Hancock County Register of Deeds - Janie C. Lamb
1237 Main Street
P.O. Box 347
Sneedville, TN 37869
(423) 733 4545 Fax (423) 733-4552
mailto:janie.lamb@vcourthouse.com
Chief Deputy Register- Terry Johnson
Hours of Operation: Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm; closed for lunch 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm each day as well as Saturday and Sunday.
The most important function of the register’s office is the filing or recording of documents that affect the legal status of real and personal property. With regard to real property, these documents include deeds, deeds of trust (mortgages), financing statements called fixture filings under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), assignments, plats, court decrees, leases, liens, releases, and many other instruments. With regard to personal property, the most important documents have been financing statements under the UCC and instruments relating to financing statements, such as amendments and termination statements; however, most of these UCC documents are now filed with the secretary of state and not with the register. Powers of attorney are often recorded in the register’s office. Also, some official documents (county official bonds and certain official reports) are recorded or filed in the register’s office. The register notes in a notebook (or its electronic equivalent) the time and receipt of each document in the order received and maintains indexes of the records of the office. The register must be familiar with the requirements for acceptance applicable to each document. The prerequisites for acceptance of a document vary with the type of document. It is important to remember that a register is not a notary and does not have a statutory power to take acknowledgments, as do county clerks. The register has important revenue functions, both for the collection of fees for performing the duties of the office (most of which are found in T.C.A. § 8-21-1001) and collection of two state privilege taxes—the transfer tax and the “mortgage” tax (a tax on recording documents evidencing an indebtedness). Currently, the state realty transfer tax is 37 cents per $100 of value or consideration, and the “mortgage” tax is 11.5 cents per $100 or major fraction thereof over $2,000 of indebtedness. The register must be knowledgeable concerning the many special rules and exceptions that apply to the collection of these taxes. Also, the register must be knowledgeable about the required statements on instruments evidencing transfers of real estate or certain interests in real estate and instruments of indebtedness.
Basic Fees
Deed/Deed of Trust/Mortgage, Amendment/Modification, Assignment/Release - $12.00 up to two pages, $5.00 each additional page
Warranty Deeds - Based on purchase price Mortgage tax - $0.115 per $100.00
Deed Transfer tax - $0.37 per $100.00 Certification fee - $5.00 per document
Certification fee maps - $5.00 per map Copy fee - $0.25 per page
