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

In Decatur County, it's a quiet life. The county was organized in 1845 under the name of naval hero Stephen Decatur, with the Tennessee River marking its entire eastern boundary. The largest town is Parsons; the county seat is Decaturville, and Scotts Hill is bisected by the county line with Henderson County. River recreation and small manufacturing hold the housing demand steady. The typical selling time for homes and farms in Tennessee is 30 to 60 days.

The Register of Deeds, the Assessor of Property, and the County Trustee all share one building and even one post office box, making it easy to find property records in Decatur County.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $126,400 and median rent of $629, alongside a median household income of $50,500 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.51 as a percentage of the property’s assessed value.

How to Look Up Decatur County Property Records

The state assessment site displays the owner of each parcel, its appraised value, and the Map-Group-Parcel number, free of charge. Tax bills are now available online on the Trustee’s portal. The Register of Deeds issues documents at the counter and by email, and has a TitleSearcher connection for off-site research.

Who Keeps Decatur County Property Records

The Public Records Act makes property records available to Tennessee citizens at the county level. Decatur County stores its records among three offices:

• The Register of Deeds keeps records of deeds, deeds of trust, liens, contracts, plats, leases, and judgments and receives the state recordation tax at the time of recording.

• The job of the Assessor of Property includes maintaining maps of the county's property and appraisal and assessment of taxable property not appraised by the state. The office provides the names of deputies and field inspectors.

• The County Trustee serves as the county's banker and tax collector, in addition to keeping control of county finances and disbursing funds from the sales tax. The Trustee is the tax collector in Tennessee.

Delinquent tax cases are tried by the Clerk & Master in the Chancery Court.

How to Search Decatur County Property Records Online

Work the process in this order:

• Locate the parcel at the state assessment site. Make sure you enter Decatur County and copy the Map-Group-Parcel number, value, and class under this section.

• On TNMap, map the boundary with the long line of the river representing the east side of the county.

• Access the Register's index of grants by grantor and grantee at the counter, via email, or the TitleSearcher system. Contact the Register at (731) 852-3712 for access.

• Trace back the line of grantors, linking each one to the previous grantee, and repeat the practice with deeds of trust, liens, and releases. The price is set out on each deed, with a sworn value.

• To verify that taxes are up to date, search the Trustee’s portal or call (731) 852-3723.

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

The Register of Deeds records for the communities of Parsons, Decaturville, Scotts Hill, and the river communities from Perryville south. Most financed purchases in Tennessee are secured by deeds of trust, not mortgages. The state recordation taxes are also paid to the Register when the conveyance is recorded, based upon the value of the property, or on the consideration, whichever is more.

Document types recorded include:

• Warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, and other conveyances

• Deeds of trust, releases, assignments, and modifications

• Liens, contracts, and judgments

• Powers of attorney, leases, and plats

• Military discharges and UCC fixture filings

The office can be contacted by phone or email.

Assessor of Property: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The entire market value of each parcel is assessed by the Assessor, and Tennessee taxes at a fraction based on the class of the property. The county Assessor deals with the appraisal and assessment of all property that is not covered by the state. It carries the county maps of properties and has a field inspector and deputies on the staff.

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 Trustee serves as the county's banker and tax collector. Taxes are due the first Monday in October, and the last day of February is the cutoff before monthly interest kicks in.

The state Tax Relief program for seniors, disabled homeowners, and veterans is administered by the Trustee.

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

There is no Tennessee state property tax. A Decatur County bill comprises county and city taxes. Parsons, Decaturville, and Scotts Hill have their own municipal taxes.

How the bill is figured

Residential property is assessed at 25% of the appraised value, commercial and industrial at 40%. A home appraised at $125,000 carries a $31,250 assessed value; at a combined 2.10% rate, the bill is about $656. The rate will not ever hit the total appraised value.

Exemptions and relief

Appealing your value

Begin by calling the Assessor at (731) 852-3117; corrected information resolves many cases. The formal appeal is made to the County Board of Equalization in June, followed in turn by the State Board of Equalization, based on similar sales.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

The Assessor keeps county maps and the state overlay maps publicly. The TNMap assessment viewer displays all of the Decatur County boundaries overlaid on aerial imagery, along with the Comptroller’s assessment data, and the Tennessee River runs along the entire eastern border of the county.

Details available include:

• Parcel boundaries with ownership and acreage

• Appraised and assessed values by parcel

• The riverfront at Perryville and the ridge farms in aerial view

• Property classes and record-card data

• Statewide layers through TNMap

Assessment maps are not survey maps, and river lines need care. Prove any boundary that is of consequence with the recorded plat and a licensed survey.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Tennessee uses two kinds of forced sales:

Deed-of-trust foreclosure

In the event of failure to pay a loan, the substitute trustee designated in the deed of trust advertises and sells the loan at public auction pursuant to Title 35 of the Tennessee Code. There is no requirement for a court order to be issued.

Chancery Court tax sale

When taxes haven't been paid, the County files suit in the Chancery Court, the Clerk & Master carries out the sale ordered by the court, and there is a right of redemption for one year after most sales.

Costs to Access Property Records

The state portals are free. Fees apply to copies, the vendor system, and recording.

How to Record a Document

The Tennessee Code for recording is Title 66, Chapter 24. There are four steps:

• Prepare for the state of Tennessee: notarized signatures, complete property description, and preparer’s return address.

• Include the deed requirements: tax parcel number, total value/consideration, and signed Oath of Consideration.

• Include fees: Recording fee plus recordation taxes, $0.37 per $100 for transfer, $0.115 per $100 for secured debt of $2,000 or more.

• Record at the Register of Deeds office. Original documents are returned after recording.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Decatur County Property Records Checklist

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