Tennessee Gun Laws

Only when asked by the officer

Concealed Carry is legal in accordance with state laws that regulate the right to carry

Restaurants serving alcohol allow you to carry, but only if you don’t drink. The BAC limit to carry in TN is 0.00.

Firearms at colleges are NOT allowed for visitors or enrolled students. You can keep them in the car, but they cannot be carried by visitors or students. Faculty and Staff can carry, but must be approved by the college in order to carry. Once approved, there are places and circumstances where they can’t carry (like meetings with your managers, performance appraisals, etc.)

With the permission of the school administrator, and a number of other training and background check standards, staff can carry in schools.

Churches act like any other private property and may restrict
on a church by church basis

No legal restriction - Reference article on page 67

None

No restrictions

Ownership & Hunting Legal.

Loaded firearms can be carried openly or concealed in a private vehicle so long as it is not "on the person"

Uniform throughout state

New "Concealed Carry Only" / "Basic" permit requires only 90 minute online-only class. Enhanced permit (prior to Jan 1 2020 was the only permit), requires taking a class offered by an instructor certified by the TN Dept of Safety. The training requirement is an 8-hour class approved by TN Dept of Safety, including a written test and a 50-round graded live-fire test with a handgun-caliber pistol. Passing for both tests is 70%.

Only available to those who have a permit from their home state that isn't honored in TN AND is employed in TN.

Yes

No Duty to Retreat

Any room in which judicial proceedings are in progress.
 *Any public or private school building or bus, on any public or private school campus, grounds,
recreation area, athletic field or any other property owned, used or operated by any board of
education, school, college or university board of trustees, regents or directors for the administration
of any public or private educational institution.
 It is not an offense for a nonstudent adult to possess a firearm, if such firearm is contained within a
private vehicle operated by the adult and is not handled by such adult, or by any other person acting
with the expresses or implied consent of such adult, while such vehicle is on school property.
 An individual, corporation, business entity or government entity or agent thereof is authorized to
prohibit possession of weapons by any person otherwise authorized by this subsection, at meetings
conducted by, or on premises owned, operated, managed or under control of such individual,
corporation, business entity or government entity. Notice of such prohibition shall be posted in
prominent locations, including all entrances primarily used by persons entering the building, portion
of the building or buildings where weapon possession is prohibited.
 it is a criminal offense to possess or carry weapons, including firearms, on those portions of the
property of a religious institution being used for school purposes.
 The prohibition against carrying weapons applies only to those portions of the property of the
religious institution being used for school purposes.
www.handgunlaw.us 5
 The prohibition against carrying a firearm on the property of a religious institution applies only while
the property is being used or operated by the school.
(a) It is an offense for any person to possess or carry, whether openly or concealed, with the intent to go
armed, any weapon prohibited by § 39-17-1302(a), not used solely for instructional, display or sanctioned
ceremonial purposes, in or on the grounds of any public park, playground, civic center or other building
facility, area or property owned, used or operated by any municipal, county or state government, or
instrumentality thereof, for recreational purposes.
Check the laws for more details about schools, RVs, and Public Parks, Playgrounds and Civic Centers.

Tennessee DPS
PO Box 9465
Nashville, TN 37202
615-251-8590
www.tn.gov/safety

TN Dept of Safety & Homeland Security

While the initial length of the permit is 8 yrs, for the enhanced permit there is an option for a Lifetime license that never expires.

Pick up an application from any Driver Services Center location