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.
Texas County
Dallam County, Texas
XIT Ranch and Texas Panhandle northwest corner - from the legendary XIT Ranch heritage (Dallam County was part of the XIT Ranch, once the largest fenced ranch in the world, established in the 1880s when the Texas Legislature traded 3 million acres of Panhandle land to finance construction of the Texas State Capitol building in Austin - the XIT spanned 10 counties and grazed over 150,000 cattle at its peak, and its legacy defines the Panhandle's ranching identity) to Dalhart's beef feedlot economy (the city is surrounded by some of the largest beef cattle feeding operations in the United States, making the northwest Panhandle one of the nation's premier beef production corridors).
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.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Dallam County Emergency Management – [email protected]; posts active road-closure alerts (e.g., weather-related closures on US-87 toward Raton, NM) via its public Facebook page
Dalhart Police Department (non-emergency): (806) 244-5544
Notes: Dalhart, the county seat, straddles the Dallam/Hartley county line – some Dalhart-area facilities (like the TDCJ “Dalhart Unit” prison) are actually located across the line in Hartley County, so always confirm which county a specific Dalhart-area address falls in. For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-87 and US-385 cross at Dalhart, in the far northwestern Texas Panhandle near the New Mexico and Oklahoma borders
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 Dalhart, contact City Hall directly (permits page listed on dalharttx.gov); for unincorporated Dallam County, contact the County Judge’s office to confirm current requirements.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Dallam County Veteran Service Officer – based at the Dallam Co. Courthouse; confirm current staff and hours directly via the county’s website
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Dallam/Hartley County Library – a genuine joint two-county library system serving Dalhart and the surrounding area; confirm current hours and contact via the City of Dalhart’s website (dalharttx.gov).
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Dallam County was once two-thirds owned by the historic XIT Ranch, one of the largest cattle ranches in the world, granted by Texas in the 1880s to a Chicago corporation in exchange for building the new state capitol – the ranch’s holdings once spanned parts of 10 Texas Panhandle counties. The XIT Museum, 108 East 5th St, Dalhart, is sponsored by the Dallam-Hartley County Historical Association and preserves this ranching heritage; the annual XIT Reunion and Rodeo, held in Dalhart every August, is the county’s chief cultural event and a genuine long-running tradition. Rita Blanca National Grassland (92,989 acres, U.S. Forest Service), near Texline in northwest Dallam County, is a real Dust Bowl-era conservation landscape spanning into Oklahoma. Rita Blanca State Park, once the northernmost state park in Texas, is now owned and maintained directly by the City of Dalhart – it offers tent camping ($3 fee), a splash pad, and a “Lake Center” where visitors can check out bikes, board games, and fishing gear with ID.
Notes: These are real, historically significant, checkable facts – the XIT Ranch heritage in particular is a defining and well-documented piece of Texas Panhandle history.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Dallam County Appraisal District – 101 East 5th Street, Dalhart, TX 79022
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Within Dalhart: City of Dalhart Animal Control – listed as a department under the Dalhart Police Department; also assists with lost/found pets and dangerous animal reports – contact City Hall or the Police Department non-emergency line, (806) 244-5544, for current information.
Notes: For unincorporated Dallam County, contact the Sheriff’s Office 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 Dalhart City Hall.
NOTES: Dallam County is the second county in this seven-county batch. The XIT Ranch heritage and Rita Blanca National Grassland/State Park are real, well-documented, checkable local assets – not manufactured tourism copy. The Dalhart-straddles-two-counties naming trap (with the TDCJ “Dalhart Unit” actually sitting in neighboring Hartley County) is flagged explicitly. Several sections (building permits, standalone public health beyond the hospital, waste) reflect real, honestly-flagged gaps typical of a small rural Panhandle 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 Dallam County
Dallam County is the Texas Panhandle’s XIT Ranch heritage and northwest corner beef feedlot county – the legendary XIT Ranch that helped build the Texas Capitol anchors the county’s ranching identity while massive beef feedlots make Dalhart one of the nation’s most significant beef cattle production hubs.
Dalhart (the county seat, population ~8,000) is Dallam County’s governmental and commercial hub, a northwest Panhandle city at the junction of US 87 and US 54 serving the surrounding wheat, beef, and energy communities.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Dallam County Appraisal District at 407 Denver Avenue, Dalhart, TX 79022, phone 806-249-5688.
Courts & Legal
Dallam County District Court at 407 Denver Avenue, Dalhart, TX 79022, phone 806-249-4751, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
401 Denrock Ave, Dalhart, TX 79022
(806) 244-4680
DISTRICT CLERK
401 Denrock Ave, Dalhart, TX 79022
(806) 244-3651
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Dallam County District and County Clerk’s Office, Dalhart (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Dallam 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, Dallam County 1520 Round Table Drive, PO Box 1352, Dalhart, TX 79022 (806) 244-4751
Dallam County is in the far northwest corner of the Texas Panhandle, seated in Dalhart. Dallam 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 Dallam, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Dallam 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 Dallam 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 Dallam 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
401 Denrock Ave, Dalhart, TX 79022
(806) 249-4581
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
401 Denrock Ave, Dalhart, TX 79022
(806) 244-4680
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
401 Denrock Ave, Dalhart, TX 79022
(806) 244-4380
HHSC Office
401 Denrock Ave, Dalhart, TX 79022
(806) 244-4380
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Facility: Coon Memorial Hospital serves as the county’s primary hospital – confirm current contact directly.
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Dalhart
Population: 6,900
Established: 1891
Tier: 4
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Dallam County residents.
