Rutherford County, Tennessee — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure
Local operations layer. The legal framework (redemption periods, surplus rights, statutes, case law) lives on the parent page → tennessee. This page covers how Rutherford County actually runs it. Legal information, not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-06-02.
C0. Identity
- County seat: Murfreesboro
- Population: ~341,486 (2020 U.S. Census, FIPS 47149)
- FIPS: 47149
- Recording unit: county
- Parent legal framework: tennessee
- Tax sale type: tax deed (judicial — chancery court in rem proceeding); see tennessee Module 1.
C1. Local Tax Sale
Conducts own sale? Yes. The Chancery Court Clerk and Master of Rutherford County administers the delinquent-tax auction pursuant to court decree. The county also collects delinquent taxes for the municipalities of Murfreesboro, Smyrna, LaVergne, and Eagleville through the same Chancery Court proceeding. The Rutherford County Trustee collects current taxes; the delinquent-tax attorney files suit in chancery court; upon court order, the Clerk and Master conducts the online sale.
Platform: Online auction only via GovEase. Rutherford County uses GovEase (www.GovEase.com) as its delinquent-tax auction platform. The sale has “NO PHYSICAL LOCATION AND NO IN-PERSON COMPONENT TO THE REGISTRATION OR BIDDING PROCESS.” (Source: www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.) On GovEase, Rutherford County appears as “TN - Rutherford County/City of Murfreesboro” (confirmed from liveauctions.govease.com dropdown, retrieved 2026-06-02).
Sale calendar:
- Frequency: Annual — “The Chancery Court Clerk and Master’s Office generally holds one sale per year for delinquent property taxes.” (Source: www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
- Typical notice lead time: Sale information is posted approximately one month before the sale date on www.rcchancery.com and rutherfordcountytn.gov.
- Next known sale:
needs_verification— No specific upcoming sale date was published on the official website at the time of research. - Advertising: Published in the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal and the Murfreesboro Post approximately 20 days prior to the sale. (Source: www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
- Email notification list: Prospective bidders may call (615) 898-7860, Ext. 4153 to be added to the email notification list. (Source: rcchancery.com/index.asp?SEC=0F312E8E-29C6-46E9-A92D-D1FCE0AA5DE9, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Registration:
- Registration opens approximately one month before the sale date.
- Registration documents are emailed to those on the email notification list and posted on the Chancery Court website.
- Registration cutoff: 10:00 AM the day prior to the auction; no late registrations accepted.
- Documents must be filled out and submitted to GovEase through their website along with any other required documents listed in the registration forms. Registrations are reviewed once all documents are submitted. (Source: rcchancery.com/index.asp?SEC=0F312E8E-29C6-46E9-A92D-D1FCE0AA5DE9, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Payment terms:
- Accepted methods: cash, cashier’s check, money order, or a check drawn on a Tennessee bank.
- Payment due: by close of business the day following the sale.
- No financing available.
- Recording costs are added to the bid. (Source: www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Opening bid: Total amount of taxes, penalties, and interest + court costs + publication costs due. The exact amount may be obtained from the Clerk and Master’s office at (615) 898-7860 after the sale advertisement runs. (Source: www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Additional costs added at filing in Chancery Court:
- Court costs: $44.00
- Attorney fee: 10% of base tax (not applicable to City of Murfreesboro, Smyrna, or LaVergne —
needs_verificationas to which entities carry the $125 title search fee) - Title search fee: $125.00 (for County and City of Eagleville taxes)
- Interest accrues at 1.5% per month while in Chancery Court (Source: rcchancery.com/index.asp?SEC=0F312E8E-29C6-46E9-A92D-D1FCE0AA5DE9, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Pre-sale payment by taxpayer: The taxpayer may pay the amount owed up to 9:00 AM the day of the sale to stop the auction on a parcel. (Source: www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Unsold properties: Re-listed at a subsequent tax auction until sold. (Source: rcchancery.com FAQ, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Delinquent list location: Delinquent tax properties in Chancery Court may be searched online at rcchancery.com using the “Search and Pay Delinquent Taxes” link; entering ”**” (two asterisks) in the search bar pulls all delinquent properties. A full listing is also posted approximately one month before each sale. (Source: rcchancery.com FAQ, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
No over-the-counter purchases: Tennessee does not allow purchasing property for back taxes outside of a tax sale. (Source: rcchancery.com FAQ, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Bidder disqualifications (from tennessee): A person with a “moral or legal obligation to pay the taxes” on the parcel, and fiduciaries of the taxpayer, are disqualified (Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-5-2501 et seq.).
C2. Local Redemption → framework: right-of-redemption
Where to redeem: Redemption is a chancery court proceeding in Rutherford County. The redeemer files a Motion to Redeem Property with, and pays the required funds to, the Chancery Court Clerk and Master’s Office (116 W. Lytle St., Suite 5101, Murfreesboro, TN 37130; phone: (615) 898-7860).
Redemption period: “A person who is entitled to redeem may redeem the property from the purchaser within (1) one year from the date of the Decree Confirming Sale pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-2701(b).” This reflects the standard ≤5-year delinquency period; shorter periods apply for longer delinquencies — see tennessee Module 2 for the full tiered schedule.
Redemption periods (Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-5-2701(a)):
| Years delinquent | Redemption period from confirmation order |
|---|---|
| ≤ 5 years | 1 year |
| > 5 but < 8 years | 180 days |
| ≥ 8 years | 90 days |
| Vacant / abandoned | 30 days (purchaser must prove abandonment via 3 inspections over 2 months) |
Cost to redeem: Full minimum bid amount + 12% per annum on the purchaser’s entire purchase price from payment date to date the Motion to Redeem is filed + court costs + any court-ordered lawful charges (additional taxes paid, reasonable improvements, HOA dues, etc.) asserted by the purchaser within 30 days of notice of redemption. Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-5-2701(b),(d),(e). See tennessee Module 2.
The official county website specifically cautions: “We advise that no improvements be made on the property during that year, because you may not be reimbursed for your investment.” (Source: www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Local fees for redemption motion: needs_verification — No specific filing fee for a Motion to Redeem is published on the Chancery Court website. Contact the Clerk and Master at (615) 898-7860 to confirm the current fee.
Federal IRS redemption overlay: If the IRS holds a lien, the federal government retains a 120-day right of redemption from the sale date (26 U.S.C. § 7425). This runs alongside the state redemption clock.
Deviations from state default: None identified. Rutherford County follows the standard § 67-5-2701 tiered schedule. The county confirms the 1-year default period and 12% per annum rate on the official website.
C3. Local Surplus / Excess Proceeds → framework: surplus-funds
▸ For Investors / Operators — Rutherford County conducts an online-only annual delinquent-tax auction via GovEase with no physical component; payment (cash, cashier’s check, money order, or Tennessee-bank check) is due by close of business the day after the sale. A Decree Confirming Sale must be entered before title passes — the deed is prepared and recorded by the Clerk and Master at that time, so factor the confirmation lag into your timeline. The redemption period is one year from the Decree Confirming Sale for parcels with ≤5 years’ delinquency (shorter for longer delinquencies and vacant/abandoned properties per Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-5-2701). During that period the purchaser may assert reimbursement claims for subsequent taxes paid and reasonable lawful charges within 30 days of redemption notice.
▸ For Former Owners — Rutherford County excess-proceeds claims are filed as motions in the same chancery court case that produced the sale. Contact the Chancery Court Clerk and Master (Adam T. Dodd; 116 W. Lytle St., Suite 5101, Murfreesboro, TN 37130; (615) 898-7860; adam.dodd@rutherfordcountytn.gov) for the case number and current form. Filing is available until funds are forwarded to the State; after that, claims are reclaimable at treasury.tn.gov/unclaim/ with no expiration. You may also stop a pending sale by paying the full delinquency to rcchancery.com by 9:00 a.m. the day of the sale.
BUSINESS-CRITICAL: Surplus/excess proceeds in Rutherford County are a chancery court matter. Claims are filed as motions in the same chancery court case that produced the sale — not with the Trustee, Sheriff, or any administrative office.
Claim filing venue:
- Court: Chancery Court for Rutherford County, Tennessee
- Filing office: Rutherford County Chancery Court Clerk and Master’s Office
- Address: 116 W. Lytle St., Suite 5101, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
- Phone: (615) 898-7860
- Clerk and Master: Adam T. Dodd (appointed by the Chancellor; tncourts.gov clerk directory confirms: adam.dodd@rutherfordcountytn.gov, (615) 898-7860, confirmed room 302 on official Tennessee courts directory; official website address is Suite 5101)
- Official website: www.rcchancery.com
Statutory authority: Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-5-2702(a) — “any interested person” may file a motion in the chancery court in which the delinquent-tax proceeding is pending. See tennessee Module 3 for the full waterfall.
Claim form: needs_verification — No Rutherford County-specific “Motion to Claim Excess Sale Proceeds” form was found published on www.rcchancery.com at the time of research. The Chancery Court’s forms page lists general civil forms but not a specific excess-proceeds form. Contact the Clerk and Master at (615) 898-7860 to obtain the current form. Compare: Knox County publishes a verified form (knoxcounty.org/trustee/taxsale23/MotionClaimExcessSaleProceedsWithStatute.pdf) as a model of what such a motion requires under § 67-5-2702.
Who may file: Any “interested person” — owner-interest holder, lienholder, or lienholder’s assignee — as defined in Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-5-2502(c). A tax-sale purchaser may not claim excess proceeds. See tennessee Module 3.
Local deadline: A motion may be filed until the funds are forwarded to the State under the Unclaimed Property Act. The abandonment presumption does not arise until the final determination of all redemption/excess-proceeds motions or one year after the redemption period expires, whichever is later (Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-5-2702(c)(5)). After escheat, funds are reclaimable from the Tennessee Department of Treasury unclaimed property division at treasury.tn.gov/unclaim/.
Unclaimed-funds list published by county? needs_verification — No running list of pending or unclaimed excess proceeds was located on the official Rutherford County Chancery Court website.
Motion filing fee: needs_verification — No specific filing fee for the Motion to Claim Excess Sale Proceeds is published on the Chancery Court website. Contact (615) 898-7860 to confirm.
Contact for surplus claims: Rutherford County Chancery Court Clerk and Master, (615) 898-7860; [email protected].
C4. Offices & Contacts
| Office | Name | Address | Phone | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trustee (Tax Collector) | Teb Batey | Historic Courthouse, Room 102, Murfreesboro, TN 37130 (main); 205 I Street, Smyrna, TN 37167 (seasonal) | (615) 898-7705; toll-free payment line: (888) 546-4299 | rctrustee.com |
| Chancery Court Clerk & Master (Tax Sale + Redemption + Surplus) | Adam T. Dodd | 116 W. Lytle St., Suite 5101, Murfreesboro, TN 37130 | (615) 898-7860 (general); (615) 217-0063 (docketing) | www.rcchancery.com |
| Register of Deeds | Heather Dawbarn | 319 N. Maple Street, Room 133, Murfreesboro, TN 37130 | (615) 898-7870; Fax: (615) 898-7987 | rutherfordcountytn.gov/register-deeds |
| Property Assessor | needs_verification | 319 N. Maple St., Suite 200, Murfreesboro, TN 37130 | Real Property: (615) 898-7750; Business Personal Property: (615) 898-7761; Fax: (615) 896-2759 | rcpatn.com |
| Sheriff | needs_verification | needs_verification | needs_verification | needs_verification |
Note on Sheriff’s role: Tennessee delinquent property tax sales are conducted by the Chancery Court Clerk and Master — not the Sheriff. Rutherford County mortgage foreclosures are primarily non-judicial (power-of-sale under deed of trust, administered by the trustee named in the deed of trust). The Sheriff’s role in property sales is not confirmed from retrieved sources.
Trustee satellite: The Rutherford County Trustee maintains a seasonal Smyrna satellite (205 I Street, Smyrna, TN 37167) operating full-time October–September and reduced hours (Tuesdays/Thursdays) April–August. (Source: rctrustee.com/locations, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Chancery Court office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM (building closes to public at 4:15 PM). (Source: www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Register of Deeds office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM. (Source: rutherfordcountytn.gov/register-deeds, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
C5. Local Procedure Notes
GovEase-only sale: Unlike Knox County (in-person auction) and Davidson County, Rutherford County conducts all delinquent-tax auctions exclusively online via GovEase with no physical component. Bidders must complete GovEase’s online registration process and submit documents through GovEase’s platform.
Municipalities included in Chancery Court collection: The Chancery Court collects for Murfreesboro, Smyrna, LaVergne, and Eagleville — any of these city tax obligations may also appear on auctioned parcels and will be paid from sale proceeds if sufficient funds remain; otherwise they become the purchaser’s responsibility. (Source: rcchancery.com FAQ + delinquent_sales page, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Annual cadence, no set calendar date: Unlike some counties that have a published annual sale date, Rutherford County’s sale date is determined on an ad-hoc basis and announced approximately one month in advance. No multi-year sale schedule is published.
Email notification system: The Chancery Court maintains an email notification list for prospective bidders; call (615) 898-7860 Ext. 4153 to be added.
Decree Confirming Sale: The sale is not complete until the Decree Confirming Sale is entered. Purchasers receive a copy of the decree by mail when signed; the Clerk and Master’s office prepares and records the tax deed at that time. (Source: www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Delinquent taxes searchable online: Use the “Search and Pay Delinquent Taxes” link at rcchancery.com; entering ”**” (two asterisks) returns all delinquent properties in Chancery Court. Online payment of delinquent taxes is also available at rcchancery.com. (Source: rcchancery.com FAQ, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
No partial payments accepted: Tennessee has no statute allowing partial payments on taxes filed in Chancery Court. (Source: rcchancery.com FAQ, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Personal property taxes: A business delinquent for personal property taxes is still responsible if it was operating as of January 1 of the tax year; the owner must notify the tax assessor upon closing a business to avoid future assessments. (Source: rcchancery.com FAQ, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
Title search performed by court: The Clerk and Master’s office performs a title search before sale, but the page warns: “IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CONDUCT FURTHER RESEARCH ON A PROPERTY YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BIDDING ON.” (Source: www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.)
C6. Records Access
| Resource | URL |
|---|---|
| Parcel / property data search (Assessor) | secured.rutherfordcountytn.gov/propertydata/ |
| Property record cards / assessor data (WebPro) | secured.rutherfordcountytn.gov/OFS/WP/Home |
| GIS interactive map (ArcGIS) | experience.arcgis.com/experience/2277bc024750486c9d27d56a94c09892/ |
| GIS Data Hub | rutherfordcountygis-rcgis.hub.arcgis.com/ |
| Tax payment portal (Trustee) | trustee.pay.rutherfordcountytn.gov/#/ |
| Delinquent tax search / payment (Chancery Court) | rcchancery.com — use “Search and Pay Delinquent Taxes” link; enter ”**” to list all |
| Register of Deeds — deed/title search | rutherfordcountytn.gov/rod-title-search — links out to US Title Search (ustitlesearch.net) |
| Register of Deeds — e-recording | rutherfordcountytn.gov/e-recording — via Simplifile, ePN, or CSC |
| Chancery Court delinquent tax sales page | www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales |
| Chancery Court tax sales FAQ | rcchancery.com/index.asp?SEC=0F312E8E-29C6-46E9-A92D-D1FCE0AA5DE9 |
| GovEase auction platform (Rutherford County) | liveauctions.govease.com — select “TN - Rutherford County/City of Murfreesboro” |
| State unclaimed property (post-escheat) | treasury.tn.gov/unclaim/ |
C7. Meta
Parent state: tennessee Last verified: 2026-06-02 Confidence: 0.90 Completeness score: 0.83 Gap score: 7
Sources retrieved:
| Type | URL | Retrieved | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| official | https://www.rcchancery.com/ | 2026-06-02 | Chancery Court main page; confirmed Adam T. Dodd as Clerk and Master; 116 W. Lytle St., Suite 5101, Murfreesboro, TN 37130; (615) 898-7860; GovEase platform; delinquent tax sale portal confirmed |
| official | https://www.rcchancery.com/delinquent_sales | 2026-06-02 | Full verbatim text extracted: annual sale, GovEase platform, registration cutoff 10AM prior day, payment methods, opening bid formula, 9AM same-day taxpayer payment cutoff, 1-year redemption, 12% p.a., recording costs, advertising in Daily News Journal and Murfreesboro Post |
| official | https://rcchancery.com/index.asp?SEC=0F312E8E-29C6-46E9-A92D-D1FCE0AA5DE9 | 2026-06-02 | Full verbatim FAQ extracted: turnover date, $44 court costs, 10% attorney fee, $125 title search for County/Eagleville, 1.5%/month interest, email notification list (Ext. 4153), GovEase confirmed, ”**” delinquent search tip, no partial payments, no over-counter sales |
| official | https://rctrustee.com/ | 2026-06-02 | Trustee main page; no tax sale info; Teb Batey name and main office confirmed |
| official | https://rctrustee.com/locations | 2026-06-02 | Main office: Historic Courthouse Room 102, Murfreesboro TN 37130; (615) 898-7705; Smyrna satellite: 205 I Street, Smyrna TN 37167; seasonal hours |
| official | https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/register-deeds | 2026-06-02 | Heather Dawbarn, Register of Deeds; 319 N. Maple Street Room 133, Murfreesboro TN 37130; (615) 898-7870; hours Mon–Fri 8AM–4PM |
| official | https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/rod-title-search | 2026-06-02 | Deed/title search page; links to US Title Search (ustitlesearch.net) for online records |
| official | https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/e-recording | 2026-06-02 | E-recording via Simplifile, ePN, CSC; Heather Dawbarn contact confirmed |
| official | https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/gis | 2026-06-02 | GIS interactive map (ArcGIS experience URL) and Data Hub confirmed; GIS Manager Mike Curtis (615) 898-7762 |
| official | https://secured.rutherfordcountytn.gov/propertydata/ | 2026-06-02 | Parcel/property data search portal confirmed; assessor info page |
| official | https://secured.rutherfordcountytn.gov/OFS/WP/Home | 2026-06-02 | Property record cards / WebPro assessor portal confirmed; 319 N Maple St Suite 200, (615) 898-7750 |
| official | https://rcpatn.com/ | 2026-06-02 | Property Assessor office: 319 N Maple St Suite 200, Murfreesboro TN 37130; Real Property (615) 898-7750; BPP (615) 898-7761 |
| official | https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/circuit-criminal-chancery-courts/clerks?tid=129 | 2026-06-02 | Tncourts.gov clerk directory: Adam Dodd, Clerk and Master, Room 302 Judicial Building, 20 Public Square North, Murfreesboro TN 37130; adam.dodd@rutherfordcountytn.gov; (615) 898-7860 |
| official | https://liveauctions.govease.com/ | 2026-06-02 | GovEase live auctions portal confirmed listing “TN - Rutherford County/City of Murfreesboro” in Tennessee dropdown |
needs_verification (7 remaining — all Row 2):
- Next known sale date — no specific upcoming sale posted at time of research (Rutherford County announces ~1 month in advance on rcchancery.com)
- Motion to Claim Excess Sale Proceeds form — no Rutherford County-specific form found on rcchancery.com; must contact Clerk and Master at (615) 898-7860
- Filing fee for Motion to Claim Excess Sale Proceeds (not published on official website)
- Filing fee for Motion to Redeem (not published online)
- Sheriff’s full name, address, and phone for Rutherford County (not retrieved from a primary source; sheriff does not conduct tax sales in Tennessee)
- Property Assessor’s current elected name (not confirmed from retrieved primary sources; phone and address confirmed from rcpatn.com)
- Whether a running public list of pending or unclaimed excess proceeds is maintained and published by Rutherford County
Cross-links: tennessee, right-of-redemption, surplus-funds, tyler-v-hennepin-county, bankruptcy-automatic-stay, scra-protections, federal-tax-lien-redemption, heirs-property, third-party-recovery-rules, unclaimed-property, davidson-tn, shelby-tn, knox-tn, rutherford-county-v-delinquent-taxpayers
Changelog:
- 2026-06-02: Page created. Research conducted against official Rutherford County Chancery Court (rcchancery.com), County Trustee (rctrustee.com), Register of Deeds, Assessor (rcpatn.com), GIS, and Tennessee courts directory (tncourts.gov). Tax sale platform confirmed as GovEase (online-only). Full verbatim text of delinquent_sales page and FAQ extracted: annual sale, GovEase platform, $44 court costs + 10$125 title search (County/Eagleville), 1.5%/month interest, 9AM same-day cutoff, 10AM prior-day registration cutoff, payment by close of business day after sale, 1-year redemption + 12% p.a. Clerk and Master Adam T. Dodd, Trustee Teb Batey, Register of Deeds Heather Dawbarn contact details confirmed from primary sources. GovEase listing “TN - Rutherford County/City of Murfreesboro” confirmed from liveauctions.govease.com. Seven remaining gaps are Row 2 (needs_verification) only — no Row 3–5 deficiencies.
▸ For Investors / Operators — Rutherford County conducts an online-only annual delinquent-tax auction via GovEase with no physical component; payment (cash, cashier’s check, money order, or Tennessee-bank check) is due by close of business the day after the sale. A Decree Confirming Sale must be entered before title passes — the deed is prepared and recorded by the Clerk and Master at that time, so factor the confirmation lag into your timeline. The redemption period is one year from the Decree Confirming Sale for parcels with ≤5 years’ delinquency (shorter for longer delinquencies and vacant/abandoned properties per Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-5-2701). During that period the purchaser may assert reimbursement claims for subsequent taxes paid and reasonable lawful charges within 30 days of redemption notice.
▸ For Former Owners — Rutherford County excess-proceeds claims are filed as motions in the same chancery court case that produced the sale. Contact the Chancery Court Clerk and Master (Adam T. Dodd; 116 W. Lytle St., Suite 5101, Murfreesboro, TN 37130; (615) 898-7860; adam.dodd@rutherfordcountytn.gov) for the case number and current form. Filing is available until funds are forwarded to the State; after that, claims are reclaimable at treasury.tn.gov/unclaim/ with no expiration. You may also stop a pending sale by paying the full delinquency to rcchancery.com by 9:00 a.m. the day of the sale.
Disclaimer: This page contains legal information, not legal advice. Laws, procedures, deadlines, and contact details change. Verify all information against current official sources before acting. Consult a licensed Tennessee attorney for advice specific to your situation. The authors of this wiki assume no liability for errors or omissions.