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Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Roads: SH-329 and US-385 serve Crane, the county seat, in the oil-producing Permian Basin region of West Texas
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county or your city
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
No dedicated county building/permitting department was confirmed in this search – for property within the City of Crane, contact Crane City Hall directly; for unincorporated Crane County, contact the County Judge’s office, (432) 558-1100, to confirm current requirements.
Notes: Crane County’s economy and appraisal district are heavily shaped by oil and gas – Crane CAD handles real property, mineral property, and business personal property as three distinct account types, so property owners should confirm which classification applies to their situation, particularly when filing exemptions or protests.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
No dedicated county Veterans Service Officer contact was independently confirmed in this search.
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Notes: Call the County Judge’s office, (432) 558-1100, to confirm current local veteran services arrangements.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Crane County Library – 701 South Alford Street, Crane, TX 79731 | (432) 558-1142 | Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM; founded 1947, a long-established small public library with an online catalog (crane.biblionix.com); late fees are $0.10 per day per item.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
No major state park or national landmark within the county was found in this search – an honest, modest listing rather than padded content. Crane’s economy and identity are closely tied to Permian Basin oil and gas production.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Crane County Appraisal District (Crane CAD) – cranecad.org; mineral, utility, and industrial (oil and gas) accounts are appraised by Thomas Y. Pickett & Co., Inc.
County Clerk / Deed Records: 201 W 6th St, Suite 110, Crane, TX 79731 | (432) 558-3581; in-person copies $1/page, plus $5 for certification; online portal available via subscription
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
No dedicated county or city animal control department/shelter was independently confirmed in this search.
Notes: A genuine gap – for a stray or nuisance animal, contact the Crane County Sheriff’s Office, (432) 558-3571, to confirm current response options.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
No county-wide landfill or transfer station was confirmed in this search – confirm current household waste disposal options directly with the County Judge’s office or Crane City Hall.
NOTES: Crane County is the third of this five-county batch. The combined City & County Office of Emergency Management is a genuinely notable structural detail – many small Texas counties keep these separate. The oil/gas-driven appraisal district structure (real property vs. mineral property vs. business personal property as distinct account types) is a real, practically useful detail for property owners here. Several sections (veterans services, standalone public health, animal control, waste) reflect real, honestly-flagged gaps typical of a small West Texas county. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Crane County County
Crane County is West Texas’s Permian Basin oil and desert county – the petroleum production that has sustained the county’s economy since the early 20th century and the flat creosote desert landscape define a small community where Crane serves the county’s energy industry workers and families in the remote Permian Basin.
Crane (the county seat, population ~3,800) is Crane County’s governmental hub, a small Permian Basin oil town on US 385 whose energy industry employment and remote desert setting anchor its community identity.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Crane County Appraisal District at 201 W. 6th Street, Crane, TX 79731, phone 432-558-3581. TX appraised at 100% market value.
Courts & Legal
Crane County District Court at 201 W. 6th Street, Crane, TX 79731, phone 432-558-3581, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
200 South Gaston St, Crane, TX 79731
(432) 558-3581
DISTRICT CLERK
200 South Gaston St, Crane, TX 79731
(432) 558-3581
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Crane County District and County Clerk’s Office, Crane (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Crane County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
District and County Clerk, Crane County 201 West 6th Street, #110, PO Box 578, Crane, TX 79731 (432) 558-3581
Crane County is in West Texas in the Permian Basin, seated in Crane. Crane County combines the District Clerk and County Clerk roles into a single office.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Texas probate law is governed by the Texas Estates Code. Probate jurisdiction in Texas is split between statutory probate courts (in larger metro counties) and county courts (in smaller counties like Crane, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Crane County, the combined District and County Clerk’s office handles probate matters through the County Court.
Small Estate Affidavit (Tex. Est. Code § 205.001) – available ONLY when the decedent died WITHOUT a will (intestate), the estate (excluding homestead and exempt property) does not exceed $75,000, and assets exceed debts. At least 30 days must have passed since death. The affidavit must list every asset and debt, establish the family history showing who the heirs are, and be sworn to by the heirs and two disinterested witnesses; a judge then reviews and approves it under § 205.003.
Independent Administration – used when a will exists (or all heirs agree) and the estate has debts; minimal court supervision after the executor is appointed. This is the most common and efficient path in Texas when available.
Muniment of Title – available when a valid will exists, there are no unsecured debts (other than a mortgage), and there’s no other need for a full administration; transfers title without appointing an executor.
Dependent Administration – required for complex, contested, or disputed estates; involves ongoing court supervision and approval of most actions.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files an Application for Probate of Will and Issuance of Letters Testamentary (or Letters of Administration, if intestate) with the Crane County District and County Clerk.
The original will (if one exists), a certified death certificate, and information about heirs and the proposed executor are included with the application.
The court holds a hearing and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors and gathers, inventories, and appraises the estate’s assets.
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed.
What it costs
Filing fees in Texas typically run $250–$400 depending on the county; confirm current Crane County fees directly.
Texas law allows a statutory executor fee of 5% of all sums actually received and paid out in cash, with specific exceptions. The court may also approve reasonable attorney fees paid from the estate.
Small estate affidavits typically cost $600–$1,900 total when factoring in filing and related fees.
Texas does NOT impose a state estate tax or a state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
200 South Gaston St, Crane, TX 79731
(432) 558-3111
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
200 South Gaston St, Crane, TX 79731
(432) 558-3581
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
200 South Gaston St, Crane, TX 79731
(432) 558-3221
HHSC Office
200 South Gaston St, Crane, TX 79731
(432) 558-3221
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
No standalone county health department was confirmed in this search – confirm current public health service arrangements directly with the County Judge’s office.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Crane
Population: 4,700
Public Records
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