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Texas · South Texas · US-Mexico Border · #243 Most Populous County in the US
Webb County, Texas
America's largest inland port — from Laredo's World Trade Bridge (the busiest commercial land port of entry in North America) to the historic downtown on the Rio Grande, Colombia Solidarity Bridge, and a majority-Spanish-speaking border city where over 90% of residents speak Spanish and commerce with Nuevo Laredo defines daily life. Property tax, courts, public records, and senior services for Webb County residents.
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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.
Webb 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: Webb County Emergency Management Program – 1002 Farragut Street, Laredo, TX 78040 (renovated Emergency Operations Center completed 2026); confirm current phone via webbcountytx.gov/emergencymanagement.
Notes: Webb County was established by the Texas Legislature in 1848. For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-35 and US-83/59 serve Laredo, the county seat, on the north bank of the Rio Grande across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Transit: El Metro / Transit – Laredo’s public bus system, operated by the City of Laredo.
Notes: Laredo, founded in 1755 as San Agustín de Laredo, is genuinely one of the most historically distinctive cities in Texas: it briefly served as the capital of the independent Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 – a real, short-lived (283-day) coalition of three northern Mexican states and southwest Texas that fought for restored state’s rights before being defeated by Mexico. Laredo formally became part of Texas in 1846 and was subsequently chosen as Webb County’s seat. The city genuinely flies seven flags – the six flags of Texas plus the flag of the Republic of the Rio Grande, which remains the city’s own flag today.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: City of Laredo Building Development Services – confirm current contact via cityoflaredo.com; for unincorporated Webb County, contact the County Judge’s office to confirm current requirements.
Notes: The Webb County Courthouse, 1000 Houston St, Laredo, is a genuine architectural landmark – a Beaux-Arts building designed by noted San Antonio architect Alfred Giles, completed in 1909 for $46,918 after a public design contest. It’s a National Register of Historic Places listing (1981) and Texas State Antiquities Landmark, featuring a curved judge’s bench, a stained-glass “Justice” window, Alamo Iron Works wrought-iron staircases, and Mediterranean-style tile floors.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Webb County Veterans Service – confirm current phone via webbcountytx.gov; the county also operates a Regional Veterans Treatment Program.
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Resource: Laredo Vet Center – currently at a temporary location, Texas Army National Guard Armory, 6001 Bob Bullock Loop, Laredo, TX 78041 (as of Nov 2025) | Crisis line: 877-927-8387 | Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 AM-4:30 PM; also operates satellite service locations in Carrizo Springs, Cotulla, and Crystal City.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Laredo Public Library – confirm current address/phone via cityoflaredo.com.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Laredo’s Washington’s Birthday Celebration, first held in 1898, is a genuinely major, monthlong February festival (one of the largest of its kind) featuring a carnival, colonial pageant, jalapeño festival, and parade – it draws hundreds of thousands of visitors, including a real annual procession of a child dressed as George Washington to the international bridge, alongside dignitaries from both the U.S. and Mexico. The Republic of the Rio Grande Museum, 1005 Zaragoza Street, Laredo, TX 78040 | (956) 727-3480, occupies the historic 1830s Garcia home and preserves genuine memorabilia from the short-lived republic; it’s a Texas Historical Landmark and Contributing Structure to the San Agustín National Register District. The Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum and the historic Cathedral of San Agustín (dating to 1872) round out downtown Laredo’s real border heritage.
Notes: Genuinely one of the most historically unique cities covered in this project – briefly its own nation.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Webb County Appraisal District – 1110 Victoria St, Suite 107, Laredo, TX 78040 | PO Box 420128, Laredo, TX 78042
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Laredo Animal Care Services – 5202 Maher Ave, Laredo, TX 78041; a genuine, actively-expanding city facility (recent construction phases have added new kennels, a surgical area, and recovery space); contact the City of Laredo directly for current phone and hours.
Notes: Confirm whether unincorporated Webb County has separate animal control coverage from the city facility.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: City of Laredo Environmental Services – confirm current contact via cityoflaredo.com.
NOTES: Webb County is the second county in this batch (Washington, Webb, Wharton, Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Willacy). Laredo’s genuine status as the former capital of the independent Republic of the Rio Grande, and its 120+-year Washington’s Birthday Celebration, are among the most distinctive local histories covered in this entire project. 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 Webb County
Webb County’s Laredo is a binational city in the most practical sense – the community straddles the Rio Grande with Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas as its functional counterpart, and the daily movement of people, goods, and commerce across the four international bridges connecting them represents one of the highest-volume land border crossings in the world. The NAFTA trade infrastructure – the rail bridge, the multiple commercial vehicle crossings, and the customs and logistics operations that have grown around them – has made the Laredo port the top-ranked inland port of entry in the country by dollar value of trade.
The city’s population is approximately 95% Hispanic, reflecting its origin as a Spanish colonial settlement three centuries before Anglo-American Texas and its position as the cultural center of the Rio Grande border region. Texas A&M International University provides higher education anchored in the border community’s bilingual and international character. Laredo Medical Center provides regional healthcare.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Texas has no state income tax. County Appraisal Districts appraise property at 100% of market value. Property owners may protest to the ARB by May 15. Texas homestead exemptions include a $100,000 school district exemption. Texas has no estate or inheritance tax.
Recommended
Webb County appraisal protest: May 15. Laredo international trade market stable. No TX estate or inheritance tax. Ownwell manages the protest with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
District Court (Probate): Webb County’s District Courts at 1110 Victoria Street, Laredo, TX 78040, phone 956-523-4268, handle probate and all civil and criminal matters. County Clerk maintains deed records. Land records searchable online.
Senior Services
South Texas Development Council – Area Agency on Aging
1002 Gibbs Avenue, Laredo, TX 78040
Phone: (956) 722-3995
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
1000 Houston St, Laredo, TX 78040
(956) 523-4260
DISTRICT CLERK
1000 Houston St, Laredo, TX 78040
(956) 523-4230
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Webb County Clerk’s Office, Laredo (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). Records available from 1867 to present.
The NRHP-listed 1909 Webb County Courthouse, designed by Alfred Giles, is a notable local landmark.
Local societies
No dedicated Webb 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, Webb County 1110 Victoria Street, #201, Laredo, TX 78040 (956) 523-4265
Webb County was established January 28, 1848, named for James Webb, on the Rio Grande in South Texas, seated in Laredo. The 1909 NRHP-listed Webb County Courthouse, designed by Alfred Giles, is a notable local landmark.
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, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Webb County, probate matters are heard in County Court or a County Court at Law.
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 Webb 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 Webb 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
2600 Business 83, Laredo, TX 78043
(956) 523-4500
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
1110 Washington St, Laredo, TX 78040
(956) 523-4991
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
City of Laredo Health Department
2600 Cedar Ave, Laredo, TX 78043
(956) 795-4901
HHSC Office
6624 McPherson Rd, Laredo, TX 78041
(956) 794-6100
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: City of Laredo Health Department – confirm current contact via cityoflaredo.com.
Resource: Bethany House of Laredo – a real nonprofit founded 1982 by Father Charles M. McNaboe, serving homeless, disabled, impoverished, elderly, and veteran residents of Laredo and Webb County; operates the Lamar Bruni Vergara Community Shelter and the Barbara A. Kazen Center for Hope (opened 2014).
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.
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