Rutherford County Clerk Office

What the Rutherford County Clerk Does

Lisa Duke Crowell is the elected Rutherford County Clerk. She is a constitutional officer who serves a four-year term. The office is not a court-records office. It is a county-level licensing, registration, and records office with a broad set of duties that touch many residents at key moments in their lives. The clerk's office on the official County Clerk page lists the full range of services it provides.

The County Clerk's duties cover several distinct areas. Some are administrative, like keeping minutes for the Rutherford County Board of Commissioners. Others are licensing functions, like issuing beer permits and business licenses. Still others are record-keeping roles tied to life events, like marriages and estates. The scope of work is wider than most people expect from a single office.

• License plate registrations and motor vehicle titles
• Business licenses for businesses operating in the county
• Marriage license applications and issuance
• County beer permits for establishments that sell beer
• Notary public at large commissions
• Passport application acceptance
• Conservatorships and guardianships
• Probating of estates and wills
• Official minutes for the County Commission and Beer Board

Each service has its own rules for fees, forms, and identification. The sections below break each major function down into the specifics you need to know.

County Clerk vs Court Clerks in Rutherford County

Rutherford County uses a three-way split for its clerk offices. Each handles a distinct set of records. Getting them confused is common, but it matters which one you contact because they do not share files or functions.

The Circuit Court Clerk, Melissa Harrell, is the primary court-records office for Circuit Civil, Circuit Criminal, General Sessions Civil, General Sessions Criminal, and Juvenile Court. If you need court filings, case records, criminal dockets, or copies of civil judgments from those courts, the Circuit Court Clerk is where you go. That office is at 116 W. Lytle St., Room 102, in Murfreesboro.

The Clerk and Master, Adam T. Dodd, handles Chancery Court records. Chancery is the equity court. It covers divorce, adoption, paternity, orders of protection, name changes, real estate matters, trusts, and related equity cases. Chancery records are not at the County Clerk's office and not at the Circuit Court Clerk. They are at the Clerk and Master's office at 116 W. Lytle St., Suite 5101, Murfreesboro.

The County Clerk, Lisa Duke Crowell, handles none of those court files. The County Clerk office deals with licensing, registrations, marriage documents, business licenses, probate estate filings, beer permits, and similar county-level functions. If you go to the County Clerk looking for a criminal case record or a civil lawsuit file, the staff will direct you elsewhere. Knowing the difference saves time, especially when a probate or marriage matter involves records across more than one office.

Rutherford County Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses in Rutherford County are issued by the County Clerk, not the Circuit Court Clerk or any court. Both applicants must appear in person together and be at least 18 years old. Each must provide accepted identification: a valid driver's license, state identification card, military ID, or passport. Social Security numbers are required for both applicants.

The standard fee is $107.50. If both applicants complete a notarized Certificate of Completion from a licensed counselor or minister, the fee drops to $45.00. That certificate form is available from the County Clerk office. The license is valid for 30 days from the day it is issued. If the couple does not marry within 30 days, the documents must be returned. After the ceremony, the officiant must return the signed license to the County Clerk within three days. Only after the signed license is returned will the clerk prepare the marriage certificate, and the certificate must be picked up in person; the clerk will not mail it.

Civil ceremonies have not been performed at County Clerk offices since May 1, 2015. Same-sex couples may obtain a marriage license and marry in Tennessee since June 26, 2015. For full details on marriage licenses and certified copy fees, see the marriage and divorce records page.

Certified copies of a marriage license can be obtained in person for $5.00 at the Murfreesboro, Smyrna, or Blackman offices. By mail, the fee is $7.00; mail your request with the date of marriage and both names to the Murfreesboro, Blackman, or Smyrna office. The Eagleville branch does not provide copy services for marriage records.

Rutherford County Probate and Estate Filings

Probate in Rutherford County works differently from many Tennessee counties. By private act, the General Sessions Judges serve as Probate Judge. Those judges hear all probate matters and make determinations about whether an estate is admitted to probate. Once the judge admits the estate, the attorney files the necessary documents with the County Clerk. The County Clerk then maintains the probate file and handles the ongoing administrative work, including conservatorship and guardianship filings.

Probate records are public. The County Clerk's estate page states that any probate matter in Tennessee is a public record available for review in the County Clerk's office in the county of filing. For Rutherford County estates, that means the County Clerk office. A typical probate file may include petitions, the will, a death certificate, letters testamentary or letters of administration, inventories, claims, notices to creditors, TennCare release documents, accountings, court orders, and closing papers.

The County Clerk's Estate and Wills page lists probate fees. Opening and closing a full estate, including one letter testamentary or of administration, costs $418.50. A small estate affidavit costs $229.50. Guardianship and conservatorship filings carry a standard fee of $303.50. Small estates are available only when the estate value is $50,000 or less and no real property is involved. There is a 45-day waiting period from the date of death before a small estate affidavit may be filed.

Notice to creditors is a required step in full probate. Publication rates from the County Clerk page list the Daily News Journal at $135 for creditor notices, Main Street Media at $125, and WGNS at $28. Creditor claims must be filed in the County Clerk's office within four months of the first publication date of the Notice to Creditors. Court costs at the time of filing may be paid by cash, check, or credit and debit card. Notices to creditors must be paid by check only. For more on probate records and how to search them, see the probate records page.

Business Licenses, Beer Permits, Notaries, and Passports

The County Clerk issues business licenses for businesses that operate within Rutherford County and are subject to county-level licensing requirements. This covers many types of local businesses. License requirements vary by business type, so contact the County Clerk directly to confirm what your specific business needs. The Murfreesboro main office handles the full range of business licensing questions.

Beer permits are issued by the County Clerk for establishments that sell beer in unincorporated areas of the county. The County Clerk acts as clerk to the Rutherford County Beer Board, which reviews permit applications and holds hearings. Business owners who want to sell beer at a county location start the process at the County Clerk's office. Establishments inside city limits typically apply to the city rather than the county, so check jurisdiction before applying.

Notary public at large commissions are handled through the County Clerk. Tennessee notaries are commissioned at the county level. The clerk processes the application and administers or records the oath. Requirements and fees for new commissions and renewals can be confirmed at any major branch office.

The County Clerk office is an authorized passport acceptance facility. Applicants applying for a new U.S. passport or a passport for a minor can submit their application at the Murfreesboro office. The clerk accepts the completed DS-11 form and required supporting documents, takes a passport photo if needed, and collects applicable fees. The State Department sets passport fees, and these change periodically; confirm current amounts before your appointment. Renewals by mail go directly to the State Department, not through the clerk's office.

County Commission and Beer Board Records

The County Clerk serves as the official clerk to the Rutherford County Board of Commissioners. That role means the clerk keeps the official minutes, resolutions, ordinances, and other formal records of County Commission meetings. These records are public documents. If you need a copy of a Commission resolution or meeting minutes, the County Clerk's office is the right place to ask.

The clerk also keeps the official minutes and records for the Rutherford County Beer Board. Beer Board hearings are formal proceedings at which permit applications and complaints are heard. The County Clerk is the record-keeper for those proceedings. Certified copies of Beer Board minutes or Commission records are available from the Murfreesboro main office. Contact the office to confirm copy fees and turnaround times for these administrative records, as they differ from the fee schedule used for probate copies or marriage record copies.

For court records such as civil case files or criminal case filings, those are with the Circuit Court Clerk and are not part of the County Clerk's record set. The Commission and Beer Board records held by the County Clerk are government administrative records, not court records.

Rutherford County Clerk Payment Rules

The County Clerk accepts cash, checks drawn on Tennessee banks, and debit and credit cards. There are rules on each method that can affect how you prepare before visiting an office.

If you plan to pay by check, confirm your bank is a Tennessee institution before your visit. If you pay by card, budget for the convenience fee on top of the base amount. For any large payment, it is worth calling ahead to confirm the accepted methods for that specific transaction, since some fees, like probate creditor notices, have narrower payment options than others.

Office Locations and Hours for the Rutherford County Clerk

The County Clerk operates four branch locations across Rutherford County. Three branches are open full weeks on a standard schedule. The Eagleville branch is open only the first working day of each week. If you plan to visit Eagleville, call ahead to confirm the schedule, and use a main office for anything that cannot wait until that limited day. For questions on days the clerk is not in Eagleville, the clerk's page says to direct inquiries to a main office.

The main Murfreesboro office handles the full range of County Clerk services, including marriage licenses, certified copies, probate filings, passport acceptance, business licenses, and beer permits. The Blackman and Smyrna branches offer most standard services. Eagleville handles basic services on its limited schedule. For notary commissions, probate matters, or passport applications, use the Murfreesboro or Blackman location to be sure staff are available.

The screenshot below is from the official Rutherford County Clerk page at rutherfordcountytn.gov, where you can find current service information, location hours, and links to specific clerk functions like marriage licenses and estate filings.

The page shows the office's current duty list, payment instructions, and links to subpages for each major function, including marriage licenses, estates and wills, and other licensing services the clerk provides.

Certified Copies of Rutherford County Clerk Records

The County Clerk issues certified copies of the records it holds. Marriage license copies and probate record copies have separate fee schedules. Each type of copy comes from a different part of the clerk's operation, and the fees reflect that split.

For marriage records, a certified copy costs $5.00 if requested in person at the Murfreesboro, Smyrna, or Blackman offices. If you request by mail, the fee is $7.00. You will need to provide the date of marriage and the full names of both parties. Mail requests go to the Murfreesboro, Blackman, or Smyrna office; the Eagleville branch does not handle mail copy requests for marriage records. Payment by check should be made payable to Rutherford County Clerk and should include a phone number on the check.

For probate records, the copy fee is $0.50 per page for regular copies. Certified probate copies cost $2.00 per page plus $2.00 per certification seal. The County Clerk probate office at the Murfreesboro main branch is the contact point for estate file copies. Because probate files can be lengthy, it helps to know the decedent's name and approximate year of death so staff can pull the file efficiently.

Business license records, Beer Board minutes, and County Commission records are also available from the County Clerk. Contact the main Murfreesboro office for copy fees and procedures for those administrative records. The clerk's staff can tell you what is in the file, how long retrieval takes, and whether the record is onsite or in storage.

The image below is sourced from the Rutherford County jury information and parking page, which shows courthouse and county building location details useful for planning your visit to county offices including the County Clerk.

Parking and building access details from that page can help first-time visitors navigate the Murfreesboro judicial and county office complex, where both the main County Clerk branch and the Circuit Court Clerk are located.

Keep in mind that the County Clerk does not hold circuit court case files or chancery case records. For those, contact the Circuit Court Clerk or the Clerk and Master at Chancery Court. For a broader look at all public record types available in the county, the court records page covers the full range of Rutherford County record sets and which office holds each one.