Selling a house in Knox County
Knox County has just two incorporated cities, Knoxville and Farragut, and a large unincorporated area. Homes inside Knoxville city limits get two property tax bills, one from the City of Knoxville and one from the Knox County Trustee, so both have to be paid or prorated at closing.
Probate runs through the Chancery Court's Probate Division, administered by the Clerk and Master. Delinquent tax sales are held in person by public outcry, and the opening bid covers what is owed to both the city and the county.
Local offices to know
Who to call about the paperwork behind a sale in Knox County. County seat: Knoxville.
| What it's for | Office | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Recording deeds | Knox County Register of Deeds | (865) 215-2330 |
| Property taxes and payoffs | Knox County Trustee Knoxville city taxes: City Revenue Office, (865) 215-2084 | (865) 215-2305 |
| Probate and estates | Chancery Court, Probate Division (Clerk and Master) | (865) 215-2389 |
| Tax sales | Clerk and Master, hosted by the Trustee In person, public outcry | (865) 215-2555 |
| Code enforcement (Knoxville) | City of Knoxville Neighborhood Codes Enforcement | (865) 215-2118 |
| Evictions | General Sessions Court, Civil Sessions Old Courthouse, 300 Main Street, 3rd floor | (865) 215-2370 |
Worth knowing in Knox County
- Knoxville's city tax rate is $2.1556 per $100 of assessed value, on top of the county rate of $1.5540. City taxes are due October 1 and delinquent March 1. Source
- The Trustee runs the state Tax Relief program and a Senior Property Tax Freeze for owners 65 and older who meet the income limit. Both must be renewed every year. Source
Guides for your situation
- Inherited house or probate
How selling an inherited or probate house works in Tennessee, and when a cash sale makes sense.
- Facing foreclosure
How foreclosure works in Tennessee, how much time you may have, and where selling fits.
- Behind on property taxes
What happens when Tennessee property taxes go unpaid, how tax sales and redemption work, and how back taxes are handled in a sale.
- House needs major repairs
Fix it first, list it as-is, or sell for cash: what each path actually nets you.
- Rental with tenants
Selling an occupied rental, tired-landlord sales and what happens to the lease.
- Divorce
How a house sale works when both spouses own it, and why speed and certainty matter.
- Code violations or vacant house
Selling a vacant house or one with open code enforcement cases, as-is.
Office details checked November 2026. Offices move and numbers change, so confirm on the official site.