Tex. Property Code § 12.003
This is the official text of Tex. Property Code § 12.003, part of Texas’s Property Code — governs real property, landlord-tenant law, and property transactions.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§ 12.003. INSTRUMENT IN GENERAL LAND OFFICE OR ARCHIVES.
Official statutory text
(a) If written evidence of title to land has been filed according to law in the General Land Office or is in the public archives, a copy of the written evidence may be recorded if:
(1) the original was properly executed under the law in effect at the time of execution; and
(2) the copy is certified by the officer having custody of the original and attested with the seal of the General Land Office.
(b) A court may not admit a title to land that was filed in the General Land Office as evidence of superior title against a location or survey of the same land that was made under a valid land warrant or certificate prior to the filing of the title in the General Land Office unless prior to the location or survey:
(1) the older title had been recorded with the county clerk of the county in which the land is located; or
(2) the person who had the location or survey made had actual notice of the older title.
(1) the original was properly executed under the law in effect at the time of execution; and
(2) the copy is certified by the officer having custody of the original and attested with the seal of the General Land Office.
(b) A court may not admit a title to land that was filed in the General Land Office as evidence of superior title against a location or survey of the same land that was made under a valid land warrant or certificate prior to the filing of the title in the General Land Office unless prior to the location or survey:
(1) the older title had been recorded with the county clerk of the county in which the land is located; or
(2) the person who had the location or survey made had actual notice of the older title.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Dealing with a real estate matter in Texas?
See all Texas Real Estate lawyers
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.