Recording a deed in Knox County, Tennessee
Everything you need to get a deed on file in Knox County. The office that records it, the formatting it checks, what it costs, and the three ways to submit.
- Recording office
- Register of Deeds
- Witnesses
- Notary only
- Transfer tax
- $0.37 per $100 of the consideration or the property's value
- First-page margin
- 3″ top
- Recording fee
- $12 up to 2 pages
- E-recording
- Professional filers
Recording a deed in Knox County
Deeds affecting property in Knox County, Tennessee are recorded with the Register of Deeds. Recording is what puts the world on notice of your ownership and fixes the priority date. An unrecorded deed can still transfer title between the parties, but it leaves you exposed to anyone who records first.
The recording rules the office applies come from Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-24-101. Deeds themselves are governed by Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-5-103.
What to bring
- The original signed and notarized deed. Recorders do not record photocopies handed over the counter.
- A completed notarial acknowledgment, with the date, the place where you signed, and the commission expiry all filled in.
- Any transfer tax payment or exemption statement the office asks for.
- Payment for the recording fee, $12 for up to 2 pages and $5 for each page after that. Many offices do not take personal checks.
Formatting
- Deedly's layout, which suits this office: 8.5 × 11 inch paper, a 3-inch clear space at the top of page one for the recording stamp, 1-inch margins on the other edges, and type no smaller than 10 point. Deedly formats every document this way automatically.
- A legal description. A street address alone is not enough.
- A 'when recorded, return to' block so the stamped original comes back to you.
How to file
- In personTake the original to the Register of Deeds in Knoxville. This is the fastest route. You usually walk out with the recording information the same day.
- By mailSend the original with a check or money order for the fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow one to three weeks for the stamped original to come back.
- E-recordingSince July 1, 2025, Tennessee law lets only attorneys, banks and other lenders, title insurance companies and agents, and government bodies e-record (Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-10-118(d)). If you prepared the deed yourself, record it in person or by mail.
Confirm the address before you post anything
Offices move and hours change. Search for "Knox County Tennessee Register of Deeds" and use the official county website, not a directory listing, which is often years out of date.
Formatted to Tennessee requirements, with Knox County filing instructions included.
Common questions
With the Register of Deeds, located in Knoxville. Deeds are always recorded in the county where the property sits, not where the owner lives.
$12 for up to 2 pages and $5 for each page after that. Tennessee also charges realty transfer tax at $0.37 per $100 of the consideration or the property's value, whichever is greater (a quitclaim deed: the consideration only), and it has no gift or family exemption. Confirm current fees with the office before you mail anything; they change.
Since July 1, 2025, Tennessee law lets only attorneys, banks and other lenders, title insurance companies and agents, and government bodies e-record (Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-10-118(d)). If you prepared the deed yourself, record it in person or by mail.
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Deedly is not a law firm
Its software and documents are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. We provide self-help software and state-specific deed forms; you make your own decisions about your property. Using Deedly does not create an attorney-client relationship, and nothing here is legal advice. If your situation is complex or contested, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.