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

There are no county building codes or zoning outside the limits of Livingston, Overton County's only incorporated town. That is the primary paper trail for rural buyers. The records are divided between two offices in Livingston. Deeds, deeds of trust, and plats are recorded by the Register of Deeds. The Property Assessor and the County Trustee maintain all the other records. Overton County is part of the "old" Upper Cumberland, dating back to 1806.

Recreation attracts visitors to the Standing Stone State Park and Dale Hollow Lake, while Court Square keeps the town alive in Livingston. Homes take roughly 30 to 60 days to move in TN, ranging from square-adjacent homes to ridge farms to cabin acreage, with the demand for farming and small manufacturing holding steady.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $163,800 and median rent of $651, alongside a median household income of $55,242 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.44 as a percentage of the property’s assessed value.

How to Look Up Overton County Property Records

Three stops cover almost all of the search. The state assessment site provides owner, appraised value, and Map-Group-Parcel number data free of charge on each parcel assessed. The Trustee’s portal shows and accepts the tax bill. The Register of Deeds holds documents and has a subscription index for off-site users.

Who Keeps Overton County Property Records

The Public Records Act places Tennessee citizens in the position of having access to Tennessee's property records, which are maintained at the county level. There are three ways that Overton County divides the work:

• The Register of Deeds holds deeds, liens, plats, powers of attorney, and releases from the courthouse and collects the state recordation tax at the time of recording. Starting in 2022, Jimmy Conner is the current Register of Deeds.

• The Property Assessor is responsible for appraising property at market value and retaining the records.

• The county's taxes are collected and recorded by the County Trustee.

How to Search Overton County Property Records Online

Conduct the search in this order:

• Copy the Map-Group-Parcel number, value, and class from the Overton County record.

• Use TNMap to map the boundary.

• Search the deed index with the Register of Deeds. Check both sides of every sale, which are indexed by grantor and grantee.

• Follow the chain of title (grantor to grantee) for all deeds of trust, liens, and releases. The sworn value on each deed records the price.

• Visit the Trustee’s portal or call (931) 823-6220 to verify that a property’s taxes are up to date.

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

All communities in Overton County, including those that are unincorporated from Alpine to Rickman, are recorded by the Register of Deeds, an elected official. Most financed purchases in Tennessee are financed with a deed of trust, instead of a mortgage. The Register also takes care of the state recordation tax at recording.

Document types recorded include:

• Warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, and other conveyances

• Deeds of trust, releases, assignments, and modifications

• Liens, judgments, and amendments

• Powers of attorney and plats

• Military discharges and UCC fixture filings

Property Assessor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Assessor appraises each parcel at market value, and Tennessee levies a fraction based on the class of the parcel. The Map-Group-Parcel number is assigned by the office, and the records are retained by the office. The value is true to market at each state-scheduled reappraisal and added to the state's assessment database.

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 collects property taxes, which are due the first Monday of October. The last day of February is the deadline before monthly interest kicks in.

The state Tax Relief program for eligible seniors, disabled homeowners, and veterans is administered by the Trustee, and balances can be searched on the state portal. Homes located within the City of Livingston are billed separately.

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

There is no state property tax in Tennessee. Taxes are collected by Overton County and the City of Livingston.

How the bill is figured

Residential property is taxed at 25% based on the appraised value; commercial and industrial property is taxed at 40% based on the appraised value. A home appraised at $160,000 carries a $40,000 assessed value; at a combined 1.95% rate, the bill is $780.

Exemptions and relief

Appealing your value

Always begin with the Property Assessor, as updated information resolves many situations. The formal appeal is made to the County Board of Equalization in June, followed by the State Board of Equalization, and is based on similar sales.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

The county is responsible for carrying out the parcel mapping for the state. The TNMap assessment viewer maps all Overton County boundaries over topographic maps with the Comptroller’s assessment data.

Details available include:

• Parcel boundaries with ownership and acreage

• Appraised and assessed values by parcel

• Ridge farms, the court square, and park country in aerial view

• Property classes and record-card data

• Statewide layers through TNMap

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

There are two types of tax sales in Tennessee:

Deed-of-trust foreclosure

In the event of a default, the substitute trustee designated in the deed of trust advertises and offers the property for sale at public auction pursuant to Title 35 of the Tennessee Code. No court order is necessary.

Chancery Court tax sale

Delinquent taxes pass through the courthouse. The county sues in Chancery Court; the Clerk & Master holds the sale; and a one-year right of redemption is given after most sales. In Tennessee, the property does not get sold via tax lien certificates.

Costs to Access Property Records

How to Record a Document

Tennessee Code, Title 66, Chapter 24, is followed in recording. There are four steps:

• Properly complete the document in compliance with the state of Tennessee: Notarized signatures, full property description, and preparer and return addresses.

• Enter the deed requirements: tax parcel number and Oath of Consideration signed and notarized.

• Bring the recording fee along with recordation taxes ($0.37 per $100 of the transfer, $0.115 per $100 of secured debt over $2,000.00) to Room 139 or send by mail to pay the fees.

• The indexed paper is added to the permanent record, and the original paper is sent back to you.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Overton County Property Records Checklist

Find your task on the left and take the path on the right.

Key Contacts and Official Portals