Tennessee concealed carry laws and reciprocity

A permit holder carrying a handgun in a location or manner that would be prohibited but for their permit must have the permit in immediate possession and display it on demand of a law enforcement officer (T.C.A. 39-17-1351(n)(1), 39-17-1366(e)). The statute imposes no such duty on permitless carriers.

A person who qualifies for permitless carry may carry a handgun in a vehicle, and permit holders and permitless carriers may transport and store firearms in their vehicles in public or private parking areas if kept from ordinary observation, and locked in when unattended (T.C.A. 39-17-1313(a), as amended by Public Chapter 108 of 2021).

Since July 1, 2021, a person may carry a handgun openly or concealed without a permit if they are 21 or older (or 18 or older and a qualifying veteran, active-duty, guard, or reserve member), lawfully possess the handgun, and are in a place where they are lawfully present (T.C.A. 39-17-1307(g), Public Chapter 108 of 2021). Public Chapter 356 of 2025 lowered the permit age to 18 but did not amend 39-17-1307(g).

A Tennessee resident who is a U.S. citizen or permanent lawful resident, is 18 or older, is not prohibited from possessing a firearm, and meets the statutory requirements must be issued a handgun carry permit (T.C.A. 39-17-1351(b), as amended by Public Chapter 356 of 2025).

The Department of Safety states an applicant must be a Tennessee resident; the only exception is an 8-year Enhanced permit for an out-of-state permit holder employed in Tennessee at least 30 hours per week for at least six consecutive months.

People who qualify for permitless carry under T.C.A. 39-17-1307(g) may carry a handgun openly or concealed, and the Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit allows open or concealed carry; a Concealed Handgun Carry Permit requires the handgun to be concealed at all times.

Under T.C.A. 39-17-1359, a person who owns, operates, manages, or controls property may prohibit weapons by posting notice in the exact wording, graphics, size, and locations the statute specifies; such prohibitions apply to handgun permit holders, and verbal notice does not satisfy the statute.

Tennessee has no statute barring handguns from restaurants or bars that serve alcohol, but T.C.A. 39-17-1321(b)(2) makes it a Class A misdemeanor to possess a firearm while consuming an alcoholic beverage in a public establishment where alcohol is served, and 39-17-1321(a) makes it an offense to possess a handgun while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance. An establishment may also bar weapons by posting notice under 39-17-1359.

Tennessee State Parks says individuals may carry firearms in state parks in accordance with Tennessee law, and it enforces restrictions including on those consuming alcohol in an establishment serving alcohol, those near a school group using the park, and entry into properly posted buildings.

No Tennessee statute prohibits carrying a handgun in a place of worship as such; a church may bar weapons by posting notice under T.C.A. 39-17-1359. The Attorney General (Op. 15-67) concluded that portions of a religious institution's property being used for school purposes are 'school property' under 39-17-1309 while a school is operating or using them, where firearms are prohibited.

T.C.A. 39-17-1309(b)(1), as quoted by the Attorney General, makes it an offense to possess or carry a firearm on any public or private school campus, grounds or property owned, operated or in use by any school, college or university board for the administration of any public or private educational institution. Since 2016 Public Chapter 1061, full-time employees (not students) of public institutions of higher education who hold a handgun carry permit may carry a concealed handgun on their institution's property after notifying campus law enforcement, excluding stadiums and auditoriums during school events, disciplinary and tenure meetings, and medical facilities.

Tennessee restricts weapons in buildings where judicial proceedings are in progress (T.C.A. 39-17-1306), on school property (39-17-1309), in public parks and recreational facilities except as allowed for permit holders (39-17-1311), and on property posted under 39-17-1359; carrying a handgun while under the influence is prohibited (39-17-1321).

T.C.A. 39-11-611(b), as rewritten by 2007 Public Chapter 210, provides that a person who is not engaged in unlawful activity and is in a place where the person has a right to be has no duty to retreat before threatening or using force, including force intended or likely to cause death or serious bodily injury when the person reasonably believes there is an imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury. A 2021 amendment (Public Chapter 83) added grave sexual abuse to the deadly-force triggers in 39-11-611(b)(2) without changing the no-retreat rule.

Tennessee's prohibited-weapons statute, T.C.A. 39-17-1302(a), as summarized by the Attorney General in 2022, covers explosives, machine guns, short-barrel rifles and shotguns, hoax devices, knuckles, and implements with no common lawful purpose; it contains no magazine capacity limit.

Tennessee's prohibited-weapons statute, T.C.A. 39-17-1302(a), as summarized by the Attorney General in 2022, covers explosives, machine guns, short-barrel rifles and shotguns, hoax devices, knuckles, and implements with no common lawful purpose; it contains no assault weapons category.

Tennessee's prohibited-weapons statute, T.C.A. 39-17-1302(a), as enumerated by the Attorney General in Op. 22-01, lists explosives, explosive-delivery devices, machine guns, short-barrel rifles or shotguns (removed effective July 1, 2022), hoax devices, knuckles, and implements with no common lawful purpose; firearm silencers are not listed. State law therefore imposes no restriction on suppressors beyond federal National Firearms Act requirements, which the statute references as a defense for the weapons it does list.

2022 Public Chapter 1038 (SB 2628) deleted short-barrel rifles and shotguns from the prohibited-weapons list in T.C.A. 39-17-1302(a) effective July 1, 2022, so state law no longer restricts them. Before that change, 39-17-1302(d) provided a defense for a person in compliance with the National Firearms Act, 26 U.S.C. 5841-5862.

2022 Public Chapter 1038 (SB 2628) deleted short-barrel rifles and shotguns from the prohibited-weapons list in T.C.A. 39-17-1302(a) effective July 1, 2022, so state law no longer restricts them. Before that change, 39-17-1302(d) provided a defense for a person in compliance with the National Firearms Act, 26 U.S.C. 5841-5862.