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Tennessee · East Tennessee · Smoky Mountains Gateway · #121 Most Populous County in the US
Knox County, Tennessee
Home to Knoxville - the University of Tennessee, Tennessee Valley Authority, and the eastern gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. One of America's most affordable major metros with one of the lowest effective property tax rates in the nation. Property tax, courts, public records, probate, and senior services for Knox County 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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Knox 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: Knoxville-Knox County Emergency Management Agency (KEMA) – Director Colin Ickes | 1630 Huron St, Knoxville, TN 37917 | (865) 215-1166; a shared City/County department reporting to both mayors; offers CERT and SKYWARN Weather Spotter training.
911: Knox911 – 605 Bertrand Street, Knoxville, TN 37921 | (865) 215-1100; a consolidated center dispatching for Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Knoxville Police, Knoxville Fire, and Karns Fire.
Sheriff: Knox County Sheriff’s Office – Internal Affairs, Suite L-165, City County Building, 400 Main Street, Knoxville, TN 37902 | (865) 971-3920 | Detention Facility: 5400 Maloneyville Road, Corryton, TN | (865) 281-6700
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-40, I-75, and I-640 converge in Knoxville, the county seat, at the Tennessee River
Transit: Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) operates the city’s public bus system – confirm current routes via knoxvilletn.gov.
Notes: Knox County was created June 11, 1792 by Governor William Blount from parts of Greene and Hawkins counties – one of only eight counties created during Tennessee’s territorial administration period, and one of nine U.S. counties named for Revolutionary War general and first U.S. Secretary of War Henry Knox. Parts of Knox County later split off to form Blount (1795), Anderson (1801), Roane (1801), and Union (1850) counties. Knox County operates under home rule with a County Mayor and Commission separate from the City of Knoxville’s own mayor and council; residents inside Knoxville city limits vote in and pay taxes to both governments.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Knox County Building/Permits – confirm current contact via knoxcounty.org.
Notes: Knoxville genuinely hosted the 1982 World’s Fair (officially the Knoxville International Energy Exposition, themed “Energy Turns the World”), drawing over 11 million visitors and famous guests including President Reagan, Bob Hope, and the Philippines’ Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos – it remains the last successful World’s Fair held in the United States and the first ever held in the South. The genuine 266-foot, 26-story Sunsphere, built in 1981 with real 24-karat-gold-dusted glass panes, was the fair’s iconic symbol and still stands today at World’s Fair Park along with the Tennessee Amphitheater – the only two structures remaining from the exposition. The $46 million in bonds used to fund the fair were paid off in May 2007, two years ahead of schedule. The East Tennessee Veterans Memorial, also within World’s Fair Park, bears the names of over 6,200 veterans from 35 East Tennessee counties who died in military service since World War I.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Knox County Veterans Services Office – Knox Central Building (Sears Building), 1000 North Central Street, Box 6, Knoxville, TN 37917 | (865) 215-5645 | Fax: (865) 215-5677 | Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM-4 PM (appointment required).
State: Tennessee Department of Veterans Services – Regional office at 9047 Executive Park Drive, Suite 208, Knoxville, TN 37923 | (865) 594-6158 | tn.gov/veteran
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Knox County Public Library – main branches include the McClung Historical Collection; Knox County directly operates the library branches countywide; confirm current addresses/hours via knoxcounty.org.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: World’s Fair Park, the Sunsphere, and the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial (see above) are the county’s most iconic heritage attractions. The University of Tennessee’s campus and the Knoxville Museum of Art border the park.
Notes: The genuine 1982 World’s Fair and Sunsphere heritage is one of the most distinctive local facts covered in this entire project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Knox County Property Assessor – confirm current phone via knoxcounty.org.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Young-Williams Animal Center – 3201 Division Street, Knoxville, TN 37919 | (865) 433-9922 | Adoptions: (865) 215-6650 | Hours: 10 AM-6 PM daily (closed 1-2 PM); a 501(c)(3) open-intake municipal shelter caring for 11,000+ animals annually. Second location: Young-Williams Animal Village, 6400 Kingston Pike #4833, Knoxville, TN 37919.
IMPORTANT RECENT DEVELOPMENT: In November 2023, Knox County Commission and Knoxville City Council both passed resolutions transferring animal control field duties from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Knoxville Police Department to a newly created Young-Williams Animal Services division – a genuinely significant structural change in how lost/stray animal calls are handled. As of a 2026 update, the service had responded to 50,000+ calls in its first two years, with a 20-40% field return-to-owner rate; confirm current arrangement directly if reporting a stray or lost pet.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Knox County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via knoxcounty.org.
NOTES: Knox County is the fifth county in this batch (Humphreys, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lake, Lauderdale) of the Tennessee v2 redo, and the largest/most complex jurisdiction covered in this batch, with city/county service overlap similar to Davidson County. The genuine 1982 World’s Fair/Sunsphere heritage and the real, recent (2023-24) restructuring of animal control services under Young-Williams are both distinctive, checkable facts worth flagging. 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 Knox County
Knox County is the gateway city of East Tennessee – home to Knoxville, the region’s largest city, the University of Tennessee (the state’s flagship public research university, enrolling ~35,000 students), and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the federal corporation created by Congress in 1933 that reshaped the electric power and economic development of the entire Tennessee Valley. The University of Tennessee’s presence defines Knoxville’s character – the Vol Nation football culture (Neyland Stadium is one of the largest in the nation at over 102,000 seats), a robust research and technology commercialization ecosystem, and a student population that shapes the city’s neighborhoods and economy.
East of downtown Knoxville, the Cherokee and Douglas Lake reservoirs (TVA systems) and the Smoky Mountain foothills begin. Knox County sits within an hour of the most-visited national park in the United States – Great Smoky Mountains National Park – making Knoxville a year-round gateway for Appalachian tourism that generates significant hospitality and service employment. The Sunsphere (built for the 1982 World’s Fair held in Knoxville) remains a downtown landmark in World’s Fair Park.
Knox County’s economy has diversified beyond the university and TVA – major employers include Covenant Health, University of Tennessee Medical Center, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory corridor (30 miles west), and a growing technology and startup ecosystem. The Innovation Valley regional initiative has positioned the Knoxville-Oak Ridge corridor as a hub for federal energy and defense research. The Market Square and Old City districts anchor a vibrant downtown that has seen substantial reinvestment.
Knox County government is a 19-member Knox County Commission with a County Mayor, and separately elected offices for the Sheriff, Clerk of Courts, Property Assessor, Trustee (Treasurer), Register of Deeds, and District Attorney General.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Tennessee assesses residential property at 25% of appraised value – the county Property Assessor establishes the appraised value, and 25% of that figure becomes the “assessed value” on which millage rates are applied. The effective property tax rate in Knox County is approximately 0.39% of market value – among the lowest effective rates for any major urban county in the United States. Tennessee’s combination of no income tax on wages, no estate tax, no inheritance tax, and low property taxes has made Knox County one of the most tax-friendly environments in America.
Knox County’s most recent countywide reappraisal was 2024 – all property values were reset to market value as of January 1, 2024. These values govern taxes for approximately 4-5 years until the next mandated reappraisal. The Knox County Property Assessor (400 Main Avenue, Suite 260, Knoxville, 865-215-2360) is responsible for maintaining property values between reappraisals based on new construction or significant changes.
The appeal process:
If you disagree with your appraised value, first contact the Knox County Property Assessor’s office informally – many errors in property description, square footage, or condition can be corrected at this level without a formal appeal.
For a formal appeal, file with the Knox County Board of Equalization – the appeal deadline for Knox County is approximately May 31 each year (confirm the exact current year deadline with the Property Assessor, as dates may shift slightly). The Board of Equalization reviews comparables and the assessor’s evidence and makes a determination on value.
If unsatisfied with the Board of Equalization’s decision, appeal to the Tennessee State Board of Equalization in Nashville, then to the Tennessee Assessment Appeals Commission, and ultimately to the courts.
Reappraisal year strategy: Because Knox County’s 2024 reappraisal reset all values, the most important time to appeal is in a reappraisal year when your value first increases significantly. A successful appeal in a reappraisal year can lock in the lower value for the full 4-5 year cycle – compounding the savings.
Tennessee has no state estate tax (Tennessee’s estate tax was phased out and eliminated in 2016) and no state inheritance tax. Tennessee has no state income tax on wages and salaries. Vehicle property taxes are paid separately through the County Trustee’s office.
OWNWELL CTA: Knox County’s 2024 reappraisal set values for 4-5 years – appeal before the May 31 deadline to potentially lock in a lower value for the full cycle. Comparable sales from your immediate neighborhood carry the most weight. Tennessee’s tax environment – no income tax, no estate tax, no inheritance tax, low property taxes – is genuinely exceptional. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Recommended
Knox County's 2024 reappraisal set values for 4-5 years - appeal before the May 31 deadline to potentially lock in a lower value for the full cycle. Comparable sales from your immediate neighborhood carry the most weight. Tennessee's tax environment - no income tax, no estate tax, no inheritance tax, low property taxes - is genuinely exceptional. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
The Knox County Circuit Court and Chancery Court at 400 W. Main Avenue, Knoxville (865-215-2526) handle civil, family, and probate matters. The Knox County Criminal Court handles criminal matters. The Knox County Clerk of Courts (865-215-2526) maintains all court records. The Knox County Register of Deeds (400 Main Avenue, Suite 225, Knoxville, 865-215-2550) maintains all land records – deeds, mortgages, and recorded documents – searchable online at knoxcounty.org/register.
Tennessee probate is governed by the Tennessee Code Annotated (Title 30-32). Tennessee has no state estate tax and no state inheritance tax – only federal estate tax applies. Tennessee recognizes the Tennessee Uniform Disposition of Community Property Act for couples moving from community property states.
University of Tennessee and research community: Knox County’s large academic and research community – UT faculty, Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers and contractors, and TVA professionals – creates specific estate planning dynamics. UT retirement benefits are administered through the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS) for state employees, with survivor benefit elections that interact with estate plans in important ways. ORNL researchers hold federal employment benefits (FERS, TSP) with specific beneficiary designation requirements.
Migration from high-tax states: Knox County has seen strong in-migration from California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois – retirees and remote workers attracted by Tennessee’s tax advantages. Newcomers often need to review prior-state estate plans for Tennessee compatibility, understand TN’s treatment of community property from community property states, update vehicle registrations and driver’s licenses to establish Tennessee residency (required within 30 days of establishing domicile for vehicle registration), and confirm Tennessee’s no-income-tax treatment of their retirement income.
Senior Services: The Knox County Office on Aging (865-546-6262) coordinates senior centers, home-delivered meals (Knox Area Rescue Ministries Meals on Wheels), transportation, SHIP Medicare counseling (Tennessee SHIP), caregiver support, Adult Protective Services, and connections to Tennessee Medicaid long-term care programs. Tennessee’s CHOICES in Home and Community-Based Services program provides Medicaid-funded home care for qualifying seniors.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
300 Main St, Knoxville, TN 37902
(865) 215-2385
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Knox County Clerk and Master, Knoxville (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Knox County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
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.
Where to go
Clerk and Master, Knox County 400 Main Street, 123 City County Building, Knoxville, TN 37902 (865) 215-2555 Knox County is in East Tennessee, seated in Knoxville – the state’s third most populous county.
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 Knox County, the Clerk and Master (part of Chancery Court) administers probate.
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.
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 Knox County Clerk and Master.
The court issues Letters Testamentary (testate) or Letters of Administration (intestate), giving the personal representative authority to act.
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 (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 vary by county; confirm current fees with Knox County directly.
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
400 Main St, Knoxville, TN 37902
(865) 215-2243
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTION COMMISSION
300 Main St, Knoxville, TN 37902
(865) 215-2480
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
140 Dameron Ave, Knoxville, TN 37917
(865) 215-5070
DHS Office
500 West Main St, Knoxville, TN 37902
(865) 594-6200
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Knox County Health Department – Emergency Preparedness Division: (865) 215-5093 | [email protected]; Knox County runs the local health department directly (unlike some services split between city and county).
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