CHATTANOOGA PUBLIC RECORDS

What are Chattanooga Public Records?

Following the provisions of the Tennessee Public Records Act, Chattanooga public records are records, irrespective of their physical type or features, generated or obtained in compliance to law or ordinance or related to the carrying out of official business by any government entity. It includes all documents, papers, books, letters, maps, images, and microfilms. It also includes electronic data processing files and output, videos, sound recordings, or other related materials.

There are however exceptions to this general rule. Some of the general exceptions that are not subject to public disclosure include:

• Trade secrets, sensitive information, marketing plans;
• Confidential information;
• Medical or patient information and records;
• Preliminary legislative records and work papers;
• Working papers, internal audits, ongoing investigations;
• Criminal history background check results;
• Student records

Chattanooga Crime Statistics

The Tennessee Incident-Based Reporting System (TIBRS) collated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) provides yearly reports about crime rate in the state of Tennessee. According to the 2019 report, the City of Chattanooga reported a total number of 6,350 crimes. This number includes 1,943 violent crimes and 4,407 property crimes. A breakdown of violent crimes reveals that the city recorded 33 murders, 140 rapes, 197 robberies, and 1,573 aggravated assaults. Property crimes reported include 1,211 burglaries, 1,899 larcenies, 1,362 motor vehicle thefts, and 25 arsons. The 2019 report represents an increase in crime in Chattanooga across five years. Between 2015 and 2019, there was an increase in six out of eight major crimes. Murder, rape, aggravated assault, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson rates increased by 57%, 73%, 22%, 63%, 51%, and 56% respectively. There was a decline in robbery and burglary rates by 35% and 39% respectively.

Are Chattanooga Criminal Records Public?

There are two types of Chattanooga criminal records, namely name-based criminal records and fingerprint-based criminal records. Name-based criminal records are accessible and open to the licensing agencies, employers, and the general public. Access to fingerprint-based criminal records is restricted to particular qualified persons, such as the record owner.

Chattanooga criminal records consist of information about a person’s criminal history within the city. They include information like the personal details, arrests, warrants, charges, sentences, and incarceration. The TBI makes criminal records available for public access through the Tennessee Open Records Information Services (TORIS) and mail requests.

How to Obtain Chattanooga Police Reports and Arrest Records?

The Chattanooga Police Department generates and keeps Chattanooga arrest records and police reports. Persons interested in obtaining arrest records or police reports can visit the Police Department or call them with the information below:

Chattanooga Police Department
3410 Amnicola Highway
Chattanooga, TN 37406
(423) 643-5000

The office is open from Monday through to Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

How to Find Sex Offender Information in Chattanooga?

In line with the Tennessee Sex Offender Law, the TBI keeps and provides information about sex offenders within the state, including Chattanooga. It maintains the state’s central registry of registered sex offenders residing in Tennessee. This registry relies on information about conviction. It does not consider the extent of the danger posed by the offender. The TBI makes the registry available online and searchable by the public. Chattanooga residents can search the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry to find registered offenders by name, offender ID, and zip code. They can also choose “Hamilton” from the county drop-down menu to restrict searches. The registry also provides an email notification system that alerts and updates residents with timely information about sex offenders, including their report dates.

How to Find Chattanooga Inmate Records?

The Chattanooga Police Department does not operate any jail facility in the city. Persons apprehended by the Police Department or are incarcerated in the Hamilton County Jail. To find information or records about inmates in the jail facility, search the daily booking reports or inmate lookup tool provided by the Sheriff. For more information about the inmates and the jail, call the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office at (423) 209-7050.

How Do I Visit an Inmate in Chattanooga Jail?

Friends or family can visit an inmate in the Hamilton County Jail by contacting the jail facility at:

Hamilton County Jail
601 Walnut Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-7096
Phone: (423) 209-7050

Court Records

The City of Chattanooga is part of the Hamilton County Court System, which consists of one Circuit Court, one Chancery Court, one Criminal Court, two General Sessions Courts, two Juvenile Courts, and nine Municipal Courts. These courts exercise jurisdiction over various subject matters, including civil, criminal, probate, family, small claims, and traffic cases.

The courts maintain each record that relates to cases that they handled. These records are issued to requesters by the clerk of the custodian court. The Hamilton County Circuit Court Clerk keeps the records of the Circuit Court, the Civil Division of the General Sessions Court, and Juvenile Court. The Hamilton County Criminal Clerk is the record keeper of the Criminal Court and the Criminal Division of the General Sessions Court. The Hamilton County Clerk and Master administers the management of Chancery and Probate Court records.

Location of Courts in Chattanooga

Hamilton County Circuit Court

Hamilton County Circuit Court
Hamilton County Courthouse
625 Georgia Avenue
Room 500
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-6700
Fax: (423) 209-6701

Hamilton County Chancery Court

Hamilton County Chancery Court
Hamilton County Courthouse
625 Georgia Avenue
Room 300
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-6600
Fax: (423) 209-6601

Hamilton County Criminal Court

Hamilton County Criminal Court
Hamilton County - Chattanooga Courts Building
600 Market Street
Room 102
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-7500
Fax: (423) 209-7501

Hamilton County General Sessions Courts

Hamilton County General Sessions Court - Civil Division
Hamilton County Courthouse
625 Georgia Avenue
Room 500
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-6700
Fax: (423) 209-6701

Hamilton County General Sessions Court - Criminal Division
Hamilton County - Chattanooga Courts Building
600 Market Street
Room 108
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-7500
Fax: (423) 209-7501

Hamilton County Juvenile Courts

Hamilton County Juvenile Court
1600 East 3rd Street
Chattanooga, TN 37404
Phone: (423) 209-5100

Hamilton County Juvenile Court - Child Support Division
1221 East Main Street
Chattanooga, TN 37404
Phone: (423) 209-5970

Hamilton County Municipal Courts

Chattanooga City Court
Hamilton County - Chattanooga Courts Building
600 Market Street
Room 104
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 425-6311
Fax: (423) 643-7587

Collegedale Municipal Court
4910 Swinyar Drive
Collegedale, TN 37363
Phone: (423) 468-1891
Fax: (423) 396-3138

East Ridge City Court
City Hall
1517 Tombras Avenue
East Ridge, TN 37412
Phone: (423) 867-2701
Fax: (423) 867-2712

Lakesite City Court
9201 Rocky Point Road
Lakesite, TN 37379
Phone: (423) 842-2533
Fax: (423) 842-8110

Lookout Mountain Town Court
710 Scenic Highway
P.O. Box 111
Lookout Mountain, TN 37350
Phone: (423) 821-1226
Fax: (423) 821-3193

Red Bank City Court
3117 Dayton Boulevard
Red Bank, TN 37415
Phone: (423) 874-0055
Fax: (423) 875-8767

Signal Mountain Town Court
Town Hall
1111 Ridgeway Avenue
Signal Mountain, TN 37377
Phone: (423) 531-4747

Soddy-Daisy Municipal Court
City Hall
9835 Dayton Pike
Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379
Phone: (423) 332-5323

Walden City Court
P.O. Box 335
Signal Mountain, TN 37377
Phone: (423) 886-4362
Fax: (423) 886-7953

Are Chattanooga Court Records Public?

Under Tennessee Law, Chattanooga court records are open to the public. Residents can visit the appropriate courthouses or contact the court’s clerk to obtain copies of court records.

Can you look up a Chattanooga Court Case Online?

To search Chattanooga court cases handled by the Circuit Court online, use the Tennessee Case Finder. New users will be required to create an account to use this search portal.

The Hamilton County Online Court Records System serves as the Chancery Court’s online portal to search Hamilton County and Chattanooga Court civil cases. Persons interested in accessing civil court records can search by party name and case number. If a user searches by party name, they will be required to provide the first and last name or business name of a party to the case. Search by case number requires the user to provide the case number and case year of the record of interest.

Hamilton County provides the public with online access to search the records of its Criminal Court and the Criminal Division of its General Sessions Court. This online access is available through the Criminal Court portal and General Sessions Court portal. Users can search both portals by the name, case number, filing date, and judge.

How to Obtain Chattanooga Civil Court Case Records?

To obtain Chattanooga civil court case records in the custody of the Hamilton County Circuit Clerk, submit a written request by mail or visit the court clerk’s office with the information below:

Hamilton County Circuit Clerk
600 Market Street
Room 110
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-7630
Phone: (423) 209-6700
Fax: (423) 209-7631

To request a Chattanooga civil court case record kept by the Hamilton County Clerk and Master, complete the Public Records Request form. Submit the form in person or by mail to:

Hamilton County Clerk & Master’s Office
Attn: Public Records Request Coordinator
625 Georgia Avenue, Suite 300
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-6600
Fax: (423) 209-6601

How to Obtain Chattanooga Criminal Court Records?

Apart from the online access to criminal case records, the Hamilton County Criminal Clerk also provides interested persons with copies of Chattanooga criminal court records. Interested persons can make in-person and mail requests for these criminal court records. To request a Chattanooga criminal court record, submit a written request with sufficient information about the case of interest to:

Hamilton County Criminal Clerk
102 Courts Building
600 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-7500
Fax: (423) 209-7501

What are Chattanooga Vital Records?

Chattanooga vital records consist of marriage, birth, death, and divorce records. They are documented based on the occurrence of vital events within the city. Chattanooga vital records are maintained by public officials and agencies of the county and state. Chattanooga divorce records are in the custody of the Circuit Court and marriage records are maintained by the Hamilton County Clerk. The Hamilton County Vital Records Office keeps and processes requests for birth and death records. There is restricted access to birth and death records to the record owner, their descendants, spouse, parent, or legal guardian. An authorized representative should present a copy of a government-issued ID to identify themselves and their client. They should also provide a signed statement from their client permitting the release of the certified record.

At the state level, the Tennessee Department of Health maintains divorce, death, birth, and marriage records.

Where and How to Obtain Chattanooga Divorce Records?

The Hamilton County Circuit Court handles all the divorce cases in the county. The Hamilton County Circuit Court Clerk keeps all divorce records, including Chattanooga divorce records. To request a Chattanooga divorce record, contact or visit the office of the Clerk at:

Circuit Court Clerk
500 Courthouse
625 Georgia Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-6700
Fax: (423) 209-6701

The office opens to the public between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Mail requests for divorce records may also be sent to the address above. Requesters should include information about the divorce in the request sent by mail to the Circuit Clerk.

Access to Chattanooga divorce records is also provided by the Tennessee Department of Health. The state department processes only mail requests for divorce records. To order a Chattanooga divorce record, an applicant should fill out the Application for a Certified Copy of a Certificate of Divorce or Annulment. Attach an accepted means of payment and a valid ID to the filled-out form. Mail these documents to:

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

The state department charges $15 for a certified copy of a divorce record. The fee may be paid in cash, checks, money order, or debit and credit cards.

Where and How to Get Public Chattanooga Marriage Records?

The Hamilton County Clerk maintains copies of records about marriages performed within the county. The County Clerk also has Chattanooga marriage records in its custody. Interested persons can request Chattanooga marriage records online, in person or by mail. To request a marriage record online, use the Marriage License Search tool. It contains records or certificates of marriages performed from 1857 to the present.

To request certified copies of a Chattanooga marriage certificate in person or by mail, fill out the Marriage Records Request Form. Ensure to include the appropriate fees with the filled-out form and submit it to:

Hamilton County Clerk
c/o Marriage License Records
625 Georgia Avenue
Room 201
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-6500

A certified copy of a marriage certificate is $5. A requester may decide to pick up their order at the Clerk’s Office or ask that they be mailed to a particular address for an additional cost of $1.19. The accepted means of payment are check and money order. They should be made payable to the Hamilton County Clerk.

The Tennessee Department of Health also has copies of Chattanooga marriage records in its office. Interested persons may request these copies through mail requests only. To make mail requests for marriage records, complete the Application for a Certified Copy of a Certificate of Marriage. Attach payment of the appropriate fees and a valid ID to the completed form. Completed requests should be submitted by mail to:

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

A marriage record costs $15 and the accepted means of payment include cash, checks, money order, or debit/credit cards.

Where and How to Get Confidential Marriage Records in Chattanooga?

All marriage records in Chattanooga are considered public.

Where and How to Find Chattanooga Birth Records?

The Hamilton County Office of Vital Records registers all births in the county and provides access to birth records, including Chattanooga birth records. In Tennessee, certified copies of birth records are not subject to public disclosure until after 100 years of the birth. Only eligible individuals can request certified copies of Chattanooga birth records. Interested persons can request Chattanooga birth records in person, by mail, or by fax.

To request a Chattanooga birth certificate, complete the Application for Certified Copy of a Tennessee Certificate of Birth, or prepare a written request. The written request should include the following information:

• The full name of the record owner on the certificate
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• The maiden name of the mother, as well as the father’s name
• A check or money order made payable to Hamilton County, or credit card payment
• The signature of the requester
• Information about the relationship of the requester to the record owner
• The requester’s phone number
• A copy of the requester’s government-issued ID, which includes the signature of the requester.

The requester should sign and notarize the written request or the completed form. Include payment and a valid ID and submit the request in person, by mail, or by fax with the information below:

Hamilton County Vital Records Office
921 East Third Street
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Phone: (423) 209-8025
Fax: (423) 209-8024
Email: hdvitalrecords@hamiltontn.gov

The office is open to the public from Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Mail requests for birth records are processed between one to five days. For fax requests, after sending the request, call the Vital Records office at (423) 209-8025 to provide credit card information. Each certified copy of a Chattanooga birth certificate costs $15.

Alternatively, request Chattanooga birth records from the Tennessee Department of Health. The Department of Health accepts mail requests only. To make a request, complete the Application for Certificate of Birth. Attach payment and a copy of a valid ID to the completed form. Submit them by mail to:

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

A copy of a birth record costs $15. The accepted means of payment include cash, checks, money order, or debit/credit cards.

Where and How to Find Chattanooga Death Records?

The Hamilton County Office of Vital Records is the primary custodian of Hamilton County death records and Chattanooga death records. Under Tennessee law, certified copies of death records are not available to the general public until after 50 years of the death. Only eligible persons can obtain certified copies of Chattanooga death records. Requests for Chattanooga death records can be made in person, by mail, or by fax.

To make a request for a Chattanooga death certificate, fill out the Application for Certified Copy of a Tennessee Certificate of Death, or prepare a written request. The written request should provide the following information:

• The full name of the deceased on the certificate
• Date of death
• Sex and age of the deceased at death
• The county of death
• The name and location of funeral home
• The purpose of the request of the certificate
• A check or money order payment made payable to Hamilton County
• The signature of the requester on the written request
• The relationship of the requester to the deceased named on the record
• A copy of the requester’s government-issued ID
• The address that the requester wants the certificate to be mailed
• The requester’s phone number

The written request or the completed form should be signed and notarized by the requester. Enclose payment and a valid ID and submit the request in person, by mail, or by fax to:

Hamilton County Vital Records Office
921 East Third Street
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Phone: (423) 209-8025
Fax: (423) 209-8024
Email: hdvitalrecords@hamiltontn.gov

The Vital Records Office is open between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. from Monday through Friday. The office processes mail requests between one to five days. If a requester submits a request by fax, call the Vital Records office at (423) 209-8025 after sending the request to provide credit card information. A certified copy of a Chattanooga death certificate costs $15.

Interested persons can also send mail requests for Chattanooga death records to the Tennessee Department of Health. A requester should complete the Application for a Certified Copy of a Certificate of Death. Include payment of $15 per copy and a valid ID to the completed form. Accepted payments are cash, checks, money order, or debit/credit cards. The completed form, payment, and a valid ID should be mailed to:

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