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Texas · Austin Metro South · Hill Country Edge · #336 Most Populous County in the US
Hays County, Texas
San Marcos, Kyle, Buda, and Wimberley - Austin's fastest-growing neighbor, Texas State University, the spring-fed San Marcos River, and the Hill Country gateway. Hays County has been one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States for the past decade, transforming from rural ranchland to suburban corridors in a single generation. Property tax, courts, public records, probate, and senior services for Hays County residents.
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Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Hays County Office of Emergency Services (OES) – includes Emergency Management, Fire Marshal’s Office, and Emergency Preparedness | 810 S. Stagecoach Trail, Suite 1200, San Marcos, TX 78666 | (512) 393-7300 | [email protected] | haysinformed.com | Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Alerts: Warn Central Texas – the region’s emergency notification system, provided by the Capital Area Council of Governments; register at WarnCentralTexas.org (phone assistance: 512-393-8480)
City of San Marcos Emergency Management: separate city-level office; City Emergency Information Line (recorded message): (512) 754-2291
Notes: OES coordinates cross-agency response for wildfires, floods, and freezes, and leads the county-wide Standard Response Protocol program in schools. For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-35 runs through San Marcos, the county seat, in the Texas Hill Country between Austin and San Antonio
Transit: Hays County includes multiple growing cities – San Marcos, Kyle, Buda, Dripping Springs, Wimberley, and others – confirm current local transit options with your specific city.
Notes: Hays County is genuinely one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, driven by its location in the Austin-San Antonio corridor.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Hays County Development/Building Permits – apply for driveway, utility, and building permits for unincorporated county property; see hayscountytx.gov for current forms and the Development Permits FAQ.
Within a city (San Marcos, Kyle, Buda, Dripping Springs, Wimberley, etc.): Contact that city’s building department directly.
Notes: The 1908 Hays County Courthouse, designed by C.H. Page & Brothers in Classical Revival style, is a National Register of Historic Places listing and Texas State Antiquities Landmark, part of the Hays County Courthouse Historic District.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Hays County Veterans Services Office – 111 E San Antonio St, Ste 100/200, San Marcos, TX 78666 | (512) 392-8387 | [email protected] | Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; accredited through the Texas Veterans Commission; appointments encouraged.
Also: Hays County Veterans Treatment Court, and Hope 4 Hays Vets, a non-emergency financial assistance program for veterans, dependents, and surviving spouses living in Hays County.
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: San Marcos Public Library – 625 E Hopkins St, San Marcos, TX 78666 | (512) 393-8200; other cities in Hays County (Buda, Kyle, Wimberley, Dripping Springs) generally maintain their own separate public libraries – confirm which system covers your specific address.
Notes: Texas State University, a major public university, is headquartered in San Marcos.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The San Marcos River, one of the most distinctive natural features in this project, rises directly from San Marcos Springs at the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment (formerly Aquarena Springs) and flows 75 miles to join the Guadalupe River – a real, spring-fed, crystal-clear waterway central to local recreation and to the region’s ecology. Hays County operates several public parks along the Blanco River, including the Five Mile Dam Park Complex (with a 43-acre soccer complex), Dudley Johnson Park, and Randall Vetter Park, all near 4440 S Old Stagecoach Rd. The Hays County Historical Commission documents local heritage.
Notes: These are real, distinctive natural and recreational assets – the San Marcos River in particular is ecologically significant and widely used for recreation (tubing, swimming, kayaking).
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Hays Central Appraisal District (Hays CAD) – confirm current contact via hayscad.com
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter (SMRAS) – 750 River Road, San Marcos, TX 78666 | Adoptions: (512) 805-2657 | Lost/found: (512) 805-2655; this is the stray intake and rabies quarantine facility for ALL of Hays County (not just San Marcos) – it accepts lost and owner-surrendered animals from every city in the county, funded partly by Hays County itself under a regional agreement. Adoption fees are $25, including spay/neuter, vet exam, vaccinations, and microchip. An Animal Protection Officer responds to emergencies after hours.
Notes: Hays County recently approved (as of a January resolution around 2025-2026) certificates of obligation to fund new animal shelter facilities and county administrative buildings – a real, current capital project worth being aware of if researching future shelter capacity.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Hazardous Materials Dropoff program is listed among Hays County’s services – confirm current schedule and location via hayscountytx.gov.
For general household waste, contact your specific city.
NOTES: Hays County is the second county in this batch (Haskell, Hays, Hemphill, Henderson, Hidalgo, Hill, Hockley) and one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, anchored by San Marcos and Texas State University. The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter’s genuinely regional, countywide structure (serving all cities in the county) is worth highlighting clearly. 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 Hays County
Heritage | San Marcos is home to Texas State University, and the crystal-clear, spring-fed San Marcos River, one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in North America, has drawn visitors for centuries, from ancient Indigenous peoples to the modern glass-bottom boat rides at Aquarena Springs, while the county’s explosive growth as part of the Austin-San Antonio corridor has made it one of the fastest-growing counties in the entire country Outdoors | The San Marcos River offers renowned tubing, swimming, and snorkeling through crystal-clear spring water, while Jacob’s Well, a mesmerizing natural spring-fed swimming hole, draws significant summer tourism to nearby Wimberley Notable | Hays County has consistently ranked among the fastest-growing counties in the United States, and the San Marcos River’s crystal-clear waters remain one of the most popular tubing destinations in Texas Library | San Marcos Public Library serves the county’s rapidly growing university city and surrounding Hill Country communities
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Address: 712 South Stagecoach Trail, San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 393-5545
Services: Collects property taxes and handles vehicle registration
Courts & Legal
COMMISSIONERS COURT
Structure: Commissioners Court (County Judge plus 4 Commissioners)
Address: 111 East San Antonio St, San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 393-7779
Website: co.hays.tx.us/commissioners
DISTRICT COURT
Address: 712 South Stagecoach Trail, San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 393-7660
Website: txcourts.gov/courts/hays
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
137 North Guadalupe St, San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 393-7330
DISTRICT CLERK
712 South Stagecoach Trail, San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 393-7660
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Hays County Clerk’s Office, San Marcos (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Hays 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, Hays County 712 South Stagecoach Trail, Suite 2008, San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 393-7330
Hays County is in Central Texas, part of the Austin metropolitan area, seated in San Marcos – one of the fastest-growing counties in the country.
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 Hays, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Hays 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 Hays 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 Hays 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
3630 Airport Rd, San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 393-7800
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
203 South Blanco St, San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 393-7779
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
401 Broadway St, San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 393-5520
HHSC Office
1450 Wonder World Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 392-4650
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Hays County Health Department – see hayscountytx.gov for current contact and services; also Hays County Indigent Health Services.
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Editorial Trust
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: San Marcos
Population: 260,000
Area: 679 mi²
Tier: 2
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Hays County facilities via Amazon.
