Smith County Public Records
How to Find Public Records in Smith County in 2026
SmithRecords.org provides publicly available information related to public records maintained by government agencies in Smith County, Tennessee. Members of the public seeking court documents, property filings, vital records, or financial disclosures may access these materials through official county offices, state-administered online portals, and public access terminals located at government facilities. The categories of records that may be available include:
- Court records (civil, criminal, probate, and family court)
- Property deeds, mortgages, and assessment data
- Vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce)
- Business licenses and permits
- Tax and financial records
- Voting and election records
- County commission meeting minutes and agendas
- Law enforcement arrest logs and incident reports (where permitted)
- Land use and zoning documents
Records can be searched through official court resources, clerk offices, public access terminals, and online tools administered by state and county agencies.
Online Access:
- The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury maintains statewide property assessment data accessible through the TN Property Viewer, which allows members of the public to search parcel-level assessment information by county, including Smith County.
- The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts provides case lookup tools for circuit and general sessions court records.
- Some records, including felony offender data, are available through the Tennessee Department of Correction's offender search portal.
- Registration is not required to access most publicly available online databases.
In-Person Requests: Members of the public may inspect records in person at the Smith County Clerk's Office or the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. Requestors should present a written or verbal description of the records sought. Staff will locate responsive documents and make them available for inspection during regular business hours.
Written/Mail Requests: Written requests should include the requestor's name, a description of the records sought, and a preferred method of response. Under Tennessee Code Annotated § 10-7-503, custodians are required to respond promptly, and in no event later than seven business days from receipt of the request.
Phone/Email:
- Smith County Clerk: (615) 735-2294
- Smith County Circuit Court Clerk: (615) 735-1504
What Are Public Records in Smith County?
Public records in Smith County are defined under Tennessee state law as all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, microfilms, electronic data processing files, and other material made or received pursuant to law or ordinance in connection with the transaction of official business by any governmental entity. Under Tennessee Code Annotated § 10-7-301, the term "public record" encompasses a broad range of materials held by state and local government bodies.
The following record types are currently maintained by Smith County government offices:
| Record Type | Maintaining Office |
|---|---|
| Civil and criminal court records | Circuit Court Clerk |
| Probate and estate records | Probate Court / County Clerk |
| Property deeds and mortgages | Register of Deeds |
| Property tax assessments | County Assessor of Property |
| Vital records (birth, death) | Tennessee Department of Health |
| Marriage licenses | County Clerk |
| Business licenses and permits | County Clerk |
| Tax records | Trustee's Office |
| Meeting minutes and agendas | County Commission / County Clerk |
| Budget and financial documents | County Mayor's Office |
| Arrest logs and incident reports | Smith County Sheriff's Office |
| Land use and zoning records | Planning and Zoning Office |
The Smith County fiscal year audit report and related financial documents are maintained by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury and are accessible to the public as part of the state's commitment to government transparency.
Is Smith County an Open Records County?
Smith County operates in full compliance with Tennessee's open records statutes, which establish a presumption of public access to government documents. Under Tennessee Code Annotated § 10-7-503, all state and local government records are open for personal inspection by any citizen of Tennessee unless otherwise provided by state law.
As stated in the Tennessee Open Records Counsel's guidance, "The Tennessee Public Records Act reflects the General Assembly's recognition that government is the servant of the people and not the master of them." This principle governs how Smith County agencies respond to records requests and manage public access to official documents.
The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury reinforces this standard through its oversight of county financial records, noting that audit reports and financial disclosures are made available as a public service. Members of the public may access county audit reports for Smith County and all other Tennessee counties through the Comptroller's official portal.
Smith County does not maintain a separate county-level open records ordinance that supersedes state law. All public records requests are processed in accordance with the Tennessee Public Records Act and applicable state regulations.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Smith County?
The fee structure for public records in Smith County is governed by state statute and the policies of the individual office maintaining the requested records. Current standard fees applicable to most offices are as follows:
| Fee Type | Standard Amount |
|---|---|
| Paper copies (letter/legal size) | $0.15 per page |
| Certified copies (vital records) | $15.00 per document |
| Certified copies (court records) | Varies by document type |
| Electronic records (where available) | No charge in many cases |
| Inspection of records | No charge |
- Inspection of public records is provided at no cost to the requestor.
- Copy fees apply when the requestor wishes to obtain physical or electronic duplicates.
- Certification fees are assessed when an official seal or attestation is required.
- Accepted payment methods at most Smith County offices include cash, check, and money order; some offices accept credit or debit cards.
- Fee waivers may be available for indigent requestors or in cases where disclosure is determined to be in the public interest, at the discretion of the records custodian.
- The Tennessee Public Records Act does not authorize custodians to charge fees for the time spent locating records unless a specific statutory provision applies.
Does Smith County Have Free Public Records?
Free inspection of public records is available at Smith County government offices during regular business hours. Under Tennessee law, no fee may be charged solely for the act of inspecting a public record; charges apply only when copies are requested.
The following resources provide free access to Smith County public records:
- The TN Property Viewer provides free online access to property assessment data for all Tennessee counties, including Smith County, and is administered by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
- The Tennessee Felony Offender Information portal allows members of the public to search for felony offenders who are or have been in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction at no charge.
- The Tennessee Comptroller's website provides free access to county-level audit reports, including Smith County's annual financial reports.
- Court case information may be inspected at no cost at the Circuit Court Clerk's public access terminal located within the courthouse.
- Marriage license records and certain business filings may be inspected in person at the County Clerk's Office without charge.
The distinction between free inspection and free copies is significant: members of the public retain the right to view records at no cost, while reproduction of those records is subject to the applicable fee schedule.
Who Can Request Public Records in Smith County?
Any citizen of Tennessee may request access to public records maintained by Smith County government agencies. Under the Tennessee Public Records Act, residency within Smith County is not a prerequisite for submitting a records request. Non-residents of Tennessee may also request records, though the statute's primary protections extend to Tennessee citizens.
Requestors are not required to:
- Provide a reason or purpose for the request
- Demonstrate a personal interest in the records
- Obtain prior authorization from a court or government official
Requestors may be required to:
- Provide identification when requesting certain sensitive record types, such as vital records
- Submit a written request for records that require significant search or retrieval effort
- Pay applicable copy fees prior to receiving reproduced documents
Individuals requesting their own records, such as personal court filings or vital records, follow the same process as any other requestor, though additional identity verification may be required for certified copies of birth or death certificates. Requests for records pertaining to other individuals are subject to the same open records standards, except where specific exemptions apply.
What Records Are Confidential in Smith County?
Certain categories of records maintained by Smith County agencies are exempt from public disclosure under Tennessee law. The Tennessee Public Records Act and related statutes identify specific exemptions that custodians are required to apply when responding to records requests.
Records that are currently exempt from public disclosure include:
- Sealed court records: Records sealed by judicial order are not available for public inspection.
- Juvenile records: Records pertaining to juvenile proceedings are confidential under Tennessee Code Annotated § 37-1-153.
- Ongoing criminal investigation records: Law enforcement records compiled in connection with an active investigation are exempt until the investigation is closed.
- Personal identifying information: Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and similar data are redacted from publicly released documents.
- Medical and health records: Protected under both state law and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
- Adoption records: Sealed by statute and accessible only under specific legal circumstances.
- Child welfare and protective services records: Maintained as confidential by the Tennessee Department of Children's Services.
- Personnel records: Employee records are exempt from disclosure except for name, title, salary, and dates of employment.
- Trade secrets and proprietary business information: Exempt when submitted to a government agency under a claim of confidentiality.
- Security plans and critical infrastructure details: Exempt to protect public safety.
When a records custodian determines that a requested document contains both exempt and non-exempt information, the custodian is required to redact the exempt portions and release the remainder of the record. As the Tennessee Attorney General's office has noted, "The burden is on the governmental entity to demonstrate that a record falls within a specific statutory exemption."
Smith County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours
Smith County Register of Deeds
122 Turner High Circle, Suite 111
Carthage, TN 37030
(615) 735-1504
Smith County Register of Deeds
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Closed on state and federal holidays
Smith County Clerk
122 Turner High Circle, Suite 103
Carthage, TN 37030
(615) 735-2294
Smith County Clerk
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Smith County Circuit Court Clerk
122 Turner High Circle
Carthage, TN 37030
(615) 735-1504
Smith County Circuit Court Clerk
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Smith County Assessor of Property
122 Turner High Circle, Suite 104
Carthage, TN 37030
(615) 735-3504
Smith County Assessor of Property
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Smith County Sheriff's Office
126 Turner High Circle
Carthage, TN 37030
(615) 735-2626
Smith County Sheriff's Office
Office Hours:
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week (administrative records requests handled Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM)