Houston DWI Records
Houston DUI and DWI records are spread across several agencies depending on the charge level and who made the arrest. Most people looking for DWI records in Houston start with the Harris County courts, which handle both misdemeanor and felony cases. The Houston Police Department handles arrest reports, and the Harris County District Clerk maintains the full case record once charges are filed. If you need to find a specific DWI case in Houston, this guide covers where to look and how to get what you need.
Houston DWI Overview
Where to Find Houston DWI Records
DWI records in Houston are split between the city and the county. Class C alcohol offenses like public intoxication get handled at Houston Municipal Courts. Standard DWI charges, which are Class A or B misdemeanors, go to the Harris County Criminal Courts. Felony DWI cases, such as a third offense or intoxication assault, go to the Harris County District Court. Each office keeps its own records, so where you search depends on the charge type.
For misdemeanor DWI cases, the Harris County Clerk maintains the records. Their office is at 1201 Franklin Street in Houston. You can reach them at (713) 274-8600. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Felony records are kept by the Harris County District Clerk at 201 Caroline Street, reachable at (713) 755-5911. The District Clerk also has an online portal where you can search by name or cause number at no charge.
| Harris County District Clerk | 201 Caroline St., Houston, TX 77002 | (713) 755-5911 |
|---|---|
| Harris County Clerk (Misdemeanor) | 1201 Franklin St., Houston, TX 77002 | (713) 274-8600 |
| Houston Police Department - Records | 1200 Travis St., Houston, TX 77002 | (713) 308-8585 |
| Houston Municipal Courts | 1400 Lubbock St., Houston, TX 77002 | (713) 837-0311 |
| Harris County Sheriff | 1200 Baker St., Houston, TX 77002 | (713) 221-6000 |
The Houston Police Department is the largest municipal police agency in Texas with over 5,000 officers. HPD makes the majority of DWI arrests within Houston city limits. The HPD Records Division at houstontx.gov/police/records processes open records requests. You can submit a request online. Standard response time is about 10 business days. Reports cost $0.10 per page, and some reports require proof that you were involved in the incident.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office handles DWI arrests in unincorporated parts of Harris County. Their records division at 1200 Baker Street also processes open records requests. Inmate information and booking records are available online at the Sheriff's website at harriscountyso.org.
How to Search Houston DUI Records Online
The Harris County District Clerk has a free online case search at hcdistrictclerk.com. You can search by defendant name or cause number. The system shows party names, charge information, court assignments, bond details, and current case status. Document images are available for purchase at $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee per document.
Houston Municipal Courts handle Class C alcohol offenses like public intoxication and minor in possession. Their online portal lets you search by citation number, driver's license number, or name. You can also pay fines and request deferred disposition through houstontx.gov/courts. The municipal court handles about 400,000 cases per year across 16 court locations in Houston.
To search DWI records, it helps to have:
- Full name of the person charged
- Approximate date of the arrest or case filing
- Case number if you already have it
- Whether the charge was a misdemeanor or felony
Note: Arrest reports from HPD and the Sheriff's Office are separate from court records. You need to request those directly from the law enforcement agency that made the arrest.
DWI Laws and Penalties in Houston
Houston DWI cases are prosecuted under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49. A first DWI offense is a Class B misdemeanor with a minimum of 72 hours in jail and up to 180 days, plus a fine up to $2,000. If your blood alcohol was 0.15 or higher, the charge steps up to a Class A misdemeanor with up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08 BAC.
A second DWI conviction under Penal Code Sec. 49.09 is a Class A misdemeanor with a mandatory 30-day minimum. A third offense becomes a third-degree felony with 2 to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The Harris County District Attorney's DWI Task Force handles specialized prosecution of these cases, including intoxication assault (Sec. 49.07) and intoxication manslaughter (Sec. 49.08), which carry second and third-degree felony penalties respectively.
On top of criminal penalties, the state adds surcharges. Under TxDOT's DWI penalty guidelines, the state can assess additional fines of $3,000, $4,500, or $6,000 at sentencing, stacked on top of the court-ordered fine. These are separate from criminal fines and are paid to the state.
License Suspension After a Houston DWI Arrest
Texas runs a separate civil process called the Administrative License Revocation program. Under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 524, when a person is arrested for DWI in Houston, the arresting officer takes the physical license and gives a temporary driving permit valid for 40 days. The driver has only 15 days to request a hearing with the Texas DPS to fight the suspension. If no hearing is requested, the suspension kicks in automatically on day 40.
Suspension lengths depend on the outcome. A first-time failure of the breath or blood test means a 90-day suspension. A first-time refusal brings a 180-day suspension. Prior suspensions within 10 years double or extend those periods. After the suspension period ends, a $125 reinstatement fee is due to Texas DPS before a new license will be issued. You can check license status and pay reinstatement fees through the DPS website.
The ALR process at the State Office of Administrative Hearings is separate from the criminal case. Even if criminal charges are dropped, the ALR suspension can still stand. The two proceedings run on different tracks with different standards of proof.
Driving Records and Criminal History in Houston
Texas DPS maintains driving records that show DWI convictions, license suspensions, and crash history. You can order your own record online at dps.texas.gov. A three-year history costs $4 online. A full certified history costs $10. Records for another person require completion of Form DR-1 and must meet the requirements under the federal Driver Privacy Protection Act.
The DPS Crime Records Division at dps.texas.gov/section/crime-records maintains criminal history records for Texas. DWI convictions and deferred adjudications appear in this database. You can submit a public information request to DPS at publicrecords@dps.texas.gov or by mail to Box 4087, Austin, TX 78773-0140. The DPS does not accept telephone requests.
Crash reports from DWI-related accidents are maintained by TxDOT, not HPD. You can purchase a crash report through the TxDOT CRIS system. A regular copy costs $6 and a certified copy costs $8. Crash reports are not available for open public viewing. Access is limited to people directly involved in the crash, their representatives, insurance companies, and certain other authorized parties.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office prosecutes all DWI cases in Harris County. Their office is at 1201 Franklin Street, 6th Floor, and can be reached at (713) 274-5800. The DA runs a pre-trial diversion program for eligible first-time DWI offenders. Records of case dispositions are available through the District Clerk, not through the DA's office directly.
Houston Municipal Courts handle public intoxication and minor alcohol offense cases. Class C alcohol charges include public intoxication, minor in possession, and open container violations. These records are separate from DWI records and are kept at the municipal court. The Houston City Attorney's Office at houstontx.gov/cityattorney prosecutes these cases. They have no jurisdiction over state law DWI charges, which go to the county.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission enforces alcohol laws statewide including sales to minors and intoxicated persons. TABC records of license violations and disciplinary actions are separate from DWI records but may be relevant in cases involving dram shop liability after a DWI accident.
The Houston Municipal Courts system processes hundreds of thousands of Class C cases each year, including public intoxication and minor alcohol violations.
Texas DPS maintains the official database for driver records, DWI convictions, and Administrative License Revocation actions for Houston-area drivers.
Harris County DUI Records
Houston sits in Harris County, the most populous county in Texas. All DWI filings for Houston go through the Harris County court system. For more detail on the courts, fees, online search tools, and county-level resources, visit the Harris County DUI records page.
Nearby Cities
Looking for DWI records in other cities near Houston? These cities also have their own local resources and record-keeping offices.