This section gathers the official sources, training portals, statutes, and reference materials Tennessee carriers and CCW instructors need. Tennessee...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
This section gathers the official sources, training portals, statutes, and reference materials Tennessee carriers and CCW instructors need. Tennessee is a two-tier permit state (Enhanced under Tenn. Code 39-17-1351 and Concealed-only under Tenn. Code 39-17-1366) with permitless ("constitutional") carry layered on top under Tenn. Code 39-17-1307(g). Each of those regimes has a different set of operational sources. Cross-check anything in this guide against the statute and the issuing agency before you rely on it.
A reading hierarchy keeps you out of trouble. The statute is the law. The Tennessee Code (LexisNexis on the Secretary of State portal, and Justia) publishes the statute. Agency portals (the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Handgun Carry Permit Office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Attorney General) publish operative implementation rules, the reciprocity list, and binding opinions. The Tennessee General Assembly publishes bill history and amendments. Practitioner and advocacy sites (the Tennessee Firearms Association in particular) give plain-English summaries you should cross-check against the statute. Treat any source older than the most recent legislative session as suspect.
https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp/handgun.html. Statewide issuing authority for both the Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit (Tenn. Code 39-17-1351) and the Concealed Handgun Carry Permit (Tenn. Code 39-17-1366). Applications, status checks, instructor information, and the handgun carry permit FAQ all live under this hub.https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp/handgun/permittypes.html. Side-by-side comparison of the Enhanced and Concealed-only permits: fees, training requirements, term, and scope of carry.https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp/handgun/eligibilityrequirements.html. The agency's checklist of state and federal disqualifiers (felony conviction, certain misdemeanors, mental commitment, controlled-substance use, etc.) tied to Tenn. Code 39-17-1351 and 18 U.S.C. 922(g).https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp/handgun/handgunlaws.html. Curated agency summary of the operative carry statutes and place restrictions under Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13.https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp/handgun/apply.html. The online application gateway. Applications are submitted electronically; fingerprinting happens in person at any Tennessee Driver Services Center.https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp/handgun/faq.html. Plain-language answers from the issuing agency on application timing, training, renewal, fingerprinting, address changes, and lost/stolen permits.https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp/handgun/reciprocity.html. The official list of states whose permits Tennessee honors and states that honor each Tennessee permit. The Enhanced permit travels broadly; the Concealed-only permit travels less. Verify before any out-of-state trip.https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp. THP runs the Handgun Carry Permit Office. The THP main page is where to find contact information for the permit office and for traffic-stop policy questions.https://www.tn.gov/safety. Parent of THP, Driver Services, and the Handgun Carry Permit Office. Useful for finding the nearest Driver Services Center for fingerprinting and for the agency's broader rule and policy postings.https://www.tn.gov/tbi/divisions/cjis-division/firearm-background-checks.html. TBI is the state point of contact for the federal NICS check at Tennessee FFLs. Information on Tennessee Instant Check System (TICS) operation, FFL transfer mechanics, and appeal procedures for denied transfers.https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/opinions.html. Searchable index of formal AG opinions. AG opinions are not binding on courts but are persuasive authority on how Tennessee law operates. Opinions on firearm questions are common.https://capitol.tn.gov/ and https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/. Bill tracking, legislative history, and the Public Chapter archive. Use this to verify whether Public Chapter 108 (2021, constitutional carry) or Public Chapter 829 (2024, 18-20 age extension) or any later amendment changed the rule you are about to rely on.https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/. State-published code repository. The Tennessee Code Annotated is also available in indexed form through the LexisNexis free public access portal linked from the Secretary of State.https://www.tn.gov/twra.html. Regulates hunting, including which firearms, calibers, and ammunition are legal for which species and seasons. The TWRA hunting guide is the operative reference for any firearm question that arises in a hunting context.https://www.atf.gov/. Federal firearm regulation, FFL licensing, NFA (National Firearms Act) forms, and the eForms portal at https://eforms.atf.gov/. The NFA reference page is https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/laws-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives/national-firearms-act.https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/nics. Federal background check system. Tennessee FFL handgun and long-gun transfers run through NICS via TBI's TICS as the state point of contact. The Enhanced permit and (where currently honored) the Concealed-only permit each qualify as a NICS alternative for handgun purchases at Tennessee FFLs under ATF policy.https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-firearms. Federal firearm prosecution policy and resources, including 18 U.S.C. 922(g) prohibitor enforcement.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/. Free annotated U.S. Code. Primary reference for 18 U.S.C. 922 (federal prohibitor categories), 18 U.S.C. 926A (FOPA peaceable journey rule for interstate transport), 18 U.S.C. 922(q) (Gun Free School Zones Act), 18 U.S.C. 930 (federal facilities), and 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53 (NFA).The two primary public-access points to the Tennessee Code Annotated:
https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-39/. Free, searchable, and current to the most recent codification. Title 39 Chapter 17 Part 13 (Weapons) and Title 39 Chapter 11 Part 6 (Justification) are the chapters this guide cites throughout.Key statutes a Tennessee carrier should bookmark:
Tennessee allows three lanes of formal training. The Department of Safety publishes lists and rules:
https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp/handgun.html and follow the instructor links.Verify any commercial trainer's Department approval before paying for a class. The Department maintains the authoritative roster.
These are secondary sources. Use them to learn and to cross-check, not to settle a specific legal question.
https://www.tennesseefirearms.com/. State-level firearm advocacy group. Maintains an indexed archive of Tennessee Attorney General opinions on firearm questions and publishes commentary on pending legislation. Useful as a starting point for finding AG opinions by topic.https://www.nraila.org/gun-laws/state-gun-laws/tennessee/. State summary updated for major changes. Treat as a starting point only; verify against the statute.https://www.usccarry.com/concealed-carry-permit-information/tennessee/. State summary and reciprocity map. Reciprocity in particular should be verified against the Tennessee Department of Safety reciprocity page before relying on it.https://handgunlaw.us/states/tennessee.pdf. Practitioner-maintained PDF summary. Cross-check publication date before relying on any specific rule.Tennessee handgun carry permit records are confidential under Tenn. Code 39-17-1356. The general public cannot look up another individual's permit status. A permit holder can confirm their own status through the Department of Safety online portal at https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp/handgun.html. Law-enforcement officers verify status through the state law-enforcement information system during a stop.
This guide is silent on (1) the discretionary fee waivers the Department of Safety may grant in narrow categories, (2) any specific commercial trainer's curriculum, (3) the operational details of TWRA hunting regulations beyond noting that they apply, and (4) federal firearm offense prosecution policy in the three U.S. Attorney districts that cover Tennessee. For those, go directly to the issuing agency.
Tennessee firearm statutes change every legislative session. Public Chapter 108 (2021) created constitutional carry. Public Chapter 829 (2024) extended it to ages 18-20. Future sessions will continue to modify Title 39, Chapter 17. Before relying on any rule in this guide, check the Tennessee General Assembly bill tracker at https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/ for any later Public Chapter amending the cited section.
This page covers one part of our Tennessee concealed carry guide.
Read the complete Tennessee guideBrowse local instructors offering state-approved training in your area. Book online, complete your training, and get one step closer to your concealed carry permit.