Free Davidson County Public Records: Lookup Resource

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Free Davidson County Public Records Search

Access Davidson County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.

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Free Davidson County public records empower citizens to learn about someone’s past or determine what’s on their own record.

The federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Tennessee Public Records Act make public records readily accessible, but knowing which types of records are available and which agencies host and distribute this information is the key to a successful search.

Through this resource, readers will learn how to find public information such as marriage and divorce records, arrests, criminal records, probation, warrants, prisoner details, court records, property records and more.

How To Execute a Davidson County Inmate Search & View Mugshots for Free

Arrest records will give you information about what happened when the person in question encountered the police, including their personal information, the date and location of the incident, and any related court dates.

While you can search court records for this information, searching the arrest database can give you more immediate results.

It’s possible to search online and find sites that host mugshots, but these are rarely legitimate websites. You should go directly to the source and access the data from law enforcement websites.

If you know the general area of the arrest and the person’s name, you can find the arrest quickly. Otherwise, start by searching the county’s site to get a broad scope of results, then refine your search by city or town jails and local police departments as you get more information.

Check the Davidson County Jail for Local Arrests

Starting with Davidson County Jail will give you the biggest picture when looking up Davidson County arrest details.

The county includes Nashville, the state capital, and also the surrounding suburbs and small towns like Forest Hills, Berry Hill, and Belle Meade. It will also search specific neighborhoods in Nashville, like Lockeland Springs, Donelson, and Antioch.

You can look online for inmates using the Davidson County Sheriff’s active inmate page. This database includes pre-trial detainees and is officially run by the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office.

When you visit the online portal, you can search for an inmate by name or browse recent bookings. For common names, you may get multiple results that don’t refer to your specific person, so check each record carefully before using it for your personal information.

If you have more information, you can do an advanced search that includes the inmate’s full name, birthdate, warrant number, Originating Case Agency (OCA) number, and CIS number.

The database can’t find people by nicknames, and a typo or misspelling may yield no results even though the inmate is in jail. You also may not get results if you search immediately after an arrest, as it takes time for staff to upload data to the portal.

Once the database finds your inmate, you’ll get jail records, including information such as:

• Booking number
• Full legal name and aliases
• Birth date
• Release date
• Specific criminal charges
• Bond amount, if applicable

The release date and criminal charges may change after the inmate attends court, so the data you access should be considered preliminary. The information can change quicker than the website gets updates, so you can cover your bases by calling, sending mail, or visiting the jail in person.

The mailing address is:

Davidson County Sheriff’s Office
5131 Harding Pl.
Nashville, TN 37211

Call for general information at 615-862-8132 or visit the sheriff’s website directly.³

If you can’t find your inmate in the sheriff’s jail database, you can request police records. The Police Records Services Unit covers the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and is an essential resource when you need to find someone’s criminal history.⁴

For help searching police records in Nashville, call the Central Records Division at 615-862-7631.

You can also mail records requests or visit the department in person at:

Police Central Records Division
811 Anderson Ln., Suite 100
Madison, TN 37115

You can look for information about vehicle crashes online. The police department uploads accident reports five to seven days after an accident.⁵ Though it includes a public index, to legally access individual reports, you need to be one of the following:

• A person involved in the accident
• An attorney for someone in the accident
• An insurance representative of someone involved in the accident

It’s also not possible to find information on accidents involving pending criminal charges or fatalities online. In that case, searching Nashville news websites may give you some basic information on more serious accidents.

View Arrest Information & Obtain Police Reports via Police Departments in Davidson County Tennessee

One way to access public records in Davidson County is by searching individual police departments in the area. In addition to Nashville, many suburbs in the county have their own department and site.

Metro Nashville and Davidson County share a criminal clerk; you can access the database online. Search by the person’s name and birthdate if you know it. If you don’t have much information, you can check the dockets for personal data in categories such as:

• General Sessions Scheduled Appearance List
• Trial Court Criminal Dockets
• Review Docket List

You can also search the interactive crime map for arrest data going back one week. If you know the location of the crime, you can click the pin to learn more about the defendant, the crime, their extensive criminal history, and their upcoming date in court.

For questions, call the Criminal Court Clerk at 615-862-5601 or send an online contact form.⁸ You can visit in person at:

Criminal Court Clerk
408 2nd Avenue, North, Suite 2120
Nashville, TN 37201

While all police departments use the same online database, you may need to contact specific locations for more information. There are 35 police departments in Davidson County, but here are a few of the most active:

Berry Hill Police Department
698 Thompson Lane
Nashville, Tennessee, 37204

Phone: 615-297-4701
Fax: 615-269-9819

Goodlettsville Police Department
105 South Main Street
Goodlettsville, Tennessee, 37072

Phone: 615-859-3405
Fax: 615-851-2226

Lakewood Police Department
3401 Hadley Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee 37138

Phone: 615-847-3711
Fax: 615-847-5444

For the nearby city of Belle Meade, you can access the police department’s crime website, which is updated once or twice a week.⁹ While you can’t search for a criminal record, you can see the latest crimes in the area and then contact the police department at 615-297-0241 or email the police chief at [email protected].

To visit the city of Belle Meade’s police department in person, go to:

Belle Meade Police Department
Belle Meade City Hall
4705 Harding Pike
Nashville, TN 37205

For other towns in Davidson County, you can try to search terms like “[city name] Tennessee arrest records” or “[city name] police department contact information” for the most recent local information.

Many smaller cities and towns use VineLink to maintain inmate records. The Tennessee VineLink database allows you to search by name to learn the current status of an inmate.

How To Access Free Davidson County Tennessee Criminal Records

Many criminal records include charges, probation, warrants, sex offender registries, and more. To conduct a free criminal record check, you may need to visit several official sites to compile a complete picture.

For example, the Tennessee state website links to many databases, including sex and drug offenders, but the Bureau of Investigation offers more resources. You may find some information on one page but need to visit other links to get more details of their past or current situation.

Check Out Criminal Cases & Charges Through the Davidson County Chancery Court

The best way to look up criminal cases is online through the Davidson County Chancery Court.

You can search cases just by submitting the person’s last name, but if you know more information, include it. There are many case types, including debt, appeals, restraining orders, name changes, and others.

Ongoing criminal cases may not be online until they are resolved.

Perform a Davidson County Criminal Record Search Through the Court Clerk

You can contact the Metropolitan Nashville & Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk for viewing access to all criminal records.¹¹ You’ll be able to see records for free if you go in person during business hours. If you need copies, they’re $0.50 per page, and you can get them there or have them mailed to you.

Call the Clerk’s Office at 615-862-5601 or visit in person on the second floor of Justice A.A. Birch Building:

Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk
408 2nd Avenue North, Suite 2120
Nashville, TN 37201

How To Find Out if Someone Has an Arrest Warrant in Davidson County Tennessee

You must visit the Criminal Warrants Division in person to see if someone has a warrant in Davidson County. Because the information on the warrant is confidential, you can’t even discuss it over the phone.

The Criminal Warrants Office is open 24/7 at:

Criminal Warrants Office
440 3rd Ave N
Nashville, TN 37201

To get information about Davidson County public records regarding warrants, call the offender information hotline at 615-862-8123 or submit an online public record request.¹²

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Fugitive Unit maintains a Most Wanted list of people with outstanding warrants.¹³ You can scroll through the photos or search according to last name in alphabetical order. The record doesn’t include any personal information beyond the person’s legal name, birthdate, height, weight, and charges, but it’s a great starting point.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation also lists TBI’s Most Wanted. As with Nashville’s site, you can’t search for names, but you can scroll through the list to see if it includes the person you’re searching for. The records are more detailed than Nashville’s, including age, a physical description, and more information about their crime.

How To View Public Records on Probationers in Davidson County TN

You can find probation records on the Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County General Sessions Probation website.¹⁵

This page is for offenders checking in, so you won’t be able to find any information unless you know their first and last names and birthdates. It’s not possible to enter partial details and still see the results.

If you know that someone is on probation but don’t have enough information to find their record, make sure you understand Tennessee’s definition of probation before you make a final decision on the person’s character and criminal record.¹⁶

How To Run a Criminal Background Check in Davidson County

Anyone can run a free personal background check by searching public records through the agencies seen in this article or through the county’s online Record Summary Tool. Many online organizations will pull public records for a fee. Since it’s public information, you don’t need consent from the person you’re searching for.

Still, you can only use the data for yourself, not to harass, stalk, or influence professional decisions.

Official background checks for professional purposes like employment, licensing, firearms, housing, and certain volunteer positions include name-based searches and fingerprint background checks. You can run these background checks online through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.¹⁷

An adult can request a criminal history on any individual by submitting an online request or printing and mailing a paper form. The search is $29 and is only available for Tennessee residents.

If you mail a form, send it to this address:

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation – TORIS Unit
901 R.S. Gass Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37216

Individuals and employers can run more extensive background checks through IdentoGO for $50, but you must submit your fingerprints and can only access your personal record.

Employers, landlords, and people volunteering in official capacities can also run background checks that require fingerprints through IdentoGO for discounted rates of $37.15, $33.15, and $23.90.

You can submit an official request to a state department or county contact if you need public records. Fees may be involved for copies, and you may only have access to certain information.

When conducting official background checks, you must adhere to all legal guidelines. For example, employers must follow the statutes outlined and enforced by the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) and FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act). If you search public records for a professional background check, they can dispute the issue with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) since they didn’t consent.

Tennessee is one of 37 states that adheres to a Ban the Box law. This means that state employers can’t ask about criminal history on an initial job application. While they can later conduct background checks, any information about criminal records, including public data searches, legally counts as discrimination.

If you’re an employer in Tennessee, keep these legal regulations in mind. However, if you’re conducting public records searches for your own peace of mind, you don’t need to worry about those guidelines.

How To Search Criminal Records in Tennessee via State & Federal Agencies

Some Davidson County public records you may want to check include the sex offender, animal abuse, and drug offender registries.

The general searches include the whole state, but you can search for specific names or enter addresses in Davidson County to see results that apply directly to you.

For sex offenders, you can search the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry by name or map locations. Enter the offender’s first and last names to see a list of results. For the map, you’ll see the entire state and surrounding areas with the number of registered offenders.

You can zoom into the map to get specific information or enter an address or city to look nearby.

If you need to contact the state’s sex offender registry, you can call them at +1(888)837-4170.

or send an email to [email protected]. The office is part of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, located at:

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
901 R.S. Gass Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37216

The Tennessee Animal Abuse Registry isn’t searchable but rather features a list of convictions based on information from each county’s clerk.

You can get more information by emailing the office at [email protected] or mailing them to:

Tennessee Animal Abuse Registry
C/O Professional Standards Unit
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
901 R.S. Gass Boulevard
Nashville, TN, 37216

The Tennessee Drug Offender Registry also pulls information from each county clerk. The database started in 2005 and was expanded in 2014. The offenders stay on record for ten years.

To conduct a search, you can enter a county or the last name and first initial of a specific person.

How To Find Public Court Records in Davidson County

The Nashville criminal court has an online search function that allows you to search by person, case number, or incident number. For a personal search, you can enter a first and last name plus birth date if you know it.

The results show the most recent case details and give you the option to see someone’s complete criminal history for free.

The General Sessions Court links you to civil, criminal, and traffic cases. You must create an account for $25 a month to search the civil division and find data relating to:

• Civil warrants up to $25,000
• Detainer warrants
• Environmental codes violations
• Mental health committals
• Orders of protection
• Recovery warrants

You can check the court dockets for the civil division three days before the scheduled court appearance to see when someone should appear in court. The criminal court lists dockets online with the person’s name, offense, and bond amount and posts the trial schedule.¹⁹

The chancery court has extensive online search options for Parts I to IV and business court. To search, you need to know the person or business name. If you have more information, you can enter it and select specific case types for refined results.

Tennessee State Courts also maintains a database of Public Case History. You can find information on major cases from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals. The data comes from the Appellate Court Clerk’s office and includes information about appeals, motions, orders and judgments.

The online database only includes appeals filed after September 1, 2006, up to the end of the previous business day of your search. You need one of the following pieces of information to search the site:

• Case number
• Case style
• First or last name of the party to an appeal
• Organization name of the party to an appeal

The results include information such as:

• Style of the case
• Trial court number
• Trial court judge
• Case history
• Major events in the case
• Overall record information

You can also search for other Davidson County public records regarding court proceedings online, including through the criminal, general sessions, chancery, and business courts.

How To Acquire Davidson County Tennessee Vital Records (Marriage, Divorce, Birth & Death)

Anyone can search public records in Davidson County to find marital status and information about births and deaths. It’s possible to find the data in different places, including at city, county, state, and federal levels.

Many people need these vital records because they’re conducting ancestry research. Some people may need to request new copies of documents they’ve lost. For example, you may need proof of divorce to change your name. You may need a copy of your birth certificate to enroll in college classes.

If you’re trying to find someone’s status for your personal information, you may have more trouble because there aren’t searchable databases. In many cases, you may need to pay a fee for copies and include personal identifying information before you can get access to current records.

Verify Someone’s Marital Status (Divorced or Married) via the Davidson County Clerk of Court

The Davidson County Clerk of Court offers certified copies of marriage records through their office for $5 per copy, plus a $2 delivery fee, payable by check or money order.

Applicants must submit the request for a certified copy of the marriage record by mail, in person, or online by submitting a certified marriage record request online.

Online inquiries require interested parties to click on Davidson from the county dropdown menu, click “Marriage Lookup,” and then enter the names of the individuals who were married. Only marriages held within the past 30 years are available for printing at the clerk’s office, whose mailing address is listed here:

Davidson County Clerk of Court
Attention — Marriage Dept.
PO Box 196333
Nashville, Tennessee 37219-6333
Marriage & Notary Dept. Phone: 615.862.6256

Divorce records, on the other hand, must be acquired from the Circuit Court Clerk, either by filling out and submitting the Application for Divorce Certificate Without Children or Divorce Certificate With Children and paying according to the Circuit Court filing fee schedule.

Davidson County Circuit Court
1 Public Square 302
Nashville Tennessee 37201

Recent marriage and divorce records, including current results, are also available through the Tennessee Department of Health’s Vital Records Office.

Marriage certificates are certified copies only, not the official marriage license. The divorce certificate is also a certified copy, not the divorce decree. You can also choose to order marriage and divorce verifications for informational purposes only, not for identification purposes.

These documents cost $15 each.

You can also request the documents by mail, submitting a form for a marriage or divorce certified copy. Send the information to:

Tennessee Vital Records
1st FL, Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Pkwy
Nashville, TN, 37243.

Online and mail orders take up to four weeks for delivery. If you’ve placed an order and want to check the status, you can email [email protected] for help. You can easily place an order online through VitalChek.

It’s also possible to order older records through the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Marriage and divorce records dating back before 1973 require a form submitted by mail to get results mailed or emailed in return. The cost is $5 for state residents and $10 for people outside of Tennessee.

The Nashville Public Library has a collection of marriage licenses from 1788 to 2017 for genealogical purposes. You can search online for records ranging from 1788 to 1916 or order a copy online for $5.

For more recent certificates, you should contact the Metro Archives at 615-862-5880 or by visiting the third floor of the Main Library at:

Nashville Public Library
615 Church St.
Nashville, TN 37219

Obtain Davidson County Birth & Death Records via the Tennessee Vital Records Office

You can get copies of both birth and death certificates from Davidson County agencies.

For both, you need to send a copy of your ID with the form, so it’s not as easy as searching online. You need to complete a death certificate request or birth certificate request and mail it to:

Lentz Public Health Center
Vital Records
2500 Charlotte Ave
Nashville, TN 37209

Birth records for people born after 1923 are also available from the Office of Vital Records. You can request records in person, online, or by mail.²¹

As previously mentioned, the Tennessee State Library and Archives also hold some vital records. You can use this service to access birth and death records.

For birth and death records, you’ll need to start with the year. Records from 1908 to 1912 and 1914 to 1922 require a request form you need to print and mail to get a copy of the microfilm results. Tennessee residents pay $5 to have the results sent via mail or email, while out-of-state residents pay $10.

Once you complete the form, send it to:

Tennessee State Library and Archives
1001 Rep. John Lewis Way North
Nashville, TN 37219

You can request the documents by mail, submitting a form for a birth or death certified copy. Send the information to:

Tennessee Vital Records
1st FL, Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243

As with other vital records, online and mail orders may take up to four weeks for delivery. If you want to check the status of your order, email customer service for help.

You can go in person for same-day service as previously recommended for marriage and divorce documentation. You can also visit the nearest county health department for birth and death certificates. Once they’re registered with the state, you can easily get copies by bringing an application and paying the standard fees.

Online orders are through VitalChek. You can get long-form birth certificates or birth verifications for informational purposes only. Similarly, you can choose a death verification or certificate, with and without the cause listed.

All documents are $15 each.

How To Find Out Who Owns a Property or Home in Davidson County Tennessee (Free Search)

If you need to find out who owns a property in Davidson County, you can conduct a free property search on the Assessor of Property’s website.

A simple search requires you to enter the owner’s name, property address, or map and parcel. You don’t need to know all the information, and you can even search names based on just three characters entered.

To search by name, enter the last name, a comma, and then the first name. You can also enter the last name and first initial. If you enter only a last name, you’ll need to search through all the records to find the specific person.

Searching by address is simple, too. You can enter the street name only and check out all the addresses. If you know the exact address, you will type the street name in the first box and the number address in the second box to get a single result.

The website includes helpful screenshots if you need assistance finding the information you need.

You can contact the Assessor of Property for many services by calling them at 615-862-6080, faxing 615-862-6057, or emailing [email protected].

Mail requests to:

Assessor of Property
P.O. Box 196305
Nashville, TN 37219-6305

If you need to ask questions in person, you can visit their office:

Assessor of Property
Howard Office Building
700 President Ronald Reagan Way
Suite 210, Assessor of Property
Nashville, TN 37210

Another way to conduct a property search is to visit the Property Tax Lookup site. Enter the owner’s name, company name, or property address. The results include full legal names, addresses, tax bill numbers, land and property values, and a history of taxes paid.

This site is a great way to verify residency found through the property assessor’s database.

The Metropolitan Trustee oversees property taxes, so if you have questions, call 615-862-6330, fax 615-862-6337, or email [email protected].

You can mail tax requests to:

Office of the Metropolitan Trustee
P.O. Box 196358
Nashville, TN 37219-6358

To visit in person, you’ll go to the Howard Office Building—the same office building as the property assessor above–but go to Suite 220, Metropolitan Trustee.

Retrieve Davidson County Public Records Responsibly & Know Your Rights

Accessing information is easier than ever, thanks to internet access and online portals regarding court documents, police reports, and vital records. However, you need to use the data you find carefully. Though it’s all public record, the people you search still have a right to privacy.

You shouldn’t use the information you find to discriminate against them. You’re only seeing the basic data, but there may be more intricacies to each case that you can only find out by talking to the individual if you care to know the true story.

When you conduct a background check, you shouldn’t openly or publicly share this information with others. However, you can use it to decide who you get involved with or who you allow around your home and family.

If you share the information you find with others, including employers or landlords, the person in consideration may file harassment charges against you. Ensure you only use the information for your personal knowledge and research applicable laws and regulations when you need to run background checks for official information, like leases and employment.

Davidson County adheres to the Tennessee Open Records Act, which allows every state resident to access public records kept by government organizations.²³ Some are restricted, including medical records, private school records, juvenile records, and some economic information.

It’s possible to request access to restricted information by submitting a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the state.²⁴ If you need the data for professional reasons, you need to request it directly through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to keep it legal. The only way to access juvenile records is if they commit a serious offense.

There are many ways to access Davidson County public records for free and the information within this resource will allow you to find publicly available information on yourself or another person – just be sure to use it responsibly; for a broader search, you can use the assistance of the Tennessee free public information search tutorial.