State guide
Texas
In Texas, adult guardianship proceedings are generally probate matters handled in county courts, county courts at law with probate jurisdiction, or statutory probate courts depending on the county. The largest counties publish practical court-created guardianship packets, checklists, and fee schedules, and Texas also has a statewide Supported Decision-Making Agreement Act.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Court that handles adult guardianship
- Adult guardianship petitions are probate matters filed in the county court, county court at law with probate jurisdiction, or statutory probate court for the county; in counties with statutory probate courts, those courts handle guardianship proceedings.
- What it's called
- guardian of the person and guardian of the estate
- Official forms and self-help
- Official page →
- Filing fee
- $360.00 base filing fee published by Harris County Clerk for Guardianship of an Incapacitated Person; Dallas County also publishes $360.00 for Application for Letters of Guardianship, with additional charges possible.
- Less-restrictive alternatives
- Texas requires consideration of alternatives to guardianship and has a Supported Decision-Making Agreement Act in Estates Code Chapter 1357.
- Law
- Texas Estates Code Title 3, including Chapter 1022 (jurisdiction of guardianship proceedings) and Chapter 1357 (Supported Decision-Making Agreement Act)
Official resources in Texas
Official statewide guardianship page with required registration resources, training links, and filing information sheets.
Official judiciary forms hub for statewide court forms, including probate and guardianship materials.
Official Harris County guardianship resources page with annotated checklist, physician certificate, referral letter, training links, and guardian handbook.
Official Dallas County guardianship forms page with filing instructions for individuals, medical exam forms, and case information sheets.
Official county clerk probate page publishing guardianship filing fees and related probate pleading fees.
Key facts for Texas
- Harris County Clerk publishes a $360.00 filing fee for Guardianship of an Incapacitated Person.
- Dallas County’s probate fee schedule lists Application for Letters of Guardianship at $360.00, with additional published charges that may apply.
- Harris County Probate Court No. 1 publishes a guardianship annotated checklist, physician’s certificate, referral letter, and guardian handbook.
- Dallas County publishes instructions for individuals wanting to file guardianship cases through the Probate Court Investigators’ Office.
- Texas has a Supported Decision-Making Agreement Act in Estates Code Chapter 1357.
County court guardianship pages in Texas
| Court | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County Probate Court No. 1 Harris | Houston | 832-927-1401 | Official probate court page for one of the largest county probate courts; guardianship resources and staff are linked from the court site. |
| Harris County Probate Court No. 1 Resources Harris | Houston | Not published* | Official guardianship self-help and resources page with checklist, physician certificate, referral letter, registration links, and handbook. |
| Dallas County Probate Court Investigators’ Office Dallas | Dallas | (214) 653-6446 | Official county office page with newly filed guardianship forms, individual filing instructions, and complaint and restoration materials. |
| Dallas County Probate Court Guardianship Forms Dallas | Dallas | (214) 653-6446 | Official guardianship forms page with annual reports, bill of rights, medical exam form, and guide for guardian of the person. |
| Bexar County Probate Court Orders & Forms Bexar | San Antonio | 210-335-2241 | Official probate and guardianship forms page for another large county, with guardianship information letter, CME form, and guardian instructions. |
| Harris County Clerk Probate Courts Harris | Houston | Not published* | Official clerk page publishing probate and guardianship filing fees and explaining letters of guardianship. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Check your county first: in large counties the filing court is usually a statutory probate court, but court structure varies by county.
- Use the county court’s checklist and local forms packet before filing, because many counties require local information sheets and medical forms.
- Budget for the base filing fee plus county-published extras such as citation, service, criminal-history, bond, or ad litem deposits.
Not seeing your court or county?
Not every court publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Texas's population center, for comparison only):
- Oklahoma Department of Libraries - Legal Information for Oklahomans, Oklahoma · about 314 miles
- Oklahoma State Courts Network - Administrative Office of the Courts Forms, Oklahoma · about 314 miles
- Oklahoma Human Services - Legal Services Developer, Oklahoma · about 314 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Texas Judicial Branch - Register a Guardianship
Website →Phone: (512) 463-1656 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Texas page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.