Find DWI Records in Denton County

Denton County DUI and DWI records are available through the District Clerk and County Clerk offices in Denton, Texas. The county has an online case search portal where you can look up DWI cases by name or case number. Denton County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas, with a population over 900,000. It has nine district courts and multiple county courts at law to handle the volume of DWI and criminal cases filed each year.

Denton County District Clerk

The Denton County District Clerk keeps felony DWI records for the county. This includes third or more DWI convictions, intoxication assault, and intoxication manslaughter. The District Clerk office is located at 1450 E. McKinney Street in Denton, and you can reach them by phone at (940) 349-2200. Their online portal lets you search case records by name, case number, attorney, or date range.

Felony DWI in Texas is defined under Texas Penal Code Section 49.09. A third DWI is a third-degree felony with a penalty range of two to ten years in state prison and a fine up to $10,000. Intoxication assault, where serious bodily injury occurs, is also a third-degree felony. Intoxication manslaughter is a second-degree felony with a range of two to twenty years. Denton County's 9 district courts handle all of these felony cases.

Documents can be purchased online at $1.00 per page. Certified copies require an additional $5.00 certification fee. E-filing is mandatory for attorneys in Denton County through eFileTexas.gov.

Denton County Clerk - Misdemeanor DWI Records

The Denton County Clerk handles misdemeanor DWI records. This covers first and second offense DWI cases. The office is also located at 1450 E. McKinney Street and shares an integrated case search portal with the District Clerk. The County Clerk phone number is (940) 349-2012. Online records are available through the same portal at dentoncounty.gov/clerk.

A standard first-offense DWI in Denton County is a Class B misdemeanor under Penal Code Section 49.04. It carries up to 180 days in county jail with a mandatory 72-hour minimum, a fine up to $2,000, and license suspension. If the driver had a blood alcohol level of 0.15 or more, it is charged as a Class A misdemeanor. Second-offense DWI is also a Class A misdemeanor with a minimum 30-day jail term and a fine up to $4,000.

Deferred adjudication may be available for some first-time DWI offenders in Denton County. This is a form of probation where the charge is dismissed if the defendant completes all program requirements. The record still appears in the court system but shows a different case status than a conviction.

How to Search Denton County DWI Records

Denton County's online portal is one of the better-developed systems in Texas for public case access. You can search by defendant name using last name and first name, by case number, by attorney name, or by a date range. Results show party names, charge information, docket entries, and case status. Document images are available for purchase at $1.00 per page.

To search, go to the Denton County District Clerk website at dentoncounty.gov/districtclerk. The same portal covers both district court and county court criminal records. You can also check the statewide court system at txcourts.gov for links to resources across all Texas courts. For driving history records that reflect DWI arrests and suspensions, use the Texas DPS driving record order system at dps.texas.gov.

If you need a crash report connected to a DWI incident, those are available through TxDOT's crash records system. A regular crash report copy costs $6.00, and a certified copy is $8.00. TxDOT no longer accepts crash report requests by mail as of January 2025. All requests must go through the CRIS online system.

Note: Conviction records in Denton County are kept permanently. Dismissed cases are generally kept for five years in the court system.

Police and Sheriff DWI Arrest Records

The Denton County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records for incidents in unincorporated parts of the county. The Sheriff's Office is at 127 N. Woodrow Lane, Denton, TX 76205, and their number is (940) 349-1600. The website is dentoncounty.gov/sheriff. Jail records and inmate information are searchable online through the Sheriff's site.

The Denton Police Department handles arrests within the city of Denton. Their records division can be reached at (940) 349-7919. The department is at 601 E. Hickory Street, Denton, TX 76205. Online records requests are available through the City of Denton Police Department website. Reports cost about $5.00, and video records carry additional fees. Standard processing time is about 10 business days.

Denton County also includes cities like Lewisville, Flower Mound, and Carrollton. Each city's police department maintains its own arrest and incident records. Those records are requested directly from the respective city police departments.

The Denton Police Department handles DWI arrests within the city and maintains incident and arrest records accessible through a public records request.

Arrest reports from the Denton Police Department can be requested online or in person. Fees apply per report, and video records may be available with additional processing fees.

Administrative License Revocation in Denton County

A DWI arrest in Denton County triggers the Administrative License Revocation process under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 524. The arresting officer takes the driver's license and gives the driver a temporary permit good for 40 days. The driver has only 15 days from the arrest to request an ALR hearing to fight the suspension.

ALR suspension for refusing a breath or blood test is 180 days for a first offense, and two years if there is a prior refusal within ten years. For failing the test at 0.08 or higher, suspension is 90 days for a first offense, or one year with a prior suspension in the last ten years. For drivers under 21, the zero tolerance law under Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 106.041 means any detectable alcohol triggers a DUI charge and suspension.

ALR hearings are held by the State Office of Administrative Hearings. These are administrative, not criminal, proceedings. The suspension can be imposed even if the criminal DWI charge is later dismissed. After serving the suspension, a $125 reinstatement fee must be paid to DPS before a new license is issued. Monitor your status and pay fees through the DPS Driver License Division.

Cities in Denton County

Denton County has several large cities. DWI cases from anywhere in the county go through the Denton County courts. City police departments handle initial arrests and maintain local records.

Other communities in Denton County include Frisco (partly in Collin County), Highland Village, Little Elm, Corinth, and Sanger. All DWI court cases go through Denton County courts.

Nearby Counties

Denton County borders several other counties in the DFW area. If you are unsure which county a case was filed in, confirm the address where the incident occurred.