Are Criminal Records in Travis County Publicly Accessible?

Yes, criminal records are publicly accessible in Travis County if the courts do not seal or expunge the documents or issue restriction orders. The Texas Public Information Act guarantees interested individuals the right to access Travis County criminal records. The public can access Travis County arrest records and other documents relating to criminal trials, sentencing, and incarcerations within Travis County.

However, the public cannot access criminal records relating to minors, ongoing law enforcement investigations, victim or witness information, mental or medical health history, domestic assault, protective order, or information that violates privacy rights.

The following Texas laws outline the terms for accessing criminal records within the state:

• Chapter 58 of the Texas Family Code
• Articles 55.01 and 42A.701 of the Code of Criminal Procedures
• Chapter 411 Subchapter F of the Texas Government Code.

Who is Eligible to Access Travis County Criminal Records in Texas?

Any interested person can access Travis County criminal records unless the documents are sealed or under judicial restrictions. However, there are several requirements and restrictions for accessing criminal records in Travis County.

How to Request Criminal Records in Travis County

There are several options for requesting Travis County criminal records from their custodian agencies. Depending on the type and scope of criminal information, interested individuals can request access through the Travis County District or County Clerk's Offices, the Travis County Sheriff's Office, or the Texas Department of Public Safety. Criminal records may also be accessible through third-party platforms like Texascourtrecords.us.

The interested public can make free or paid requests for criminal records through the Travis County District Clerk's Case Information & Records Portals, send Online Open Records Requests, or visit or send mail requests to:

The Travis County District Clerk (felony records)
Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse
1000 Guadalupe Street, Room 302,
Austin,
TX 78701
Records Request
Phone: (512) 854-9420 option 3
Email: districtclerkhelp@ traviscountytx.gov

Mail Address:
P.O. Box 679003,
Austin,
TX 78767

Travis County Clerk's Office (misdemeanor criminal records)
5501 Airport Boulevard,
Austin,
TX 78751
Phone: (512) 854-9188

Mail Address
P.O. Box 149325,
Austin,
Texas 78714

Travis County Sheriff's Office (arrest records, booking information, and incident reports)
5555 Airport Boulevard,
Austin,
TX 78751
Phone: (512) 854-9770

Mail Address
P.O. 1748,
Austin,
TX 78767

Alternatively, request criminal records through the Texas Department of Public Safety's (DPS) Crime History Conviction Name Search Portal or make Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas (FAST) schedules at the nearest IdentoGo Center to perform Fingerprint-Based Criminal History Check for more accurate criminal history. The DPS also accepts mail and in-person requests for county criminal records through their Criminal Department at:

5805 North Lamar Boulevard,
Austin,
TX 78752-4422
Phone: (512) 424-2474
Email: crime.records@dps.texas.gov.

Requesting a Travis County criminal record may require the following information and documents:

• Full name and date of birth of the subject
• Case number
• Type of criminal records (for instance, arrest records and conviction history)
• Valid government-issued photo ID
• Authorization or release form (if access requires the consent of the record owner)
• Fingerprint card from an approved provider.

The timeline for receiving Travis County criminal records varies between 5 and 7 working days, and depending on the source agency, the following fees apply to copies of Travis County criminal records:

Travis County District Clerk's Office

• Basic search fee using online portals - $0.00
• Certified copies - $1.00 per page and an extra $5.00 certification fee
• Non-certified copies - $1.00 per page and $5.00 per name or case search by clerk staff
• Research fee - $5.00 for each name or case search by staff

Travis County Clerk's Office

• Self-service search - $0.00
• Certified copies - $1.00 per page and $5.00 certification fee
• Non-certified copies - $1.00 per page
• Research fees - $5.00 per name or case search

Texas Department of Public Safety

• Name-based search - $10.00 per search
• Fingerprint-based search - $15.00 (excluding the costs of fingerprinting)

Travis County Sheriff's Office

Crime-related documents such as arrest records and incident reports may be accessible for free or at minimal costs.

Record seekers should note that there may be additional costs if requests involve delivery by mail or access through the Odyssey Case Management System.

What Information Is Contained in Travis County Criminal Records?

Travis County criminal records are official details of criminal activities, their trials, and outcomes within Travis County, TX. Generally, a Travis County criminal record contains the following information:

• Personal information (this includes full name, gender, ethnicity, aliases, and date of birth if the record owner)
• Arrest information such as arrest history, time and location of arrests, criminal charges, case numbers, and booking information
• Conviction details (for instance, the type of criminal offenses, dates of convictions, and the class of the offenses)
• Incarceration details (this includes the names and locations of incarceration facilities, length of sentences, probations or parole information (if applicable), and release date.

Also, county criminal records may contain additional information like warrant records, restraining orders, court dates, and expungement status.

Travis County criminal record custodians redact information whose public disclosure violates the owner's privacy rights. Juvenile, sealed and expunged County criminal records are not publicly accessible unless by judicial orders.

Are There Restrictions on Accessing Criminal Records in Travis County?

Yes, there are restrictions on accessing some Travis County criminal records. Under Texas laws, the public cannot access juvenile, sealed, or expunged criminal records unless through judicial orders and exceptional conditions. Also, there are restrictions to public access to Travis County criminal records relating to ongoing law investigations, victims of crimes, mental and medical health histories, national security and public safety, and domestic violence.

Public access to county criminal records may be restricted due to privacy laws or public safety risks. Nonetheless, restricted criminal records are accessible to authorized entities such as the courts and law enforcement.

What Happens if My Request for Criminal Records is Denied in Travis County?

In Texas (including Travis County), custodians of agencies may deny requesters access to criminal records or information if:

• The records are sealed or expunged
• The criminal records relate to active law enforcement investigations
• Public access to the information infringes on privacy rights
• The criminal records belong to juvenile offenders
• The information is about victims or witnesses of crimes
• The agencies do not have possession of the criminal records
• The requesters do not have authorization to access the criminal records.

If custodian agencies deny access to Travis County criminal records, a requester should:

• Request an explanation for the reason for denial from the custodian agency
• Verify eligibility for accessing the specific criminal record
• Modify the request (if necessary) and resubmit it to the custodian agency
• If the custodian agency still denies access, gather all documents relating to the request (including supporting documents) and petition the Office of the Attorney General, Open Records Division at:

P.O. Box 12548,
Austin,
TX 78711-2548

• consider legal actions if the outcome of the petition is not favorable.

How to Expunge or Seal Travis County Criminal Records

A Travis County criminal record may become eligible for non-disclosure or expungement under the following conditions:

Expungement

• The associated crimes do not result in a conviction
• The owner of the criminal record receives a pardon from the Texas governor
• The criminal offender completes a deferred adjudication program
• The criminal record is for a non-violent or non-sexual crime

Order of non-disclosure

• The criminal record is for an eligible misdemeanor or non-violent felony
• The convict completes a deferred adjudication program.

Applicants must observe a 3-year waiting period for felonies or 180 days for misdemeanors. If their trials result in dismissals, individuals can petition for immediate sealing or removal of their criminal records. Also, there should be no subsequent convictions within the waiting periods.

A Travis County criminal record owner seeking an expunction or order of nondisclosure should apply the following steps:

• Determine eligibility for removing or sealing the specific criminal record
• Gather supporting documents that may aid the petitions (this includes arrest records, disposition documents, and evidence of eligibility for expunction or nondisclosure)
• Prepare a petition for expunction or nondisclosure (this must include the full names of the petitioner, case number, and arrest records)
• Identify the Travis County court responsible for the criminal case and file a petition at the clerk's office (this may be the District or County Clerk's Office or the clerk's office of a Travis County municipal court)
• Pay all applicable fees
• Notify the arresting agency, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the prosecuting attorney
• Attend any hearings relating to the petition to provide answers to questions or counter objections from interested parties.
• Wait for the court to consider the petition.