Tennessee’s carry laws let most adults 21 and older carry a handgun openly or concealed without a permit, as long as they legally own the gun and are somewhere they have a right to be. Permits still exist for reciprocity in other states and access to public parks and trails, and a long list of prohibited places and prohibited people has not gone away. Permitless carry took effect July 1, 2021, and it covers handguns only.
Who Can Carry Without a Permit
Tennessee’s permitless carry provision sits inside T.C.A. § 39-17-1307(g) as an exception to the unlawful-carry offense, not as a standalone right. You qualify if you meet three conditions: you are at least 21 (or at least 18 with qualifying military service), you lawfully possess the handgun, and you are in a place where you are legally allowed to be.1Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1307 – Unlawful Carrying or Possession of a Weapon
The exception covers both open and concealed carry, but only for handguns. Rifles and shotguns fall outside this framework. The statute says “a person” rather than “a resident of Tennessee,” so on its face the exception is not limited to Tennessee residents.1Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1307 – Unlawful Carrying or Possession of a Weapon
The 18-year-old military carve-out is narrow. It reaches active-duty service members who have completed basic training, current reserve component members who have completed basic training, and honorably discharged veterans. Being in the enlistment process is not enough.1Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1307 – Unlawful Carrying or Possession of a Weapon
Who Is Barred From Carrying
Permitless carry does nothing for people who cannot legally possess a firearm in the first place. Under T.C.A. § 39-17-1307, several categories are disqualified:
- Anyone with a felony conviction. Possessing a handgun after any felony is a Class E felony; if the underlying felony involved violence or a deadly weapon, it rises to a Class B felony, and a felony drug conviction followed by firearm possession is a Class C felony.1Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1307 – Unlawful Carrying or Possession of a Weapon
- Anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence as defined under federal law. Each violation is a separate Class A misdemeanor.1Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1307 – Unlawful Carrying or Possession of a Weapon
- Anyone subject to an active order of protection at the time of possession.
- Anyone judicially committed to a mental institution or adjudicated as mentally defective. This bars both possession and purchase.1Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1307 – Unlawful Carrying or Possession of a Weapon
- Anyone barred under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), which includes fugitives, unlawful drug users, and certain non-citizens.
Restoration of firearm rights is possible but not automatic. Depending on the conviction, the path may involve a governor’s pardon, expungement, or a certificate of restoration under T.C.A. § 40-29-105. A person whose felony conviction has been expunged or whose civil rights have been restored can legally possess firearms again, unless the restoration order specifically prohibits it.1Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1307 – Unlawful Carrying or Possession of a Weapon
Why Get a Permit at All
Two reasons: reciprocity and access. Other states do not honor Tennessee’s permitless carry, so a physical permit is what lets you carry legally across state lines. And even inside Tennessee, one permit type opens locations that neither permitless carriers nor concealed-only permit holders can enter.
Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit
The enhanced permit authorizes both open and concealed carry and grants access to state and local parks, greenways, campgrounds, nature trails, and similar public recreation areas.2Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1351 – Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit It also carries the broadest interstate reciprocity. The fee is $100, or $65 for active-duty military and honorably discharged veterans.3State of Tennessee, Safety & Homeland Security. Handgun Permit Fees It is valid for eight years.4Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Handgun Permit Types
Training is substantial. You must complete a state-certified course with classroom instruction and live-fire range time. The range qualification requires firing at least 50 rounds from three, five, and seven yards with a minimum passing score of 70 percent. A 50-question written exam applies the same 70 percent threshold. Active-duty military and veterans who can document small arms qualification or combat pistol training may skip the range portion.2Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1351 – Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit
A lifetime version of the enhanced permit is available for a $300 fee with no expiration, using the same training and eligibility requirements.5Legal Information Institute. Tenn. Comp. R. and Regs. 1340-02-04-.03 – Fees
Concealed Handgun Carry Permit
The concealed permit is cheaper and faster. The fee is $65, and the training requirement can be met with a 90-minute online course approved by the Department of Safety.3State of Tennessee, Safety & Homeland Security. Handgun Permit Fees It is also valid for eight years.4Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Handgun Permit Types The trade-off: concealed permit holders cannot carry in state parks, nature trails, campgrounds, greenways, and similar publicly owned recreation areas. Those are reserved for enhanced permit holders.
How to Apply and Renew
Applications start online at the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security website, where you fill out your personal history and confirm you completed the required training within the past 12 months.6Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. How To Apply Every approved course must cover alcohol and drug impairment and the Tennessee prohibition against carrying while intoxicated.
You then visit a Full Service Driver Services Center in person. Bring certified proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency; photocopies are not accepted. Applicants without a Tennessee driver license also need two proofs of Tennessee residency dated within the prior four months.6Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. How To Apply You pay the fee at this visit, then schedule fingerprinting with an authorized vendor. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation runs the background check, and the Department mails the physical permit after clearance. Expect several weeks.
Renewal runs on an eight-year cycle. You can renew up to six months before expiration, and Tennessee gives you up to eight years past expiration to renew online.7Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Handgun Permit Online Services If the portal does not show a renewal option, you will need to apply in person for a new photo.
Where You Still Cannot Carry
Neither permitless carry nor an enhanced permit gets you into every building. Several location bans apply to everyone.
Schools and College Campuses
Carrying a firearm on any public or private school campus, in a school building or bus, or on college and university property is a Class E felony under T.C.A. § 39-17-1309. The ban covers athletic fields, recreation areas, and any property owned or operated by a board of education or university board of trustees.8Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1309 – Carrying Weapons on School Property
Buildings With Judicial Proceedings
Under T.C.A. § 39-17-1306, carrying a firearm inside a building where judicial proceedings are in progress is prohibited. Intent to go armed does not matter; presence of the firearm during proceedings is enough.9Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1306 – Carrying Weapons During Judicial Proceedings
Posted Private Property
Under T.C.A. § 39-17-1359, property owners can ban firearms with signs that meet specific size, wording, and pictorial requirements. A separate sign format allows only concealed carry by permit holders. Carrying onto properly posted property is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine, with no jail time.10Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1359 – Prohibition at Certain Meetings – Posted Notice – Handgun Carry Permit Holder
Federal Facilities and Post Offices
Federal law overrides Tennessee’s rules inside federal buildings. Under 18 U.S.C. § 930, possessing a firearm in a federal facility other than a court is punishable by up to one year in prison; a federal court facility raises the maximum to two years, and intent to use the firearm in a crime pushes it to five.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities U.S. Postal Service property, including parking lots, is separately prohibited by federal regulation.12United States Postal Service. Poster 158 – Possession of Firearms and Other Dangerous Weapons on Postal Service Property
Alcohol, Drugs, and Firearms
T.C.A. § 39-17-1321 makes it a crime to possess a handgun while under the influence of alcohol, any controlled substance, or a controlled substance analogue, permit or no permit. There is no set blood alcohol threshold; impairment is judged case by case.13Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1321
A separate rule covers bars and restaurants that serve alcohol for on-premises consumption. You can be inside such an establishment with a firearm, but consuming alcohol there while armed is an offense.13Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1321
Both violations are Class A misdemeanors. If a permit holder is convicted of possessing a handgun while under the influence inside an alcohol-serving establishment, the permit is suspended for three years on top of the criminal penalty.13Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1321
Self-Defense and Stand Your Ground
Tennessee is a stand-your-ground state. There is no legal duty to retreat before using force in self-defense. Under T.C.A. § 39-11-611, you can use force if you reasonably believe it is immediately necessary to protect yourself against another’s unlawful force, as long as you are not committing a felony or Class A misdemeanor and you are somewhere you have a right to be.14Justia. Tennessee Code 39-11-611 – Self-Defense
Deadly force carries a higher bar. You must reasonably believe you face an imminent danger of death, serious bodily injury, or grave sexual abuse, and that belief must rest on reasonable grounds. The danger must be real or honestly believed to be real at the time.14Justia. Tennessee Code 39-11-611 – Self-Defense
The castle doctrine adds a presumption in your favor inside your home, business, or vehicle. If someone unlawfully and forcibly enters your residence, business, dwelling, or occupied vehicle, the law presumes you held a reasonable belief of imminent death or serious bodily injury. The presumption shifts the burden but does not shield you from prosecution if the facts don’t support a self-defense claim.14Justia. Tennessee Code 39-11-611 – Self-Defense
Penalties for Getting It Wrong
Basic unlawful carry under T.C.A. § 39-17-1307(a) escalates by circumstance:
- First offense: Class C misdemeanor, fine up to $500.
- Second or subsequent offense: Class B misdemeanor.
- Carrying in a public place with one or more people present: Class A misdemeanor, even on a first offense.1Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1307 – Unlawful Carrying or Possession of a Weapon
Disqualifiers change the picture entirely. Possessing a handgun after any felony conviction is a Class E felony. If the underlying felony involved violence or a deadly weapon, the charge is a Class B felony. A felony drug conviction followed by firearm possession results in a Class C felony.1Justia. Tennessee Code 39-17-1307 – Unlawful Carrying or Possession of a Weapon
Location-specific offenses stack. Carrying on school property, during judicial proceedings, or on properly posted property each carries its own charge and penalty tier on top of any underlying unlawful-possession offense.