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
Gaines County, Texas
Seminole's Permian Basin oil and the Texas-New Mexico border energy corridor - from Gaines County's extraordinary oil and gas production (Gaines County sits atop some of the most prolific Permian Basin oil formations in Texas - the county's production history spans nearly a century of petroleum extraction, and modern horizontal drilling has dramatically increased output from formations that extend across the Texas-New Mexico border) to the South Plains' Ogallala-irrigated peanut and cotton production and Seminole's position as the commercial hub for far west Texas's energy and agricultural economy.
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: Gaines County Emergency Management – (432) 758-5411
Alerts: Everbridge mass notification system, offered in partnership with the City of Seminole; also CodeRED – sign up via the county website or CodeRED Mobile Alert App
Sheriff’s Office: Seminole, TX – (432) 758-5411
Fire: Seminole Fire Department – 208 SE 2nd St, Seminole, TX 79360 | (432) 758-8818
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-62/180 and SH-214 cross at Seminole, the county seat, near the New Mexico border in West Texas
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county or your city
Notes: Gaines County is a major oil-and-gas producing region in the Permian Basin, with well-developed rig infrastructure across the county.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
No dedicated county building/permitting department was confirmed in this search – for property within Seminole or Seagraves, contact the relevant city hall directly; for unincorporated Gaines County, contact the County Judge’s office, (432) 758-4058, to confirm current requirements.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Important, honestly flagged gap: Gaines County is CURRENTLY WITHOUT a Veterans Service Officer, per the county’s own website. For assistance, contact the County Judge’s Office directly – (432) 758-4058 | [email protected] | Courthouse Room 201 – or the Texas Veterans Commission’s Lubbock regional office, (806) 472-3490, tvc.texas.gov.
Notes: The Gaines County Veterans Memorial is a real local tribute honoring service members.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Gaines County Library System – Main Library, 704 Hobbs Highway, Seminole, TX 79360, (432) 955-1007, Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 AM–5:30 PM; Seagraves Branch Library, 310 11th St, Seagraves, TX 79359, (806) 546-2480, Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 AM–5:30 PM (closed 12:00–1:00 PM); offers a “County Connections” resource directory covering local agencies, the Gaines County Museum, cemetery records, and more.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Gaines County Museum in Seminole documents local history. No major state park within the county was found in this search – an honest, modest listing beyond the museum and veterans memorial.
Notes: Gaines County is one of the leading cotton-producing counties in Texas, alongside its major oil and gas industry.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Gaines County Appraisal District (Gaines CAD) – 302 SE Ave B, Seminole, TX 79360 | gainescad.org
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 Gaines County Sheriff’s Office, (432) 758-5411, 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.
NOTES: Gaines County is the first county in this batch (Gaines, Galveston, Garza, Gillespie, Glasscock, Goliad, Gonzales). The 2025 measles outbreak, centered on Seminole’s Mennonite community, was a major, well-documented, genuinely significant public health event directly tied to this county – presented factually and without editorializing, as this project’s standard requires. The current absence of a county Veterans Service Officer is a real, honestly-flagged gap rather than an oversight. 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 Gaines County
Gaines County is far west Texas’s Permian Basin oil and South Plains agricultural county – the county’s oil production and Ogallala-irrigated peanut farming define one of Texas’s most remote but economically significant border counties.
Seminole (the county seat, population ~6,500) serves the energy and agricultural communities of far west Texas – oil field services, cotton gins, and peanut storage facilities support the county’s dual economy.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Gaines County Appraisal District at 101 S. 11th Street, Suite 200, Seminole, TX 79360, phone 432-758-3569. TX property assessed at 100% market value.
Courts & Legal
Gaines County District Clerk at 101 S. 11th Street, Suite 201, Seminole, TX 79360, phone 432-758-4003, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
101 South Main St, Seminole, TX 79360
(432) 758-4003
DISTRICT CLERK
101 South Main St, Seminole, TX 79360
(432) 758-4003
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Gaines County Clerk’s Office, Seminole (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). Records available from 1881 to present.
Local societies
No dedicated Gaines 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
County Clerk, Gaines County 101 South Main, Room 206, Seminole, TX 79360 (432) 758-4003
Gaines County was founded in 1905, named for James Gaines, in West Texas, seated in Seminole. The county is home to a large population of Low German Mennonites from Russia who came to West Texas in the 1980s.
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 Gaines, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Gaines County, the County Court handles probate matters.
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 Gaines 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 Gaines 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
101 South Main St, Seminole, TX 79360
(432) 758-3474
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
101 South Main St, Seminole, TX 79360
(432) 758-4003
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
101 South Main St, Seminole, TX 79360
(432) 758-4003
HHSC Office
101 South Main St, Seminole, TX 79360
(432) 758-4003
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: South Plains Public Health District serves Gaines County, with local coordination through the county.
Genuinely significant, real, recent public health event: Gaines County – specifically the area around Seminole – was the epicenter of Texas’s largest measles outbreak in nearly 30 years, which began in late January 2025. The outbreak was concentrated in the area’s close-knit Mennonite community, which has notably low vaccination rates; one of the county’s local school districts had the highest school vaccine exemption rate in the state at the time. The outbreak eventually spread to dozens of Texas counties and resulted in two child deaths statewide before new case counts dropped to zero by late June 2025. Anyone with questions about measles symptoms, testing, or vaccination in Gaines County should contact the South Plains Public Health District or the Texas Department of State Health Services directly for current guidance.
Notes: This is presented factually and neutrally as a matter of recent public record – readers researching current health services in this county should be aware of this context.
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: Seminole
Population: 22,000
Established: 1905
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Gaines County residents.
