Carroll County, TN Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records, and Maps

Within the 599 square miles of West Tennessee designated to be kept by Carroll County, the land includes the county’s own 1,000-acre recreation lake, the region’s largest man-made body of water. All of it is managed from the county seat in Huntingdon, where deeds and deeds of trust are recorded. The Assessor of Property appraises the parcel in question, and the County Trustee collects the tax. The books have been open to the public since the organization of the county under the auspices of Governor William Carroll on November 7, 1821.

The sale of a home is a small-town affair, with all eyes on the right price and fast closing, which, like the rest of Tennessee, usually means 30 to 60 days from offer to move-in. The county’s homes stretch from the Huntingdon Court-Square Victorians to the McKenzie college-town houses near Bethel University, while farmland is found in all 14 towns and rural communities. Agriculture and light industry dominate the county economy, with recreation being provided by the lake since 2002.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $103,850 and median rent of $702, alongside a median household income of $45,516 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.67 as a percentage of the property’s assessed value.

How to Look Up Carroll County Property Records

The portals are free of charge, but a courthouse call is advisable when looking up Carroll County property records. The state assessment site keeps owner names, appraisal values, and Map-Group-Parcel numbers for every parcel. The tax notice on the Trustee’s portal is retrieved by choosing Carroll County and searching. The documents are stored in the custody of the Register of Deeds and can be requested by mail and in person, though not on a public website.

Who Keeps Carroll County Property Records

Within Tennessee, the county keeps property records, which are open to Tennessee residents under the Public Records Act. The county offers three avenues of research into the local real estate records:

• The Register of Deeds records deeds, deeds of trust, plats, liens, and releases. This is the office of legal record for the chain of title, indexed by grantor and grantee, book and page, and recording date. It also collects the state recordation tax.

• The Assessor of Property assesses real property at its market value and keeps the Map-Group-Parcel numbering system and property record cards on file. For questions concerning value, contact (731) 986-1975.

• The County Trustee collects and distributes county property taxes and administers the state Tax Relief program. The tax collector is the Trustee in Tennessee.

How to Search Carroll County Property Records Online

The parcel side is online; the deed side is a phone call or visit away. Work it in this order.

• Navigate to the parcel in question on the state assessment site. Having found the address/owner field under Carroll County, copy the Map-Group-Parcel number, together with the appraised value and property class.

• View the parcel boundaries on a map with TNMap, which is helpful for farms and land plots around lakes.

• Contact the Register of Deeds at (731) 986-1952 or search in person for the document. Tennessee grants recording by the grantee and grantor, so it is helpful to supply both if possible; the staff will help you find the book and page.

• Also search the same index for deeds of trust, liens, and releases, with the last sale price found on the deed. The sworn value is twice the amount.

• Close at the Trustee’s portal or call (731) 986-1941 to confirm taxes are paid. Unpaid taxes eventually become a Chancery Court suit.

Register of Deeds: Deeds, Deeds of Trust, and Plats

The Register of Deeds, an elected local government official, covers the 14 towns and villages of Carroll County, from the county seat of Huntingdon and McKenzie to the smaller communities of Trezevant, Atwood, and Yuma. Tennessee law dictates that deeds of trust, rather than mortgages, secure financed purchases, so these are the documents to request at the Register for home purchases. The state recordation tax is also paid to the Register of Deeds at the time of recording.

Document types recorded include:

• Warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, and other conveyances

• Deeds of trust, releases, assignments, and modifications

• Judgment liens, mechanic’s liens, and tax liens

• Easements, restrictions, and powers of attorney

• Subdivision plats and military discharge records

Prior to searching, note that this Register is a pro-fee office, with searches conducted in person or by mail and not found on a public website. Bring or send the name and approximate date of recording; the staff will help you find the book and page.

Assessor of Property: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Assessor of Property assesses all parcels within the county at their market value. The revenue is calculated from the assessed value, based on the classification of the property. The Map-Group-Parcel number is assigned by the county, and the record cards are kept on file, with the data fed into the state assessment database. The values are updated upon reassessments performed by the state, and the office advises as to when the county is due for an update.

Use the state assessment site or call to find:

• The current owner of record for any parcel

• The Map-Group-Parcel number and legal description

• The appraised value and the assessed value after the class ratio

• The property class, such as residential, farm, or commercial

• Characteristics like square footage, year built, and acreage

County Trustee: Tax Bills and Payments

The County Trustee has their office In Huntingdon, where taxes are collected. The due date is the first Monday of October, with the last day of February set as the last day to pay in full, after which delinquencies accrue monthly interest.

The Trustee is also responsible for the administration of the state Tax Relief program for seniors, disabled owners, and veterans. The city tax is separate, so the bill is different for a residence within the city limits of Huntingdon, McKenzie, or any other city within the county.

Property Tax in Carroll County: Classification, Exemptions, and Appeals

With no state property tax, all taxes due on a Carroll County bill are either county and/or city taxes. The first number in the calculation is a fraction.

How the bill is figured

Residential and farm property is assessed at 25% of the appraised value, with commercial and industrial at 40%. Taking a home assessed at $160,000: its assessed value is $40,000; applying the rate of 2.25%, the bill comes to $900.

Exemptions and relief

Appealing your value

Call the Assessor’s office to make corrections to property information, which often resolves disputes. The County Board of Equalization meets in June, and the State Board of Equalization meets if necessary. Bring evidence of value, such as comparable sales; it is the owner’s responsibility.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

The state carries the county’s parcel mapping: the TNMap assessment viewer draws every Carroll County boundary over aerial imagery, linked to the Comptroller’s assessment data.

Details available include:

• Parcel boundaries with ownership and acreage

• Appraised and assessed values by parcel

• Farm country, town lots, and the recreation lake in aerial view

• Property classes and record-card data

• Statewide layers through TNMap

Tax maps are for assessment and not surveying; verify all boundaries of relevance against the plat on file and a licensed survey.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Two different sales appear in these records, and two different trustees run them.

Deed-of-trust foreclosure

Foreclosures on home loans secured by a deed of trust are advertised for sale by the substitute trustee named in the deed, per Title 35 of the Tennessee Code. There is no courtroom involvement.

Chancery Court tax sale

Delinquent taxes are pursued in court, with a sale ordered by the Chancery Court. The Clerk & Master handles these sales, with a redemption period of one year from the sale date, exercisable by the previous owner upon payment of the delinquency. No tax-lien certificates are issued in Tennessee.

Costs to Access Property Records

Searching the state portals is free, and so is asking the Register a question. Fees apply to copies and recording.

Recordation taxes are collected by the Register at recording, and the sworn value on the deed becomes the public record of the price.

How to Record a Document

The recording is performed per Tennessee Code Title 66, Chapter 24. The Register’s staff is not empowered to give legal advice but will advise on the details of the process. There are four steps to recording:

• Complete a document according to Tennessee standards: include the property description, tax parcel number, preparer’s return address, and notarized signatures.

• Attach the sworn statement of value on a conveyance, which certifies the transfer tax and documents the price.

• Pay the Transfer recording fee of $0.37 per $100 on the transfer, plus indebtedness tax of $2,000 at $0.115 per $100.

• Record the document with the Register in person or by mail. Having indexed the document, the Register returns the original to you.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Carroll County Property Records Checklist

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