What Tennessee Charges to Record Your Loan and Deed
Program and regulatory figures verified September 19, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Two numbers and you will know what the state's share of your closing looks like.
What will Tennessee charge to record your loan and your deed?
Two separate state taxes under Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-4-409: an indebtedness tax on the loan you record, and a realty transfer tax on the purchase.
Illustration of two state taxes only. It excludes recording fees, title charges and lender fees, and is not a loan estimate or tax advice.
What this covers, and what it does not
It covers the two taxes Tennessee imposes under Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-4-409: the indebtedness tax on recording a debt instrument, and the realty transfer tax on recording a transfer of realty. Nothing else.
It does not include county register fees, title insurance, closing agent charges, or anything your lender charges. Those vary and belong on a Loan Estimate rather than a web page.
Why we built this one
Because it is the question that gets answered wrong in both directions. Some people assume Tennessee is like Colorado and charges nothing to record a mortgage, which is not true. Others have heard about Florida's documentary stamp regime and assume Tennessee is comparably expensive, which is also not true.
Tennessee sits in between and closer to the cheap end. At $1.15 per $1,000 the indebtedness tax is a real line item worth knowing and too small to change which financing structure you choose. Getting that straight lets the structure decision be made on the thing that actually matters, which is how long your departing home will take to sell.
One note on the transfer tax
The realty transfer tax is calculated on the greater of the consideration paid or the value of the property, not simply on the price. For an ordinary arm's-length purchase those are the same figure. Where they may differ, your closing agent works from the correct base.
Comparison against other states on the line versus term page, and the structures themselves on the structures page.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Tennessee's indebtedness tax?
11.5 cents on each $100 of the indebtedness recorded, and it does not apply to the first $2,000, under Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-4-409. That is about $1.15 per $1,000, so roughly $345 on a $300,000 loan.
How much is Tennessee's realty transfer tax?
$0.37 per $100, calculated on the greater of the consideration paid or the value of the property, under the same statute. On a $450,000 purchase that is about $1,665.
Does the indebtedness tax apply to a refinance or a home equity line?
It applies to the public recordation of an instrument evidencing indebtedness, which includes mortgages, deeds of trust and UCC financing statements. Your closing agent applies it to the specific instrument being recorded; this page illustrates the rate rather than determining your transaction.
Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax, or real estate advice. Local tax freeze adoption, income limits, and landlord-tenant rules change and depend on your facts; your county trustee, your CPA or a Tennessee attorney, and your real estate agent each handle their own part. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.