Few studies have examined residual fertilizer N recovery from conservation tillage soil. Tillage and fertilizer placement effects on fertilizer N recovery under sorghum (Sorghum bicolorL. Moench) cropping in 1985 and 1986 were evaluated in a field study on a Weswood soil (Fluventic Ustochrept) near College Station, Texas. Nitrogen-15-depleted NH4NO3(150 kg N ha−1) was surface broadcast or subsurface banded in microplots under notillage or conventional tillage management to measure accumulation of fertilizer N in sorghum and recovery from soil. Fertilizer N accumulation by sorghum, residual fertilizer N recovery, and total (soil plus plant) fertilizer N recovered for each year varied with placement treatment. More fertilizer N was accumulated by sorghum in banded treatments, resulting in less fertilizer N recovered in the soil. Higher total fertilizer N recovery in 1985 reflected greater fertilizer accumulation by sorghum than in 1986. More total Kjeldahl N was present in no-tillage soil but was apparently not available to the sorghum, as indicated by higher fertilizer N accumulation in no-tillage treatments both years. However, tillage did not influence fertilizer N recovered from the soil. Most fertilizer N recovered from soil in banded treatments was from the location of original band placement, with some minor lateral movement. Comparison of soil excavation sampling and probe sampling indicated equal ability in detection of treatment differences. However, the excavation method was the most effective for quantifying fertilizer N recovery.