How to Search Tennessee Public Records

Tennessee's court, criminal, vital, property, voter, and licensing records are maintained across state agencies and the 95 counties listed below. Use the tabs to filter by record type, or jump directly to any source.

  • Courts: The Tennessee Supreme Court sits at the top of the system; trial-court business is handled by the Chancery Court, Circuit Court, Criminal Court, General Sessions. Most courts publish dockets and case lookups online.
  • Criminal history: The state's criminal-history repository handles official background checks. Fees and procedures are set by the state agency — see the linked official source.
  • Vital records: Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are issued by the state Department of Health (or equivalent) and may also be available locally.
  • Property & recorded documents: Maintained at the county level by the Assessor, Recorder, or Clerk's office.
  • Business filings: The Secretary of State (or equivalent) operates the official business-entity search.
Population
7,227,750
Households
2,790,000
Median Income
$67,631
Median Home Value
$232,100

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2024 Population Estimates Program; 2022 ACS 5-year)

Wants & Warrants Databases

10 official Tennessee wants & warrants sources.

Wants & Warrants

Department of Corrections
Official Free
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🌐 tn.gov
Dickson Warrants
Official Free
Browse this list of outstanding warrants issued by the Dickson, Tennessee Police Department.
Bradley County | Wanted
Official Free
Bradley County Sheriff most wanted.
Hamilton County Most Wanted
Official Free
Browse this Hamilton County, Tennessee Police database by name, photo, and crime committed for a list of the most wanted fugitives.
Montgomery County | Warrants
Official Free
Name search for Montgomery County outstanding warrants.
Shelby County Most Wanted | Sheriff's Office
Official Free
Browse this list of most wanted fugitives from the Shelby County, Tennessee Sheriff's office. Click on picture for more information.
Shelby County Warrants | Sheriff's Office
Official Free
Search the Shelby County, Tennessee Sheriff database by name or address for warrants.
Shelby County | Inmates
Official Free
Shelby County Jail current inmates and recent bookings.
SITE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
Official Free
Browse through this Jackson, Tennessee Crime Stoppers site for information on various cases in the area. Included: Most Wanted, active cases, etc.
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Nashville Most Wanted
Official Free
Wanted fugitives list from the Nashville Police Department.

Tennessee Counties

95 Tennessee counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tennessee's official criminal-history repository is operated by the state law-enforcement agency. Free public access to a complete criminal history is generally not available; an official background check typically requires fingerprints and a fee. Countie-level court records can be searched at no cost through individual court websites.

Tennessee's court system is headed by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Trial-court business is handled by the Chancery Court, Circuit Court, Criminal Court, General Sessions. Many Tennessee courts publish docket searches and case lookups online — see the Court Records tab above for direct links.

The Tennessee Secretary of State (or equivalent agency) operates the official business-entity search. You can typically search corporations, LLCs, LPs, and other registered entities by name or registration number. See the Licenses or Business tab above.

The Assessor determines property values for tax purposes. The Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder) records deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property documents. Some county offices combine these roles, others keep them separate. Check the specific county page for details.

Tennessee vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates) are issued by the state Department of Health (or equivalent) and, in many cases, by local county clerks. Fees and ID requirements are set by the issuing agency.

Most county-level property and recorded-document searches are free for basic information through the Assessor or Recorder website. Certified copies of deeds typically have a per-page fee. Direct links are in the Property Records tab above.

The Tennessee sex offender registry is maintained by the state law-enforcement agency under the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act. The registry is searchable by name, ZIP code, or address.

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