Tax Liens: Searching Public Records

There are certain steps you can take to see if a state tax lien exists. A tax lien is public record therefore you can go right to the county recorders office and search the records to find out. Once you arrive at the courthouse you can go to the tax assessor office and they will direct you to the correct department. For some records the information will be listed in the documents section but this too can vary. If you need help or assistance the courthouse clerk will be able to assist you. A clerk cannot do the research for you.

You should be able to locate the state tax lien whether it be yours or someone else's by providing the name on the lien. Most courthouse's will allow you to locate the lien with just a name some may require more information. It always pays to call the courthouse first to see what they require. You will probably need to write this information down or you can pay for copies. This information will be available by computer or on micro film.

You can also search on your state's website but you will probably need more information such as a book, page, and even a document number.

If the lien has been paid a release should have been filed with the county courthouse. This information should be readily available for you to view. Sometimes liens are paid off but it will still show that they have a balance if someone does not send the lien release in to the courthouse to be filed. If you ever have a tax lien to pay off make sure you take the lien release to the courthouse in person. This will make sure that your release is filed and removed. This is especially important if you are getting ready to sell your home. When a home has liens they need to be paid off before the sale can take place. If other arrangements have been worked out with the new owners they will now be responsible for the liens.

The state tax lien could be documented within the confines of a lien book. It's just a matter of going through the book to locate the lien. Some of these books can be very thick. Some courthouses will have different methods for documenting and filing these liens. Federal tax liens are also public record and can be found by searching in a similar manner. There are a number of items which are public record and most people don't know about. There is a lot of information available including business licenses.