Zapata County, Texas

7 local notes for Zapata County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. Rio Grande Valley / Border.

Money & Taxes

Property Tax

Who Appraises Your Property in Zapata County

Two separate offices handle property taxes in Zapata County — one sets your property value, the other collects the tax.

Home & Property

Mineral Rights

Surface vs. Mineral Rights in Zapata County

Oil and gas have been produced in Zapata County since 1919, so many properties here have split estates — meaning someone else may own the mineral rights under your land.

Cars & Driving

Vehicle Registration

Vehicle Registration in Zapata County: No Emissions Test Required

Zapata County is not one of the Texas counties that requires an emissions inspection, so renewing your vehicle registration involves only a standard safety inspection.

Outdoors

Fishing

Fishing Falcon Lake: What You Need to Know

Falcon Lake sits on the Texas-Mexico border and is one of Texas's top bass fisheries, but fishing the Mexican side requires a separate Mexico license.

State Park

Falcon State Park: Camping and Day Use on the Rio Grande

Falcon State Park gives you a legal boat ramp, campsites, and shore fishing access to Falcon Reservoir right at the Texas-Mexico border.

History & Culture

Historic District

San Ygnacio: A National Register Historic Town

San Ygnacio, about 14 miles northwest of Zapata on US 83, has some of the oldest stone buildings in Texas and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

County History

Zapata County's Roots: A 1750 Spanish Land Grant

Zapata County traces its roots to a 1750 Spanish land grant on the north bank of the Rio Grande — one of the earliest permanent European settlements in what is now Texas.