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Texas · Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex · #435 Most Populous County in the US
Kaufman County, Texas
Dallas's easternmost suburban frontier - from Forney's extraordinary residential explosion and Heath's Rockwall-adjacent lakefront communities to Terrell's historic downtown and the DFW Metroplex's rapid expansion along the US-80 and I-20 corridors. Property tax, courts, public records, and senior services for Kaufman County residents.
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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Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Kaufman County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Office: Kaufman County Office of Emergency Management – 2125 S Houston St, Kaufman, TX 75142 | (469) 376-4163 | Fax: (972) 932-1368 | [email protected]; established 1989 under Texas Government Code Section 418, now a full-time office with a growing equipment fleet including an EOC Support Unit trailer and a Public Works Emergency Response Team trailer.
Alerts: Everbridge-based county-wide emergency alert system – residents opt in via kaufmancounty.net to receive SMS, email, or phone call alerts.
Fire/EMS (unincorporated county): Kaufman County has 7 separate Emergency Services Districts (ESDs), each contracting with a local fire department provider – confirm which ESD covers your specific address.
Sheriff’s Office: 1900 E US-175, Kaufman, TX 75142 | (972) 932-4337 | Fax: (972) 932-9751 | Jail phone: same
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-175 runs through Kaufman, the county seat; I-20 crosses the county’s northern portion, connecting to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
Transit: Confirm current local transit options with your specific city (Kaufman, Terrell, Forney, Mabank, etc.).
Notes: Kaufman County is a genuinely fast-growing part of the DFW Metroplex – always confirm whether an address is inside a specific city or unincorporated county before assuming which authority applies.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Kaufman County Development Services handles permitting for unincorporated areas, including culverts and on-site sewage facilities (OSSF); contact via kaufmancounty.net.
Within a city: Contact that city’s building department directly.
Notes: Kaufman County was created in 1848 from Henderson County land, named for David S. Kaufman, a Republic of Texas diplomat and U.S. Representative. The town of Kaufman began as “Kingsboro,” founded around William P. King’s King’s Fort settlement in 1840, before being renamed for the county in 1852.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Kaufman County Veterans Services – contact via kaufmancounty.net/290/Veterans-Services; provides specialized benefits guidance to veterans, widows, widowers, and dependents.
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Kaufman County Library – 3790 S Houston St, Kaufman, TX 75142 | (972) 932-6222; officially organized in 1971 (with roots going back further via the Kaufman Clover women’s group), moved into a new 9,500-square-foot building on Houston Street in 1991; holds a genuinely outstanding genealogy collection covering Kaufman County family files and cemetery records, supported by the Friends of the Kaufman County Library.
Notes: Other cities in the county maintain separate library systems – the Riter C. Hulsey Public Library in Terrell, (972) 551-6663, and the Tri-County Library in Mabank, (903) 887-9622, among others – confirm which one covers your specific address.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Kaufman County sits on the Blackland Prairie of Northeast Texas, on the divide between the Trinity and Sabine River watersheds; Cedar Creek and its tributaries feed Cedar Creek Reservoir in the southern part of the county, a real regional recreation resource. The Kaufman County Historical Commission, 3003 S Washington St, Kaufman, TX, maintains an ongoing survey of local historical sites and information.
Notes: A modest, honest listing focused on the county’s genuine natural and historical resources rather than manufactured attractions.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Kaufman County Appraisal District – confirm current contact via kaufmancounty.net
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Kaufman County Pet Adoption Center – 1904 E US Highway 175, Kaufman, TX 75142 | (469) 376-4120 | [email protected]; a real, purpose-built 12,560-square-foot facility (groundbreaking March 2021) collaborating with the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Department of Animal Control to house dogs picked up in unincorporated areas of the county; features a cutting-edge HVAC system (12-16 air exchanges/hour, no cross-room air transfer), indoor/outdoor kennels, and “Get-to-Know” matchmaking rooms. As of October 2024, the county has directly managed the center (previously co-managed with the North Texas Humane Society). For stray animal reports, call the Sheriff’s Department, (972) 932-4337, to reach the on-duty Animal Control Officer.
Independent nonprofit: Kaufman County Cats – a foster-based cat rescue with no physical shelter, relying on donated space and volunteer foster homes.
Notes: Many individual cities in the county (Forney, Terrell, Athens area, etc.) maintain their own separate shelters – confirm which one covers your specific address.
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 your specific city.
NOTES: Kaufman County is the fifth county in this batch (Jim Wells, Johnson, Jones, Karnes, Kaufman, Kendall, Kenedy) and a fast-growing part of the DFW Metroplex. The Kaufman County Pet Adoption Center is a real, well-resourced, recently built facility worth highlighting in detail. 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 Kaufman County
Kaufman County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States and the 435th most populous, covering 786 square miles of the Blackland Prairie directly east of Dallas on US-80 and I-20.
Forney (population ~26,000) has experienced one of the most dramatic growth trajectories of any Texas city – a community of fewer than 5,000 in 2000 that has grown nearly sixfold in two decades, driven by master-planned residential communities offering relatively affordable DFW homes within commuting distance of Dallas via US-80. Villages of Towne Lake, Windmill Farms, and dozens of other planned communities have transformed Forney from a small agricultural town into a full-scale suburban city. The Forney ISD has been under continuous pressure to build new schools to accommodate enrollment growth.
Terrell (population ~18,000) is Kaufman County’s second city and its traditional commercial center – a historic East Texas town with a well-preserved downtown on the old Texas & Pacific Railway corridor. Terrell has maintained more of its agricultural and small-town character compared to the explosive suburban growth of Forney and Heath.
Kaufman (the county seat, population ~8,000) is the county’s governmental center – a smaller community with the county courthouse and related governmental functions.
Heath (population ~10,000) straddles the Kaufman-Rockwall county line – a high-end residential community directly adjacent to Lake Ray Hubbard whose lakefront properties and proximity to Rockwall’s amenities have produced significant luxury residential appreciation.
Kaufman County’s growth is being sustained by new logistics and manufacturing facilities along I-20 – major distribution centers have located in the county’s western reaches, providing employment anchors alongside the residential growth.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
The Kaufman County Appraisal District (KCAD) at 3950 S. Houston Street, Kaufman, TX 75142, phone 972-932-6081, appraises all property at 100% of market value.
The protest process: File by May 15 (or 30 days after notice). Homestead exemption: Apply with KCAD. No TX estate or inheritance tax.
OWNWELL CTA: KCAD protest deadline: May 15. Forney among fastest-growing Texas cities; Heath lakefront luxury appreciation strong. No TX estate or inheritance tax. Ownwell manages the protest with no upfront cost.
Recommended
KCAD protest deadline: May 15. Forney among fastest-growing Texas cities; Heath lakefront luxury appreciation strong. No TX estate or inheritance tax. Ownwell manages the protest with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
District Court (Probate): Kaufman County’s District Courts (86th, 422nd) at 100 W. Mulberry Street, Kaufman, TX 75142, phone 972-932-4331, handle probate and all civil and criminal matters.
County Clerk: The Kaufman County Clerk at 100 W. Mulberry Street maintains deed records, probate records, and marriage licenses. Land records searchable online.
Senior Services
The Kaufman County Senior Services and the East Texas Area Council of Governments serve the county’s senior population. Contact the Kaufman County Judge’s office at 972-932-4302 for senior services referrals. Lake Pointe Medical Center in adjacent Rockwall County and CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances in Tyler provide regional healthcare.
Recommended
Assisted living, memory care, and independent living across Kaufman County - from Forney and Terrell to Kaufman, Heath, and the US-80 corridor communities.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
100 West Mulberry St, Kaufman, TX 75142
(972) 932-4331
DISTRICT CLERK
100 West Mulberry St, Kaufman, TX 75142
(972) 932-4331
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Kaufman County Clerk’s Office, Kaufman (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Kaufman 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, Kaufman County 100 West Mulberry Street, Kaufman, TX 75142 (972) 932-4331 Kaufman County is in North Texas, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, seated in Kaufman.
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 Kaufman, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Kaufman 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 Kaufman 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 Kaufman 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
1000 South Washington St, Kaufman, TX 75142
(972) 932-4331
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
100 West Mulberry St, Kaufman, TX 75142
(972) 932-4331
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
3121 South Houston St, Kaufman, TX 75142
(972) 932-9297
HHSC Office
2000 South Washington St, Kaufman, TX 75142
(972) 932-6900
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Public Health information is listed among Kaufman County’s Quick Links – confirm current contact via kaufmancounty.net.
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