About Blount County
Blount County, Tennessee, is located in the eastern part of the state, located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Established in 1795, Blount County is named after William Blount, the territorial governor who signed the Tennessee Constitution. Blount County Seat is Maryville, a vibrant city that is the governmental and commercial hub for Blount County's approximately 135,000 residents.
- Blount County Courthouse, located at 345 Court Street in Maryville, houses several key offices including the County Clerk, while the Register of Deeds operates from 341 Court Street.
Blount County includes roughly 565 square miles and is bordered by the Little Tennessee River and the western boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making it a path to one of America's most visited national parks. Blount County's scene ranges from rolling farmland to dramatic mountain terrain, with elevations varying significantly across its territory. Major municipalities include Maryville, Alcoa, and several smaller incorporated communities.
Blount Property Assessor of Property maintains offices at 940 East Lamar Alexander Parkway in Maryville. Blount County's economy has historically been tied to aluminum production at the Alcoa plant, agriculture, and increasingly tourism related to the nearby Smoky Mountains. Blount County's unique position between Knoxville metropolitan amenities and pristine mountain wilderness makes it an attractive location for both locals and businesses seeking quality of life in East Tennessee.
Sheriff, Police & Law Enforcement
Sheriff & Law Enforcement
Blount County Sheriff's Office is responsible for law enforcement in the unincorporated areas of Blount County. The office is tasked with maintaining public safety, patrolling rural areas, and managing Blount County Detention Facility. Notable programs include community outreach initiatives and specialized units such as the narcotics division, which work to address specific crime issues within Blount County.
Police Departments
In addition to Blount County Sheriff's Office, several municipal police departments operate within Blount County. The Maryville Police Department and the Alcoa Police Department are the primary city law enforcement agencies, each responsible for maintaining public safety within their respective city limits. These departments work in coordination with the Sheriff's Office on major crime investigations and emergency response efforts, making sure of full law enforcement coverage throughout Blount County.
Law Enforcement & Arrests
Blount County Sheriff's Office, led by the elected Sheriff, is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of Blount County and operates Blount County Detention Facility located at 344 Lavista Drive in Maryville.
- Some agencies charge reasonable copying fees for these records.
Blount County Detention Facility houses inmates awaiting trial or serving sentences, and the public can search for current inmates through the jail roster available on the Sheriff's Office website, which typically includes booking photos (mugshots), charges, bond amounts, and booking dates. Municipal law enforcement is provided by the Maryville Police Department (serving Blount County Seat), the Alcoa Police Department (serving the city of Alcoa), and smaller departments in Townsend, Friendsville, and Louisville. Under Tennessee Public Records Act (Tennessee Code Annotated Title 10, Chapter 7), arrest records are generally considered public information, and citizens may request copies of arrest reports, incident reports, and booking records by submitting a written request to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Mugshots and booking information are typically made available through the Sheriff's Office website within hours of arrest. out county schools.
Criminal, Arrest & Jail Records
Criminal Records
The criminal records system in Blount County includes a variety of records, including felony, misdemeanor, traffic violations, and the sex offender registry. Residents can request background checks through the TBI's online portal, which provides access to statewide criminal history information.
Arrest Records
Arrest records in Blount County are maintained by Blount County Sheriff's Office. These records can be requested by residents and attorneys through the Sheriff's Office, typically requiring a formal request submission. Arrest records include details such as the individual's name, charges, arresting officer, and date of arrest. Under the Tennessee Public Records Act, these records are accessible to the public, although certain restrictions may apply to protect ongoing investigations or sensitive information.
Jail & Inmate Records
Blount County Detention Facility, located in Maryville, is the primary jail facility for Blount County. The booking process involves fingerprinting, photographing, and recording personal information of the arrested individuals. Visitation rules are specific to the facility, typically requiring visitors to schedule appointments in advance and adhere to strict guidelines.
- The bond and bail process follows Tennessee state laws, allowing for the release of inmates pending trial upon payment of bail set by the court.
Mugshots & Booking Photos
Mugshots in Blount County are taken and retained by Blount County Sheriff's Office during the booking process. These booking photos are part of the public record and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office website or by submitting a request. Tennessee does not have specific laws for the removal of mugshots from public records, so they remain accessible unless expunged by court order.
Courts & Case Records
Blount County court system includes several judicial divisions. The Fourth Judicial District Circuit Court and Criminal Court, located at Blount County Courthouse at 345 Court Street in Maryville, handles felony criminal cases, civil matters exceeding $25,000, and appeals from lower courts. Blount County Chancery Court, also at 345 Court Street, has jurisdiction over equity matters, divorces, probate, and estate administration. Blount County General Sessions Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, preliminary hearings for felonies, civil cases up to $25,000, and traffic violations.
- The Circuit Court Clerk, located at 345 Court Street, maintains criminal and civil case files, and charges fees for certified copies (typically $5 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page).
The court offices can be contacted through the office’s website. Circuit Court and for General Sessions. Tennessee law provides public access to most court records under Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 16 and Tennessee Code Annotated § 10-7-503, though certain records involving juveniles, mental health proceedings, and sealed cases are restricted. The Tennessee courts maintain an online case information system accessible through certain participating courts, though Blount County litigants and researchers may need to visit the clerk's office in person or call to obtain specific case information.
Blount County also has a Juvenile Court at 118 Howe Street in Maryville, handling delinquency, dependency and neglect, and custody matters for minors. Municipal courts in Maryville, Alcoa, and other municipalities handle city ordinance violations and traffic citations issued within city limits.
Property & Public Records
Blount County Register of Deeds, located at 341 Court Street in Maryville, Tennessee 37804, maintains and provides access to land and property records for the entire county. The office can be reached at and provides services related to recording and maintaining deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, releases, easements, rights-of-way, plat maps, subdivision plats, military discharge records (DD-214s), and Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings.
- There is no charge to search or view records online, though printing or obtaining certified copies requires payment.
- Certified copies cost $1.00 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page, while various recording fees apply when filing new documents.
The Register of Deeds office operates an online records search system accessible through Blount County website at blounttn.org, allowing the public to search and view recorded documents typically from the mid-1980s forward, with some older records available. Blount County Property Assessor, located at 940 East Lamar Alexander Parkway in Maryville (phone: 865-273-5777), maintains property tax assessment records, ownership information, and property characteristics for all parcels in Blount County. The Assessor's office provides an online Geographic Information System (GIS) and property search tool that allows users to search by owner name, address, or parcel number to view property cards, assessment values, tax maps, aerial photography, and ownership history.
Blount County Trustee, who is the tax collector, maintains records of property tax payments and delinquencies. All these records are available for public inspection under Tennessee's public records laws during regular business hours, Monday through Friday.
Vital Records
Vital records for Blount County, Tennessee, are handled through multiple agencies depending on the record type and date. Birth and death certificates occurring in Blount County can be requested through Blount County Clerk's Office at 345 Court Street in Maryville, Tennessee 37804 Blount County Clerk maintains birth records and death records and can issue certified copies to eligible applicants.
- Birth certificate fees are typically $15 for the first copy and $7 for each additional copy ordered at the same time, while death certificates cost $15 each.
- Processing time is usually immediate for walk-in requests if the record is on file locally.
- Divorce records (final decrees) are maintained by Blount County Chancery Court Clerk at 345 Court Street and can be requested by parties to the divorce or others with legitimate legal need.
Tennessee law (Tennessee Code Annotated § 68-3-101 et seq.) restricts access to birth certificates to the registrant (if of legal age), immediate family members, legal representatives, and others with a tangible interest and proper legal documentation. For full statewide searches or records from other Tennessee counties, applicants may contact the Tennessee Office of Vital Records, Central Services Building, 421 5th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37243, or order online through the state's VitalChek system at vitalrecordsorders.tn.gov. Marriage licenses are issued by Blount County Clerk's Office; couples must apply in person with valid identification, Social Security numbers, and payment of the marriage license fee (typically $98.50, reduced to $38.50 if couples complete a premarital preparation course).
There is no waiting period, and licenses are valid for 30 days from issuance.
Business & Licensing
Business and licensing records in Blount County, Tennessee, are maintained through several offices at county and state levels. For businesses operating within Blount County, the County Clerk's Office at 345 Court Street in Maryville processes Doing Business As (DBA) registrations, also known as assumed name or fictitious name filings, which are required when an individual or entity operates under a name different from their legal name. Blount County Clerk charges a filing fee and maintains these records as public information searchable at their office.
- This database shows entity status, filing dates, registered agents, and principal addresses.
For full business entity searches including corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships, and registered trademarks, the Tennessee Secretary of State's Division of Business Services maintains an online database accessible at tnbear.tn.gov (Tennessee Business Entity and Assessment Resource), where users can search by business name, registered agent, or filing number at no charge. Business licenses and permits at the local level may be required depending on the county; the City of Maryville and City of Alcoa each have separate business license requirements administered through their respective city recorder offices. Sales tax permits are issued by the Tennessee Department of Revenue and can be applied for online at tn.gov/revenue.
Professional and occupational licenses for regulated professions (contractors, healthcare providers, cosmetologists, etc.) are issued by various Tennessee state boards and can be verified through Tennessee's Division of Regulatory Boards. Building permits, zoning approvals, and development permits in unincorporated Blount County are handled by Blount County Planning and Codes Department at 940 East Lamar Alexander Parkway. The Blount Partnership (Blount County chamber of commerce and economic development organization) operates from 201 South Washington Street in Maryville and provides resources for new and existing businesses at blountpartnership.com.
Elections & Voter Records
Elections in Blount County, Tennessee, are administered by Blount County Election Commission, located at 341 Court Street in Maryville, Tennessee 37804. The Election Commission can be contacted through the office’s website, and information is available online through Blount County website. Voter registration in Blount County is handled through the Election Commission; Tennessee residents may register to vote online at the Tennessee Secretary of State website (ovr.govote.tn.gov), by mail using a voter registration form, or in person at the Election Commission office, driver services centers, or various public agencies.
- Registered voters in Blount County can find their polling place by visiting the Tennessee Secretary of State's GoVoteTN website (govotetn.com) or by contacting the Election Commission directly.
- Absentee ballot applications can be requested from Blount County Election Commission and must be submitted according to statutory deadlines.
- The Election Commission provides transparency through public test of voting equipment, allowing observers at polling places, and making election results available promptly after polls close.
The voter registration deadline in Tennessee is 30 days before any election. To be eligible, applicants must be U.S. Citizens, Tennessee residents, at least 18 years old by election day, and not convicted of certain felonies (or have had voting rights restored).
Most election records are public in Tennessee under Tennessee Code Annotated § 2-2-101 et seq, including voter registration lists (though certain personal information like Social Security numbers and dates of birth are redacted), precinct-level election results, candidate filing information, and campaign finance reports filed with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance. The 2024 general election saw turnout in Blount County exceed 65% of registered voters, reflecting Blount County's typically high civic engagement, with Blount County consistently showing strong Republican voting patterns in state and federal races. The next major election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, featuring U.S.
House of Representatives elections (Tennessee's 2nd Congressional District includes Blount County), potential U.S. Senate races if applicable, Tennessee state legislature seats (State Senate District 2 and State House Districts 18, 20, and 23 cover portions of Blount County), and various state and county offices. Tennessee offers absentee voting by mail for voters who meet specific criteria including being 60 years or older, having a physical disability, acting as a caregiver, being hospitalized or ill, being absent from Blount County during early voting and election day, serving as an election official, being in jail awaiting trial, or having religious objections to voting on election day.
Early voting is offered at multiple locations in Blount County for approximately two weeks before each election.
Economy & Demographics
Blount County, Tennessee's economy is diverse and anchored by several major sectors including advanced manufacturing, aluminum production, aerospace, retail, healthcare, tourism, and agriculture. Blount County's largest private employer is historically Alcoa Corporation (formerly part of Alcoa Inc.), which operates a major aluminum smelting and manufacturing facility in the City of Alcoa that has been producing aluminum since 1914 and employs over 1,000 workers.
- The median household income in Blount County is approximately $60,000, slightly above the Tennessee state average, with a cost of living that remains moderate compared to nearby metropolitan areas.
- Blount County benefits economically from being part of the Knoxville Metropolitan Statistical Area while maintaining lower costs and a more relaxed pace than urban Knox County.
Denso Manufacturing, a major Japanese automotive parts supplier, operates a significant facility in Maryville producing heating and cooling systems for vehicles. Blount Memorial Hospital, Blount County's primary healthcare provider, is another major employer with several hundred employees. Key economic sectors include manufacturing (particularly metals and automotive components), retail and services concentrated in Maryville and Alcoa, tourism driven by proximity to Great Smoky Mountains National Park with over 12 million annual visitors, and agriculture including cattle, hay, corn, and agritourism operations.
The unemployment rate in Blount County typically tracks close to or slightly below state and national averages, hovering around 3-4% in recent years. Notable economic development projects include ongoing expansions at the Clayton Homes manufacturing facility, continued growth in the retail corridors along Highway 321 and Foothills Mall area, and development of the SpringBrook Corporate Center. Blount Partnership actively recruits new businesses and supports existing employers through workforce development, infrastructure improvements, and business-friendly policies.
Transparency Score
Court Records: Limited: Online | Property: Yes: Free Online GIS & Deed Search | Arrest/Jail: Yes: Online Inmate Roster | Vital Records: Limited: In-Person or Mail | Business: Yes: State Database Online | Elections: Yes: Online Voter Tools | Overall Score: 7/10, Blount County provides good online access to property records and jail information, with some court records requiring in-person requests.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Cities & Towns in Blount County
Explore public records for 8 cities and communities in Blount County, Tennessee.