Every recorded deed for a Nashville home sits in one office, and that office has less power over fraud than most owners think. The Davidson County Register of Deeds, sometimes called the recorder of deeds, records deeds, mortgages and other property papers from 300 Deaderick Street. In 2002, Tennessee's Attorney General wrote that unless a specific law says otherwise, "the register of deeds must file the deed"1.
This page sticks to Davidson County, Tennessee, not the North Carolina county with the same name. The basics of how homes get stolen on paper are in our deed theft guide.
What can the Davidson County Register of Deeds do about deed fraud?
It can turn away papers that break Tennessee's recording rules, but it must record papers that follow them. A deed is the signed paper that moves a property to a new owner.
To be recorded, a deed needs an original signature and the name and address of whoever prepared it. The signature is usually acknowledged before a notary, an official who confirms who is signing2,3,4.
State guidance says a register "should not try to determine the legal sufficiency" of a document2. Tennessee also doesn't require registers to check the ID of the person who brings a deed in5.
| Task | Does the Register do it? |
|---|---|
| Record a deed that is signed, notarized and complete | Yes. The law requires it |
| Turn away a deed that isn't properly signed and notarized, or can't be read | Yes |
| Check the ID of the person who brings in a deed | No. Tennessee doesn't require it |
| Decide whether the signer really owned the home | No. Disputes go to court |
| Email you when a document is filed under your name | Yes, through its free Property Alert |
| Write a deed for you or check a property for debts | No. Its FAQ points you to a lawyer or title company |
Sources: Tennessee Attorney General Opinion 02-105; UT County Technical Assistance Service; TACIR (2026); the Register's FAQ.
Which deed fraud myths trip up Nashville owners?
Each of these sounds reasonable, and each is wrong. Here is what the sources say.
If a deed got recorded, the county approved it
Fact: Recording is not approval. Tennessee's Attorney General says a register "may be held legally liable" for failing to record a deed that qualifies1. A filed fake stays on record until a court acts.
A notary stamp proves the signature is real
Fact: Stamps can be faked. In a Davidson County lawsuit, a Texas notary testified that her signature and stamp on a deed filed with the Register were forged6. Tennessee is one of 20 states with no training or exam for in-person notaries5.
The county will tell me if someone files on my home
Fact: Tennessee registers are "not required to notify property owners" about filings5. You hear about one only if you sign up for the Register's free Property Alert.
A letter asking $89 for a copy of my deed is from the county
Fact: The Register called these letters a scam in 2022 and 2023. They asked owners to send $89 to an address in St. Petersburg, Florida7,8. Register Karen Johnson said her office does not "ever mail out or email any request for payment of any kind"8.
Checking my deed online costs $50 a month
Fact: $50 a month buys a subscription to the Register's online records9. To see the latest deed on your own home, use the "View Deed" link in the Assessor's free property search10.
How often are homes stolen on paper in Davidson County?
Not often. Law enforcement logged 21 real property thefts in Davidson County from 2019 through 2024, counting homes and other buildings. For 2023, a state study found that statewide, "one home was reported stolen per roughly 3,000 home sales"5.
Davidson County logged 21 real property thefts in six years
Homes and other buildings reported stolen, 2019 to 2024, in the four Tennessee counties with the most
Show the numbers
| Shelby | 90 |
|---|---|
| Hamilton | 51 |
| Davidson | 21 |
| Montgomery | 20 |
Source: Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, Protecting Tennesseans from Real Estate Fraud, September 2026, from Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System data. Statewide total for 2019 to 2024: 533.
These are only the thefts reported to police, but the odds for any one home are still low.
How do you sign up for the free Property Alert?
Open the sign-up page, enter each spelling of your name with an email address, and click "Submit Name." The Register's brochure says you'll get an email "immediately" when a matching document is recorded14.
- Open the sign-up page at fraudalert.bislandrecords.com. The Register's website and free mobile app link to it15.
- Click "Accept" on the disclaimer page.
- Choose "Personal" or "Business" and type the name as it appears on your deed.
- Enter an email address, plus a phone number if you also want texts.
- Click "Submit Name," then add an alert for each other spelling, such as with a middle initial16.
- Check your spam folder if nothing ever arrives16.
Spelling decides whether it works. "The alert is only as effective as the correct spelling of the name that is being monitored," Register Karen Johnson said in 201917.
The alert comes after a document is recorded, so it can't stop the filing. Our county alert map compares similar alerts across the country.
How can you search Davidson County property records for free?
For a free deed search, use the Assessor of Property's site. Its property pages show the owner, last sale and a "View Deed" link. We tested it on October 25, 202610.
- Search for your home on the Assessor's property search by owner, address or parcel number (the county's ID for each piece of land).
- Check the owner and mailing address. Tax bills go to the "owner of record" in the first week of October18, so a missing bill is worth a look.
- Click "View Deed" beside "Legal Reference" to open the latest recorded deed.
- Read the names. The grantor gave the property, and the grantee got it. If it shows a sale you never made, use the steps at the end of this page.
| Tool | What it shows | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Property Alert | An email, or a text, when a document is filed under a name you entered | Free |
| Assessor property search | Owner, mailing address, last sale and a link to the latest deed | Free |
| Register's office, 300 Deaderick St | Indexes of recorded documents, open to the public | Copies $0.50 a page, $1 certified |
| Register's online records portal | Name search back to July 1, 1964, and images back to 1784 | $50 a month |
What happened in Nashville's documented cases?
Two Nashville cases show two different tricks: a forged notary stamp, and impostors selling property they didn't own.
In both cases, the owners found out late. A free alert and a yearly look at your record help you find out sooner.
What does Tennessee law say about fake deeds now?
Knowingly filing a deed from someone with no right to the property is a felony. Since July 1, 2025, only lawyers, lenders, title companies and governments may e-file (record online) with a register.
- In the codeKnowingly filing a transfer document when the grantor "has no legal nor equitable interest to convey" is a Class E felony (§ 39-17-116). Trying to record such a deed is a Class A misdemeanor (§ 66-3-104)5.
- 2024Public Chapter 941 orders a state study of real estate fraud5.
- July 1, 2025Public Chapter 104 limits e-filing to lawyers, banks and credit unions, licensed lenders, title insurers and agents, and governments19.
- April 22, 2026House Bill 1762, on who may prepare a deed, stalls in a conference committee11.
- September 2026The state study recommends a required course for notaries, ID checks with a notary journal kept five years, and new felony crimes for deed theft5.
What should you do if a fake deed is recorded?
Get a certified copy, report it to Metro Nashville Police, and call a lawyer. Our fraudulent deed guide covers the court side.
- Get a certified copy from the Register of Deeds: 615-862-6790, 300 Deaderick Street15.
- Report it to Metro Nashville Police at 615-862-8600, the non-emergency line15. Keep the report number.
- Call a real estate lawyer. Removing a fake deed usually takes a court case, such as a quiet title action (a lawsuit asking a judge to declare who owns the property).
- Ask about free legal help. The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands helps in some civil cases: 615-244-6610 or 800-238-144320.
- Know who prosecutes. The District Attorney General's office handles criminal cases in Nashville: 615-862-550021.
- Call your title insurer and your lender if you have an owner's title policy or a mortgage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Davidson County Register of Deeds phone number?
Call 615-862-6790. The office is at 300 Deaderick Street, Nashville, TN 37201, open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Mail goes to PO Box 196398, Nashville, TN 37219-639815.
How do I get a copy of a deed in Tennessee?
How do I find out who owns a property in Nashville, TN?
What are the recording fees for deeds in Tennessee?
In Davidson County, a deed costs $5 a page to record, with a $10 minimum, plus a $2 data processing fee. The state tax is $3.70 per $1,000 on a transfer and $1.15 per $1,000 on a mortgage, with a mortgage's first $2,000 exempt4.
Is the property fraud alert real?
When are Davidson County property taxes due?
They're due on the first Monday of October and must be paid by the last day of February to avoid interest18. If no bill comes in October, check the owner and mailing address on the Assessor's site.
Sign up for the Register's free alert
It takes a few minutes. Then look up your home on the Assessor's site once a year.
Open the Property Alert sign-upSign-up links, fees, phone numbers and the Assessor's free deed link on this page were checked on October 25, 2026.
Sources
- Opinion No. 02-105: Register of Deeds' Legal Liability for Not Recording a Deed, Office of the Tennessee Attorney General, October 1, 2002
- Requirements for Acceptance of Instruments, University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service, checked October 25, 2026
- Authentication/Acknowledgment, University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service, checked October 25, 2026
- Register of Deeds Filing Fees, Davidson County Register of Deeds, updated August 27, 2021, checked October 25, 2026
- Protecting Tennesseans from Real Estate Fraud, Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR), September 2026
- Family Trust Services LLC et al. v. Green Wise Homes LLC et al., No. M2021-01350-SC-R11-CV, Tennessee Supreme Court, July 10, 2024
- Deed Transfer Letter is a Scam, Davidson County Register of Deeds, May 25, 2022
- Property Owners, Be Alert: Deed Letter Is A Scam, Davidson County Register of Deeds, February 10, 2023
- Register of Deeds Online Subscription Services, Davidson County Register of Deeds, checked October 25, 2026
- Property search, Davidson County Assessor of Property, tested October 25, 2026
- HB 1762 bill history, 114th General Assembly, Tennessee General Assembly, checked October 25, 2026
- Recording Alert System (Property Alert sign-up), Davidson County Register of Deeds and I3 Verticals, checked October 25, 2026
- Recording Alert System, Davidson County, North Carolina, checked October 25, 2026
- Property Alert brochure, Davidson County Register of Deeds, posted February 2025
- Davidson County Register of Deeds, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, updated October 12, 2026, checked October 25, 2026
- Recording Alert FAQ, I3 Verticals for the Register of Deeds, checked October 25, 2026
- Register of Deeds Karen Johnson offers property fraud protection, Davidson County Register of Deeds, August 13, 2019
- Property Tax Questions and Answers, Office of the Metropolitan Trustee, checked October 25, 2026
- Public Chapter No. 104 (House Bill 1039), Tennessee General Assembly, 2025, effective July 1, 2025
- Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, checked October 25, 2026
- Office of the District Attorney General, 20th Judicial District, checked October 25, 2026
- Get Copies of Davidson County Deeds Documents, Davidson County Register of Deeds, checked October 25, 2026
- Register of Deeds Frequently Asked Questions, Davidson County Register of Deeds, checked October 25, 2026
- Lawsuit highlights home sale scam that combines identity and property theft, Kori Johnson, WKRN News 2 (via Yahoo News), January 13, 2025
