Guide
About Tennessee public records
Access Tennessee public records, divorces, lawsuits, criminal records and background searches. Obtain death records, birth records, marriage search and property records. Search private, individual and business assets. Link to numerous official government sources. Secretary of state business information with business and corporation searches. Access the state's courts, dissolution of marriage issues, federal cases, judgments, bankruptcies, liens and other court resources of the stat's venues. Helpful links to the department of health for vital information and state certificates. Free instant searches of felony, offender and inmate lookup using the state of Tennessee official databases.
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Court records and filings
Access Tennessee Courts online directly. Search court records; from Tennessee county courts to Supreme courts. Find criminal filings, Tennessee dissolution of marriage or divorce records from official state web sites. File small claims lawsuits. Bankruptcy courts by jurisdiction or by districts. Tennessee state courts contact information such as telephone numbers and more.
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Court search routes
Criminal, civil and divorce records in Tennessee can be held by more than one court, so search each court that may hold the case. The official court site below lists the Tennessee courts and how to reach each one.
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Criminal records and background checks
Tennessee criminal records are maintained by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). TBI provides criminal background checks through its Criminal Justice Information Services division. Court records are accessible through the Tennessee courts online system. TBI maintains the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry with searchable offender information.
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Vital records
Certified copies of Tennessee birth and death certificates are issued by the Office of Vital Records of the Tennessee Department of Health. Marriage records are also kept by the local office that issued the license, and divorce records by the court that granted the divorce.
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Property and asset records
Deeds and mortgages in Tennessee are recorded at the county level, and property taxes are handled by county or local offices. Business and UCC filings are kept by the state, bankruptcy cases are federal court records, and the state runs a free search for unclaimed property.
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Government records and agencies
TN.gov keeps a department directory, and the Tennessee General Assembly posts bills and laws.
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Driving and vehicle records
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security keeps driving records, and the Department of Revenue handles vehicle titles and registration.
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Expungements and record clearing
In Tennessee only certain criminal records can be expunged. Charges that were dismissed, nolle prosequi, no true bill or found not guilty can be expunged at no cost, while diversions and eligible convictions carry clerk fees. When the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation expunges a charge, it deletes it from the record rather than sealing it.
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Genealogy and historical research
For family history, start with the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
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Missing children resources
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation runs the state Missing Persons Clearinghouse and posts missing children and adults from Tennessee. It is also the only agency in Tennessee that can issue an AMBER Alert.
- Tennessee's missing personsTennessee Bureau of Investigation
- NamUsU.S. Justice Department database of missing and unidentified people
Need a different Tennessee record?
Browse county pages, search vital records, look up court filings, or run a background check from the main hub.