2010 Tennessee Code
Title 67 - Taxes And Licenses
Chapter 1 - General Provisions
Part 14 - Tax Enforcement Procedures Act
67-1-1403 - Lien for taxes in favor of state.

67-1-1403. Lien for taxes in favor of state.

(a)  If any person liable to pay any state tax or fee administered by the commissioner of revenue neglects or refuses to pay the tax or fee, the amount, including additionally incurred taxes, fees, penalties, interest, and costs, shall be a lien in favor of the state. Such lien shall arise at the time an initial assessment of any liability is made, and it shall continue until the amounts of the original assessment and any subsequent assessments of liability for taxes, fees, penalties, interest, or costs are fully paid. The lien shall attach to all interests in property, either real or personal, tangible or intangible, in this state then owned or subsequently acquired by the person against whom the assessment is made. For purposes of this section, the definition of “assessment” is as provided in this part and the rules promulgated pursuant to this part.

(b)  The commissioner shall cause a notice of such lien to be recorded in the office of the county register of deeds in the county or counties in which the taxpayer's business or residence is located, or in any county in which the taxpayer has an interest in property, and such notice shall be recorded in the same manner as liens are recorded in that office. There shall be no fees collected by the county register at the time such a notice is recorded, but the county register shall extend credit to the department for such fees as are chargeable, and submit the county register's bill at the end of each month to the department in order to obtain payment. Such recordation shall constitute notice of both the original assessment and all subsequent assessments of liability against the same taxpayer. Upon request, the department shall disclose the specific amount of liability at a given date to any interested party legally entitled to such information.

(c)  The lien of the state of Tennessee for taxes or fees, or both, shall be superior to all liens and security interests created under Tennessee law except:

     (1)  County and municipal ad valorem taxes;

     (2)  Deeds of trust that are recorded prior to the recordation of notice of the state lien;

     (3)  Security interests created pursuant to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, compiled in title 47, chapter 9, that require filing for perfection and that are properly filed prior to recordation of the notice of the state lien;

     (4)  Security interests perfected under the Uniform Commercial Code without filing, as provided in title 47, chapter 9, that are properly perfected prior to recordation of the notice of the state lien; and

     (5)  Vendors' liens on real estate provided for in title 66, chapter 10 that are recorded prior to the recordation of notice of the state lien.

(d)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the lien for taxes imposed by chapter 8, parts 2-5 of this title shall arise at the date of death, and the lien for taxes imposed by chapter 8, part 1 of this title shall arise at the date of gift and shall attach to any interest in property transferred and to any interest in property acquired in exchange or substitution for any property transferred.

(e)  Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to give the state priority over any deed of trust or any security interest perfected under the Uniform Commercial Code, compiled in title 47, that is filed prior to the filing of the notice of state tax lien, regardless of when such taxes are assessed.

(f)  (1)  The notice of lien required to be filed under subsection (b), or any renewal of the lien, shall be effective for ten (10) years from the date of filing. Any such notice of lien that has remained on file for more than ten (10) years, without renewal, shall be null and void against all persons.

     (2)  The commissioner may cause a renewal of such notice of lien to be filed prior to the expiration of ten (10) years from the filing of the original notice, if a lien in favor of the state under subsection (a) continues to exist against the taxpayer. If such renewal is filed prior to the expiration of the ten-year period, the priority of the state lien for taxes covered by the notice shall continue to be determined under subsection (c), based on the date of filing of the original notice of lien.

(g)  Any right to redemption referred to in this part shall not be affected by the provisions of subsection (f).

[Acts 1978, ch. 686, § 1; T.C.A., § 67-6046; Acts 1984, ch. 781, § 1; 1985, ch. 453, § 7; 1994, ch. 640, § 1; 2000, ch. 846, § 30.]