The General Records Research Request is the form the Comal County Clerk's Office in New Braunfels, Texas, uses for written requests for public information and copies of recorded documents. It is printed under the heading Request for Public Information/Copies and asks for the requestor's details, the delivery method and identifiers such as document number, grantor and grantee. It is one of the Comal County Clerk's recording and research forms, not a tax bill or payment form. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the county publishes the original at comalcounty.gov.
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What is General Records Research Request – Comal County, TX?
The General Records Research Request is the Comal County Clerk's Office form for asking, in writing, for public information or copies of documents held in the county's records. It is printed with the heading Request for Public Information/Copies.
The form states that all requests must be in writing and legible, and that a request must be document specific and contain identifiers. It asks for the requestor's name, company and branch, mailing address, phone, date and time, and a delivery method (mail or email). It also asks whether you want certified copies. The information-requested block collects the document number, volume, page, document type, document date, grantor/seller, grantee/buyer and legal description, each marked "if known".
The form is specific about limits. Requests such as "any and all liens" will not be researched by Clerk staff, and the clerk will notify you if the requested information cannot be located. Fees must be submitted before research is performed, citing Texas Local Government Code § 118.0145. A closing note cites Attorney General Opinion WW-607 (1959): the County Clerk has no duty to search the records and guarantee their correctness.
The County Clerk's page lists this form under Recording (OPR), next to land records, liens/judgments, military discharge and assumed names. The lower part of the form, headed "This area for Comal County Clerk's staff only," records the research clerk and charges, and is not completed by the requestor.
Who needs to file General Records Research Request – Comal County, TX?
Anyone who wants the Comal County Clerk's staff to research and copy a record held by the clerk uses this form. The form's requestor block has a Company and Branch line, so it is set up for businesses as well as individuals.
Conditions the form attaches to a request:
- The request must be in writing and legible.
- It must be document specific and contain identifiers. Give whatever you know: document number, volume, page, document type, document date, grantor/seller, grantee/buyer or legal description.
- Broad requests such as "any and all liens" will not be researched by Clerk staff.
- If you want certified copies, you mark Yes under certified copies; an additional per-document fee applies and email delivery is not available for them.
The form does not say who may sign for someone else, and it has no signature line. It is not a tax statement or payment form: it requests copies and research of records the County Clerk holds.
When to file General Records Research Request – Comal County, TX
Submit the form whenever you need the Comal County Clerk to research or copy a record; the form prints no filing deadline or validity period. Research does not start until fees are submitted, because the form states that fees must be submitted prior to research being performed.
The form also prints a turnaround estimate: 1 – 3 documents up to 24 hours, and 3 or more documents up to 48 hours. If the clerk cannot locate the information requested, the form says you will be notified. The County Clerk's page gives office hours of M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm, with public access hours of M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm; the office is closed daily from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.
How to fill out General Records Research Request – Comal County, TX
Enter your requestor information
Under Requestor Information, write your name and, if applicable, your company and branch. Add your mailing address, city, state and ZIP code.
Add phone, date and time
Enter your phone number, the date and the time of the request. Write legibly, as the form requires all requests to be legible.
Choose a delivery method
At Delivery Method, indicate Mail or Email. Certified copies cannot be sent by email.
Answer the certified copies question
Mark Yes or No for certified copies. Yes carries an additional fee per document.
Give document identifiers
Under Information Requested, enter the Document No., Volume and Page, Document Type and Document Date, each only if known. The request must be document specific and contain identifiers.
Name the parties and legal description
Enter the Grantor/Seller and the Grantee/Buyer, and the Legal Description if known. Be specific: "any and all liens" will not be researched.
Check the fee schedule and plan payment
Review the fees listed on the form. Fees must be submitted before research is performed; credit cards are accepted with a convenience fee applied by Certified Payments.
Review and download the completed PDF
Leave the staff-only area blank and check that every identifier you know is entered. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and send it as described under How to submit.
How to submit General Records Research Request – Comal County, TX
Requests go to the Comal County Clerk's Office, and the form says they must be in writing. The results are returned by mail or email, whichever you mark under Delivery Method.
- Address: Comal County Clerk's Office, 150 N. Seguin, Suite 1037, New Braunfels, Texas 78130.
- Phone and fax: (830) 221-1230, ext. 1128 and fax (830) 620-3410, as printed in the form's header.
- In person: the County Clerk's page lists the main office at the same address with public access hours of M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm; the office stops accepting walk-in visitors at 4:30pm and is closed daily from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.
- Fees: fees are paid before research and may be mailed to the attention of the Comal County Clerk at the address above. Credit cards are accepted, with a convenience fee applied by Certified Payments. The form lists the fee schedule; check it or call the office for current amounts.
Certified copies cannot be delivered by email. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Asking for "any and all liens"; the form says Clerk staff will not research such a request.
- Leaving out identifiers. The form says the request must be document specific, so give the document number, volume, page, grantor/seller, grantee/buyer or legal description you know.
- Submitting an illegible request; the form states all requests must be legible.
- Expecting research to start before fees are paid; fees must be submitted prior to research being performed.
- Requesting certified copies and choosing email delivery; the form says email is not available for certified copies.
- Forgetting that certified copies carry an additional fee per document, on top of the copy fees listed on the form.
- Filling in the staff-only area (research clerk, charges incurred, information returned to), which is reserved for Comal County Clerk's staff.
- Expecting the clerk to confirm that a record is complete or correct; the cited Attorney General Opinion WW-607 says the clerk has no duty to search the records and guarantee their correctness.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the Comal County property tax form?
No. The General Records Research Request asks the Comal County Clerk's Office to research and copy records such as recorded documents and liens. It is not a tax bill or payment form; for comal county property tax questions, contact the county offices that handle them.
What is the General Records Research Request used for?
It is the Comal County Clerk's written request for public information or copies of documents in the clerk's records. You identify the document by number, volume, page, type, date, grantor/seller, grantee/buyer or legal description, and choose mail or email delivery.
How long does the Comal County Clerk take to fill a request?
The form prints up to 24 hours for 1 – 3 documents and up to 48 hours for 3 or more documents. If the clerk cannot locate the information, the form says you will be notified.
Do I have to pay before the clerk does the research?
Yes. The form states that fees must be submitted prior to research being performed, citing Texas Local Government Code § 118.0145. Fees may be mailed to the attention of the Comal County Clerk, and credit cards are accepted with a convenience fee.
Can I get certified copies by email?
No. The form says email is not available for certified copies. Certified copies carry an additional fee per document, and you mark Yes under the certified copies question when you request them.
Can I ask for all liens on a property?
No. The form says "Any and all liens" will not be researched by Clerk staff. Make the request document specific and include identifiers such as the grantor/seller, grantee/buyer, document number or legal description.
Where do I send the General Records Research Request?
Send it to the Comal County Clerk's Office, 150 N. Seguin, Suite 1037, New Braunfels, Texas 78130. The form lists phone (830) 221-1230, ext. 1128 and fax (830) 620-3410. The office's public access hours are M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm.
Can I fill out this form online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service, not connected to Comal County, and does not submit the request or accept fees; you send it through the clerk's channels.
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