Land & property
A Texas land purchase can leave the minerals with someone else. Groundwater rights can also be sold separately, and a creek follows different rules from a well. Before buying or building, check the deed records, legal access, water supply, tax status, and the rules for that parcel. Start with the topic that matches your question below.
The whole guide
Seven sections, each explaining the concept and then naming who gives the real answer for your situation.
Deeds (and which one protects you), title insurance and the exceptions to read, surveys, and a rural due-diligence checklist.
Before you buy ->Surface and mineral ownership can be split. Check the title history and the limits on development rights.
Surface vs. minerals ->Two completely different rules: state-owned surface water (a TCEQ permit) vs. the groundwater under your land (rule of capture).
Who owns the water ->The ag, wildlife, and timber valuations that save landowners money - and the rollback-tax trap when you change the use.
Land valuations ->County zoning authority is limited, but septic, floodplain, construction standards, private restrictions, and ETJ rules can still apply.
Land use & zoning ->Open vs. closed range, who pays for a fence, why a fence isn't the property line, adverse possession, and easements.
Fences & easements ->When the government or a pipeline wants your land: the condemnation process and your Landowner's Bill of Rights.
Your rights ->Who handles what
This hub points you to authorities - it never replaces them. Send each question to the right source for your deed, your county, and your facts.
Plain-English landowner education
Texas A&M (TRERC & AgriLife)
The neutral, plain-English starting point - TRERC and AgriLife's 'Owning Your Piece of Texas.'
Texas Real Estate Research Center ->Oil, gas & minerals
Railroad Commission + county deeds
The RRC regulates drilling and production; mineral OWNERSHIP lives in county deed records (use a landman or oil-and-gas attorney).
RRC - surface ownership FAQ ->Water (surface & ground)
TCEQ / TWDB / your GCD
TCEQ permits surface water; the TWDB and your local Groundwater Conservation District handle groundwater.
TCEQ - water rights ->Property tax & valuations
Comptroller + your CAD
The Comptroller and your County Appraisal District handle ag/wildlife/timber valuation, rollback, and exemptions.
Comptroller - ag & timber ->Eminent domain
Texas Attorney General
The Landowner's Bill of Rights spells out your rights when someone wants to take your land.
Eminent domain (State Law Library) ->Your specific situation
A Texas attorney & title company
Property questions are fact-specific - a licensed Texas real estate attorney and a title company give the real answer.
Texas State Law Library ->Separate from the tax exemption, Texas homestead law protects qualifying property from many forced-sale claims. Exceptions include property taxes and qualifying purchase-money, home-improvement, and home-equity debts. Ask an attorney whether the property and debt meet the legal requirements.
Texas's Recreational Use Statute can limit liability for qualifying recreation. For agricultural land, eligibility can depend on allowing free access, staying within the statutory fee limit, or carrying the required liability insurance. It does not excuse intentional harm or gross negligence. Review the land, activity, charges, insurance, and agreement with an attorney before opening access.
A proposed lease can affect access, land use, payment, and obligations that continue for years. Have a Texas attorney review the actual terms before signing.
Every year you can challenge your appraised value with the appraisal district and the Appraisal Review Board - it's a normal, built-in process. See our appraisal-protest guide.
For the homeowner side - the homestead exemption, appraisal caps, and protesting your value - see our homestead and appraisal-protest guides and the property-tax estimator.
Quirks worth knowing
The terms that make Texas land law confusing, in plain language.
The legal document that transfers ownership of land from one person to another.
A general warranty deed gives a buyer the most protection.
When the minerals are split off from the surface so two owners hold one piece of land.
You can own the dirt and someone else owns the oil.
The Texas rule that groundwater under your land is, roughly, your private property - you can pump it even if it draws down a neighbor's well.
Local districts now limit it in much of the state.
A narrow rule that can make the mineral side work around an existing surface use - but the surface owner has to prove it.
It applies in limited circumstances.
A limited right to use someone else's land, such as for a driveway or pipeline. Not every easement is recorded.
Many continue after a sale; read the terms and investigate existing use.
Latin for 'according to value' - Texas property taxes are based on your property's value.
Your appraisal district sets the value.
Recaptured back taxes - generally the last three years' difference, with no interest since a 2021 law change - when ag or wildlife land is changed to a non-ag use.
Ask the CAD before you change the use.
The legal process by which land is taken under the power of eminent domain.
You're owed fair compensation.
Extraterritorial jurisdiction - the unincorporated ring around a city where it has limited (no-zoning) authority.
Some owners can now petition to opt out.
Quick answers
Maybe not - minerals are often owned separately from the surface. Only a chain-of-title search can tell you, and it's worth doing before you buy. (See Mineral rights.)
Often yes if it holds the mineral development rights, but the deed, lease, applicable regulations, and surface-use limits matter. (See Mineral rights.)
Maybe - groundwater districts regulate wells across much of Texas, though small domestic and livestock wells are often exempt. Check whether you're in a district. (See Water rights.)
A domestic-and-livestock reservoir on your own land may qualify for a water-rights exemption at no more than 200 acre-feet of normal storage, but not on a navigable stream or for a commercial operation. Wildlife exemptions and construction rules need separate checks. (See Water rights.)
Ag, wildlife, or timber valuation can cut the bill a lot - but they require active use and paperwork, and changing the use can trigger rollback taxes. Ask your appraisal district. (See Property taxes.)
Generally there's no county zoning - but septic, floodplain, building codes, and deed restrictions still apply. (See What you can build.)
Not necessarily. A fence alone does not prove ownership; deeds, surveys, boundary agreements, and qualifying possession claims can matter. A disputed claim may need a court's decision. (See Boundaries & access.)
Generally no, absent an agreement or a recorded covenant. (See Boundaries & access.)
For a public use, with fair compensation - and you have rights under the Landowner's Bill of Rights. (See Eminent domain.)
No. For your situation, talk to a real estate attorney, a title company, your appraisal district, or the agency - we name them in every section.
The full directory
Every authority this hub points to, grouped by topic. These are the people and agencies who can actually answer your question.
Sources & a reminder
This hub leans on Texas A&M's neutral landowner research (TRERC and AgriLife's 'Owning Your Piece of Texas'), the relevant state agency or your county, and the Texas State Law Library - and, for your situation, a licensed Texas attorney and a title company.
Before you act: This is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Texas land law is fact-specific and the numbers change - confirm anything that matters with the agency, your appraisal district, or a licensed Texas attorney. How to use Texas Porch carefully.
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