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

Franklin County sits along the Cumberland Plateau with about 25,000 individual parcels of land. The presence of scenic lakes, historic mountain towns, and unique landmarks like Tums Ford Lake drives people to reside in the county. The management of land and property records is split between designated county offices, including the Register of Deeds, Assessor of Property, and Trustee.

In Franklin County, homes stay on the housing market for about 64 to 70 days before selling. The local housing market is supported by manufacturing, healthcare, retail trade, agriculture, and tourism. Communities such as Winchester, Estill Springs, Decherd, and Twins Creek Village contain a large portion of the county’s residential properties. Most of these properties are single-family detached homes.

Recent housing records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $183,450 and a median rent of $820, alongside a median household income of $53,254.5 and a median real estate tax of 0.62, expressed as a percentage of the property’s assessed value.

How to Look Up Franklin County Property Records

You can access Franklin County property records through three major online portals

Who Keeps Franklin County Property Records

In Tennessee, property records are managed at the county level under the Public Records Act. If you wish to access these documents in Franklin County, designated offices share the responsibilities, with each handling different parts:

• The Franklin County Register of Deeds serves as the official custodian of all recorded land documents. It handles records such as deeds, deeds of trust, liens, plats, powers of attorney, and other instruments that affect real property. Even though the register of deeds handles all land documents in the county, it does not set assessed property values. In addition, the office does not issue property tax bills or give legal advice concerning real estate.

• The Franklin County Property Assessor appraises all property, including valuations. The office assigns the Map-Group-Parcel number to each parcel and sets the property class.

• The Franklin County Trustee collects tax payments and maintains tax records. Similarly, the office administers the state tax relief program in the county. Be aware that in Tennessee, the Trustee is the county’s tax collector and not a foreclosure trustee.

How to Search Franklin County Property Records Online

You can search Franklin County property records online by visiting the official portals. Take the following steps to view the documents:

1. To begin with, visit the Assessor’s Property Search portal. You can search the platform using the owner’s name, county, property address, property classification, and parcel ID to locate the parcel. The page will reveal information such as assessment value, property characteristics, and other details.
2. Continue with the Search Deeds index. You can search the index using an owner’s name. Through this portal, you can access records such as deeds, deeds of trust, releases, liens, plats, and other recorded instruments. Keep in mind that you must have an account and will be charged a nominal fee when using this portal.
3. You can confirm ownership by comparing the most recently recorded deed with earlier recorded documents. Ensure that the grantor’s name listed on one deed matches the grantee’s name on the previous deed. Any missing link in the chain of title is a red flag that may require additional title research.
4. Also, you can check the Register of Deeds’ index for outstanding deeds of trust, releases, liens, and other documents that can affect the use or ownership of a property. Keep in mind that the sworn value stated on a deed is used for tax purposes and does not always show the property's last sale price.
5. Overall, you can confirm the property tax status through the Property-tax Search webpage. Using this portal, you can review tax information, payment history, and tax bills.

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

The Register of Deeds records and preserves documents that affect real property in Franklin County. These include deeds, powers of attorney, mortgages, liens, contracts, plats, leases, judgments, wills, court orders, and other instruments. Keep in mind that the Register's index is name-based. As such, you generally need the grantor or grantee's name to search the land records.

Anyone can access historical land records dating back to 1808 through an in-person visit to the Register of Deeds office. However, the county’s online recording index covers records from 1998 to the present.

Assessor of Property: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Franklin County Property Assessor is responsible for locating, identifying, and valuing every taxable property. You can use the Property Search webpage to locate the current owner, Map-Group-Parcel number, property characteristics, and other assessment-related documents.

County Trustee: Tax Bills and Payments

The Franklin County Trustee is responsible for issuing tax bills, collecting property taxes, and maintaining tax-payment records. Additionally, the trustee administers tax relief programs to eligible applicants.

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

Tennessee has no state property tax. As such, a Franklin County property tax bill consists of county taxes and, where applicable, municipal taxes. The Assessor appraises property at its full market value, but only a percentage of that value is assessed for taxation based on the property's classification.

How the bill is figured

In Franklin County, residential and farm properties are assessed at 25% of their appraised value, while commercial and industrial properties are assessed at 40%. Franklin County property taxes are calculated from the property's appraised value, assessment ratio, and applicable tax rate. The appraised value is multiplied by the assessment ratio to determine the assessed value. The assessed value is then divided by 100 and multiplied by the applicable county or municipal tax rate to determine the property tax owed.

Exemptions and relief

Appealing your value

If you believe the Assessor's appraised value is incorrect, file an appeal with the Franklin County Board of Equalization. You may provide supporting evidence such as comparable sales to strengthen your appeal. If you are not satisfied with the board's decision, you may appeal the matter to the Tennessee State Board of Equalization.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

You can access Franklin County's Geographic Information System (GIS) through the TNMap viewer, which links a property to its Map-Group-Parcel number. The viewer provides parcel boundaries, streets, aerial imagery, zoning information, and other geographic data.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

In Franklin County, the foreclosure process follows either deed-of-trust foreclosures or delinquent-tax sales.

Deed-of-trust foreclosure

Most residential foreclosures are conducted without a court order in Franklin County. After a borrower defaults, the trustee named in the deed of trust may conduct a public sale after the required notice. In Franklin County, foreclosure sales must be advertised for at least 30 days in advance. Keep in mind that the foreclosure trustee is separate from the Franklin County Trustee, whose role is to collect property taxes.

Delinquent-tax sale

When property taxes remain unpaid, the county can pursue collection of delinquent taxes through the Chancery Court. The Chancery Court handles delinquent-tax matters in Franklin County. On the other hand, the Clerk & Master conducts court-related proceedings and sales under state law. Keep in mind that Tennessee does not sell tax-lien certificates to investors. After the sale is confirmed, an eligible property owner may redeem the property by paying the required taxes, interest, and other amounts. The redemption period is generally one year when the property has five years or less of delinquent taxes, but shorter periods can apply.

Costs to Access Property Records

Anyone can record or obtain copies of Franklin County property records for certain fees:

How to Record a Document

If you want to record instruments in Franklin County, make sure they comply with Tennessee recording laws:

• Ensure you prepare the document according to the Tennessee recording requirements. The first page should be prepared with 3-inch top and bottom margins and 1-inch side margins. It should include original signatures, a notary acknowledgment, a proper legal description, a preparer’s name and address, and other information required for recording.

• State the property value on the deed as required by Tennessee law. For a deed conveying a freehold interest in real property, state the actual consideration or value, whichever is greater, as required by Tennessee law. The Franklin County Register of Deeds collects the applicable realty transfer tax on taxable transfers. If the transfer is exempt from tax, include the applicable exemption information on the document.

• Once the document is complete, submit it to the Franklin County Register of Deeds for recording. Documents can be delivered in person to the Register of Deeds office. You can also submit these documents electronically through approved eRecording vendors such as Simplifile, ePN, and CSC.

• After recording, the original document is returned to you. The Register of Deeds posts the recorded documents to the online index within a short processing window.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Franklin County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals