Sheriff’s Office does not generally release criminal warrant information to the public. It states that criminal warrant information is provided to licensed bondsmen, attorneys and law-enforcement agencies.
7. Can I search executed search warrants in Tarrant County?
Yes. The District Clerk provides a separate process for qualifying executed search and probable-cause warrants. Searches can use a warrant number or associated person/location information.
8. Can I obtain records before a felony case is formally filed?
Yes, in some situations. Tarrant County District Clerk maintains qualifying unfiled magistration records such as probable-cause affidavits, arrest warrants, magistrate warnings and bail conditions.
9. Where can I search statewide Texas criminal history?
Use the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal History Name Search. The current public online search uses $1 search credits.
10. Where can I find federal criminal cases from Tarrant County?
Tarrant County is in the Fort Worth Division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Federal electronic records are available through PACER.
Official Tarrant County and Texas criminal-record resources
- Tarrant County District Clerk — Criminal Section
- Tarrant County Felony Background Checks
- Tarrant County Unfiled Criminal Cases
- Executed Probable Cause and Search Warrants
- Tarrant County County Clerk — Criminal Courts
- County Clerk Criminal Records FAQ
- Tarrant County Records Search
- Tarrant County Inmate Search
- Tarrant County Daily Booked-In Reports
- Tarrant County Sheriff — Criminal Warrants
- Tarrant County Sheriff Public Records
- Tarrant County Public Information Act
- Texas DPS Criminal History Name Search
- Texas DPS Crime Records Division
- Second Court of Appeals
- Texas Orders of Nondisclosure Forms
- U.S. District Court — Fort Worth Division
- PACER Federal Case Search