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Tennessee · Nashville Metro · Mid-South · #92 Most Populous County in the US
Davidson County, Tennessee
Home to Nashville - Music City USA, the honky-tonks of Lower Broadway, and one of the fastest-growing economies in America. Davidson County and Nashville merged in 1963 into one Metropolitan Government. Property tax, courts, public records, probate, and senior services for Metro Nashville residents.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Davidson County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Office: Nashville Office of Emergency Management (OEM) – Director/Chief William Swann | 2060 15th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212 | 24-hour business line: (615) 862-8530 | Fax: (615) 361-3037 | [email protected]; the City/County emergency management agency, functionally similar to a local FEMA, responsible for the county’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
911/Non-emergency: Nashville Department of Emergency Communications – for non-emergencies, dial 311 or (615) 862-5000, or use the hubNashville app/site.
Sheriff: Davidson County Sheriff’s Office – (615) 862-8123
Notes: Davidson County operates under a consolidated Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County (est. 1963) – city and county government functions are merged, so most departments below are “Metro” offices serving the whole county. For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-24, I-40, and I-65 converge in Nashville, the county seat and Tennessee’s capital
Transit: WeGo Public Transit operates Nashville/Davidson County’s bus and regional rail system – confirm current routes/fares via wegotransit.com.
Notes: As the state capital and largest metro area, Davidson County requires no introduction to most residents – but service details below are still sourced and current as of this research.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Metro Nashville Codes Department – confirm current contact via nashville.gov.
Notes: Given Nashville’s global recognition as “Music City,” this file focuses on service accuracy over general tourism content, which is thoroughly covered elsewhere. One genuinely distinctive civic resource: the Nashville Public Library’s Civil Rights Room at the Main Library documents the Nashville sit-in movement and broader Civil Rights Movement history through a real, dedicated archival and oral history collection – a nationally significant local resource (the library also holds an oral history collection on the 2010 Tennessee floods).
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Davidson County Office of Veterans Services – located inside Operation Stand Down Tennessee, 1125 12th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203 (corner of 12th Ave S and Edgehill Ave), free parking available | Veteran Service Officer Lisa Kiss | (615) 557-7208 | Fax: (615) 214-9997
State: Tennessee Department of Veterans Services – 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, 13th Floor, Nashville, TN 37243 | (615) 741-2345 | [email protected]
Resource: “Thank a Veteran” ID program – the Davidson County Register of Deeds office records DD214 discharge papers free of charge and issues a photo ID card giving access to local veteran business discounts; available at the Register of Deeds office (Bridgestone Arena location).
VA Facility: Alvin C. York VA Medical Center – 1310 24th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Nashville Public Library (NPL) – established 1901, comprising a Main Library and 20 branches serving 1.5 million Davidson County residents; recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service (2010). NPL eliminated overdue fines in 2017 to improve accessibility, and its “Be Well at NPL” program offers free wellness classes tied to county health priorities. The Metropolitan Government Archives of Davidson County and a Talking Library (for patrons with visual impairments) are also part of the system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation manages the county’s extensive parks system; confirm current contact via nashville.gov. The Civil Rights Room (see above) is a genuinely significant heritage resource within the library system itself.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Davidson County Assessor of Property – confirm current phone via nashville.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Metro Animal Care and Control (MACC) – 5125 Harding Place, Nashville, TN 37211 | (615) 862-7928 | Hours: Monday-Wednesday & Friday 12-4 PM, Thursday 12-6 PM; a nonprofit organization funded by Davidson County government, responsible for stray capture, cruelty/dog-fighting investigations, adoptions, and a “Home to Home” re-homing program. MACC partners with Pet Community Center on a Community Cat Program for free-roaming cats (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return). Friends of MACC is a real volunteer support group.
Notes: For an animal attack or immediate public danger, call 911 rather than MACC’s non-emergency line.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Metro Water Services – confirm current contact via nashville.gov.
Office: hubNashville (general Metro service requests/311) – (615) 862-5000 or hub.nashville.gov.
NOTES: Davidson County is the fifth county in this batch (Cocke, Coffee, Crockett, Cumberland, Davidson, Decatur, DeKalb) of the Tennessee v2 redo, and Tennessee’s largest and most complex jurisdiction covered so far – a consolidated city-county government. The genuine Civil Rights Room at the Nashville Public Library is a distinctive, checkable local heritage resource. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Davidson County
Davidson County and Nashville have been a single government since 1963, when voters approved a city-county consolidation that created the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County – one of the longest-running and most frequently studied metropolitan consolidations in the United States. The Metro Mayor, Metro Council (40 members), and unified departments serve the entire 526-square-mile county. Nashville is Tennessee’s state capital and its largest city, and has transformed in the 21st century from a regional music and healthcare center into one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country. The healthcare industry (HCA Healthcare, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Ascension Saint Thomas) is Nashville’s largest economic sector by employment. Music and entertainment, tourism, higher education (Vanderbilt, Fisk, Belmont, Tennessee State), and financial services round out the economy.
Nashville has gained an estimated 45,000+ residents since 2020 – driven by in-migration from higher-cost metros, corporate relocations (Oracle’s headquarters, Amazon’s operations hub), and strong job growth across multiple sectors.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Tennessee assesses residential property at 25% of appraised (market) value. The Davidson County Assessor of Property determines the appraised value; 25% is applied to calculate the assessed value; and the Metro tax rate is applied to the assessed value to calculate the bill. Commercial property is assessed at 40% of appraised value.
Tennessee law requires a 4-year reappraisal cycle for most counties. Davidson County’s last reappraisal was 2021; the 2025 reappraisal was the most consequential in a generation – the county-wide median value increase was 45%, reflecting Nashville’s dramatic real estate appreciation since the pandemic. A historic 19,225 informal review requests were filed in response.
Two tax rate districts: Metropolitan Nashville has two property tax rates – the Urban Services District (USD), covering areas with Metro-provided street lights, garbage pickup, and sidewalks, and the General Services District (GSD), covering areas without those services. USD properties pay both rates; GSD properties pay the lower GSD rate only. Your location determines which rate applies.
The appeal process:
Step 1 – Informal Review: File online through padctn.org or contact the Assessor’s office (615-862-6080). In reappraisal years, the informal review window closes in late April (for 2026 assessment year: April 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM). The Assessor reviews your evidence – comparable sales, condition photos, repair estimates – and issues a decision.
Step 2 – Formal Appeal to the independent Metropolitan Board of Equalization (MBOE): If unsatisfied with the informal review result, schedule a formal appeal by calling 615-862-6059. For the 2025 assessment year, the formal appeal deadline was June 27, 2025 at 4:00 PM. The MBOE and its Hearing Officers conduct independent hearings.
Step 3 – If unsatisfied with the MBOE decision, appeal to the Tennessee State Board of Equalization within 45 days of the MBOE decision mailing date.
Important: Tennessee has no homestead exemption in the traditional sense. There is no dollar reduction from assessed value for primary residences.
Property Tax Freeze: Metro Nashville’s Tax Freeze program – the first in Tennessee – freezes the property tax bill for qualifying homeowners age 65 or older with combined household income below $45,090. The tax amount is frozen at the year of qualification, even if rates increase. Contact the Metropolitan Trustee at 615-862-6330.
Property Tax Relief: Tennessee’s state Property Tax Relief program provides a rebate for qualifying elderly (65+), disabled, and disabled veterans with income below the state threshold. Contact the Metropolitan Trustee.
Tennessee has no state estate tax and no state inheritance tax.
Tax bills are mailed by the Metropolitan Trustee in October, due by February 28 of the following year. Pay online through the Metropolitan Trustee (nashville.gov/departments/trustee) or at partner bank locations.
OWNWELL CTA: Davidson County’s 2025 reappraisal hit 45% median increase – a historic shock. Formal appeal deadline is June 27 for the 2025 tax year; the 2026 informal window closes April 17, 2026. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Recommended
Davidson County's 2025 reappraisal hit 45% median increase - a historic shock. Formal appeal deadline is June 27 for the 2025 tax year; the 2026 informal window closes April 17, 2026. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
The Davidson County Circuit Court and Chancery Court at 1 Public Square, Nashville (615-862-5000) handle civil, family, and equity matters. Criminal cases go to the Davidson County Criminal Court. The Davidson County Probate Court at One Public Square, Suite 303, Nashville (615-862-5980) handles wills, estates, and guardianships. The Davidson County Register of Deeds at 300 Deaderick Street, Nashville (615-862-6790) maintains all land records – deeds, mortgages, and liens.
Tennessee probate is governed by Tennessee Code Annotated Title 30-32. Tennessee has no state estate tax and no state inheritance tax – only federal estate tax applies. Tennessee’s small estate affidavit procedure is available for estates where gross value does not exceed $50,000.
Senior Services: The Metro Nashville Office of Senior Services (615-880-2277) and the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization coordinate senior programming across Metro Nashville. The Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD) (615-862-6494) provides care coordination, home-delivered meals, transportation, SHIP Medicare counseling, caregiver support, and Adult Protective Services.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
700 President Ronald Reagan Pkwy, Nashville, TN 37210
(615) 862-6050
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Davidson County Probate Court Clerk, Nashville (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). The Davidson County Clerk holds marriage records from 1789 and probate records from 1783-1784.
Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County Archives, 3801 Green Hills Village Drive, Nashville, TN 37215, (615) 862-5880 – holds probate records 1784-1959, court records 1783-1970, deed records 1784-1901, and vital records.
The Public Library of Nashville and Davidson County (Ben West Library), 225 Polk Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203.
Local societies
Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society, PO Box 190625, Nashville, TN 37219 – confirmed local resource.
Tennessee Genealogical Society (based near Memphis, at the Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center) – statewide resource with broad reach.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Davidson County is coextensive with the consolidated Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, in Middle Tennessee, seated in Nashville – the state capital and Tennessee’s second most populous county. Davidson County has a dedicated Probate Court (part of the Seventh Circuit Court), which holds exclusive jurisdiction over estate administration and the probate of wills, and shares concurrent jurisdiction over conservatorships and guardianships.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Tennessee has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code. Instead, Tennessee uses its own common form and solemn form probate framework, governed by Title 30 of the Tennessee Code Annotated. In most of Tennessee’s 95 counties, the Chancery Court holds probate jurisdiction (run by the Clerk and Master); some counties have a dedicated Probate Court, and Davidson County is one of them.
Small Estate Affidavit (T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 through 30-4-103) – available when the value of the probate estate does not exceed $50,000 (personal property; real property is generally excluded). The affidavit can be filed no sooner than 45 days after death. A bond payable to the state is commonly required to protect creditors and other heirs, though it is often waived when the person filing is the estate’s sole heir/beneficiary, or when all heirs consent in writing. Rather than a traditional affidavit presented directly to asset holders, Tennessee courts issue Limited Letters authorizing the personal representative to act.
Common Form Probate – the standard, uncontested path: the will (if any) is admitted to probate without formal notice to all interested parties, and the personal representative is appointed and issued Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (without a will).
Solemn Form Probate – used when formal proof of the will’s validity is needed, typically because of an anticipated will contest; requires notice to all interested parties and a hearing.
Muniment of Title – used to transfer real estate when there is a valid will but no other assets requiring administration.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files the original will (if one exists) and a Petition for Probate of Will or Petition for Letters of Administration with the Davidson County Probate Court.
The court issues Letters Testamentary (testate) or Letters of Administration (intestate), giving the personal representative authority to act. After appointment, the personal representative is largely independent of ongoing court supervision for straightforward estates.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors in a local newspaper; creditors generally have a limited window (commonly around 4 months from the notice) to file claims.
The personal representative inventories and appraises the estate’s assets (an inventory may be waived by the will or by all beneficiaries).
The personal representative pays valid debts, expenses, and taxes.
The estate is closed with a final accounting (unless waived) and distribution to beneficiaries or heirs.
What it costs
Filing fees in Davidson County are approximately $231.00 for opening an estate; confirm current fees directly, as they vary by county and case type.
Tennessee has no statutory fee schedule for attorneys or executors – fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval if contested.
Tennessee does NOT impose a state estate tax or a state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large estates.
Typical timeline for a simple, uncontested estate: roughly 6-9 months.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
506 2nd Ave North, Nashville, TN 37201
(615) 862-8180
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTION COMMISSION
1417 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37217
(615) 862-8800
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Metro Public Health Department
2500 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37209
(615) 340-5620
DHS Office
900 2nd Ave South, Nashville, TN 37210
(615) 253-2900
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Metro Public Health Department – (615) 340-5616
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
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