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

Knox County’s property market is highly competitive, with homes typically going under contract within 20 to 40 days. Single‑family detached homes dominate the market, with about 3,000 active listings across the greater Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Whether you are exploring new investment opportunities or planning to buy a home, it is always best to conduct a property record search.

Property records in Knox County are maintained by three main offices. The Register of Deeds provides official copies of deeds, deeds of trust, and plats. The office of the Property Assessor determines the value of every parcel of land, and the County Trustee maintains property tax records. Together, these offices give residents and businesses reliable property information to help them make informed decisions.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $224,050 and median rent of $1,039.5, alongside a median household income of $61,461 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.53 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Knox County Property Records

Knox County maintains several online databases that aid property record searches. See the table below for the different property record databases in the county.

Who Keeps Knox County Property Records

Anyone can access property records in Knox County under the Tennessee Public Records Act. You can contact the following Knox County offices for access to property records:

• The Knox County Register of Deeds is the custodian of legal documents that affect property ownership and transfer. These include deeds, deeds of trust, plats, liens, and releases. This is the office of legal record for the chain of title.

• The Knox County Property Assessor maintains property record cards for every parcel in the county. It also appraises every parcel, assigns the Map-Group-Parcel number, and sets the property class.

• The Knox County Trustee maintains property tax records in the county. It is also responsible for collecting county property taxes and administering the state Tax Relief program.

In addition to county property tax, properties that sit inside Knoxville city limits also pay a separate city property tax collected by the City of Knoxville Revenue Office.

How to Search Knox County Property Records Online

You can complete a property search in Knox County by visiting two or three property record portals in a specific order:

1. Start at the Assessor property lookup. Property details such as ownership, appraisal, features, and assessment are available here. You can search by address or owner name to identify the parcel and copy its Map-Group-Parcel number.
2. After that, use the Register's online records portal to view deeds linked to the property owner's name. The Register indexes by grantor and grantee, so you can view records from both the seller and buyer side to build a full chain of titles.
3. Confirm the current owner on the most recent deed. Then work backward through earlier deeds, checking that each grantor matches the grantee on the deed before it.
4. Run the same index for deeds of trust, liens, and releases. The sworn value stated on a deed also tells you what the property last sold for.
5. Then, find and review the property's tax information using the Knox County tax payment portal.

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

This office is responsible for recording all legal documents that affect real estate ownership and transfer in the county. These include deeds, deeds of trust, liens, and easements. Once recorded, these documents can be inspected and copied from the Register of Deeds online records portal. You can search by name, book and page, instrument number, subdivision and lot, or legal description.

Property Assessor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The County's Assessor Office appraises every parcel in the county. It also assigns each property a Map‑Group‑Parcel number to help locate and track every change in the property's record. Under state law, the Assessor's Office must conduct reappraisals every four years. This process allows the office to adjust property values so that all parcels in Knox County are appraised at market value.

County Trustee: Tax Bills and Payments

The Trustee is the official tax collector in Knox County. Under state law, Knox County property tax must be paid in full by the last day of February to avoid interest. After February, interest is added each month on any unpaid balance. The Trustee also manages the state’s Tax Relief program, which helps eligible homeowners pay part of their property tax bill. In addition, the office tracks and disburses public funds on behalf of the county.

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

In Tennessee, property taxes are not collected by the state. Counties and cities are responsible for all property tax revenue.

How the bill is figured

Residential and farm property is taxed on 25% of its appraised value, while commercial and industrial property is taxed on 40%. The assessed value is found by multiplying the appraised value by that percentage. Knox County calculates property tax by multiplying the assessed value of your property by the tax rate and then dividing the result by 100.

Exemptions and relief

Appealing your value

Property owners in Knox County can appeal their property's valuation in two ways. The first option is to request an informal review from the Assessor at any time. If the property owner is not satisfied with the Assessor's response, they may file a formal appeal directly with the county or state Board of Equalization.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

You can use the Knox GIS mapping system to view property parcel data, check local school districts, find voting polling places, and view zoning and planning records. If the data you seek extend beyond county boundaries, you may use the TNMap assessment portal. The Tennessee Comptroller's Division of Property Assessments also publishes statewide assessment data.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Tennessee allows two kinds of foreclosure sales, and understanding both is important for property research.

Deed-of-trust foreclosure

This process is initiated when a borrower defaults on a mortgage payment. It gives the trustee named in the deed of trust the right to sell the property at a public auction without court involvement. This nonjudicial process is generally faster than a court foreclosure.

Delinquent-tax sale

If a property owner falls behind on taxes, the County Trustee can take the case to the Chancery Court to get approval to foreclose. Once the court gives judgment, the Clerk & Master carries out a sale under T.C.A. 67-5-2501. Tennessee does not sell tax‑lien certificates to investors.

Costs to Access Property Records

Searching the online index is free. Fees apply when you need a copy or are recording a new document.

The recordation taxes are set by T.C.A. 67-4-409 and collected by the Register at recording. Confirm the current fee schedule with the Register of Deeds before filing.

How to Record a Document

Tennessee law governs the form of any instrument that conveys an interest in real property. The four-step process includes:

1. Confirm the document meets Tennessee format rules: original signatures, a notary acknowledgment, a proper legal description, a preparer statement, and the required margins for recording.
2. State the value under oath on the face of the deed, as Tennessee requires. The Register uses that sworn value to calculate the realty transfer tax.
3. Submit to the Register of Deeds in Knoxville, by mail or through an approved e-recording vendor. Pay the recording fee and the recordation taxes due.
4. Once recorded, the original is returned to the filer, and the document image posts to the online index within a short processing window.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Knox County Property Records Checklist

Match each row to your task to find the fastest path through the system.

Key Contacts and Official Portals