Tennessee Gun Laws: Concealed Carry, Open Carry and Buying a Gun
Tennessee gun laws: permitless and concealed carry, open carry, the age to buy a gun, background checks, waiting periods, red flag law and where guns are banned, from state statutes.
Quick answers for Tennessee
- Permitless (constitutional) carry
- Yes. A person may carry a handgun, openly or concealed, without a permit if the person is at least 21 years of age, or at least 18 years of age and an honorably discharged or retired veteran, an honorably discharged reserve or National Guard member who completed basic training, or a… Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1307(g)
- Open carry
- Allowed for handguns: the permitless-carry exception covers carrying a handgun 'whether openly or concealed' by a person 21 or older (18 or older with qualifying military service) who lawfully possesses it and is lawfully present. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-17-1307(a), (g); 39-17-1351; 39-17-1366(d)
- Age to buy a gun
- It is an offense to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly sell, loan or give a firearm to a minor, except a loan or gift for hunting, trapping, fishing, camping, sport shooting or other lawful sporting activity. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-17-1303(a)(1), (b); 39-17-1319(b)
- Concealed carry permit
- Tennessee issues two handgun carry permits through the Department of Safety, and both are shall-issue (the department 'shall issue a permit' to a qualified applicant). Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-17-1351(b), (e), (n)(1), (p)(1), (x); 39-17-1366(a), (b)(4)-(5), (d), (j)(3), (l)(3); Pub. Ch. 356 (2025)
Last verified: 2026-10-27
Carrying a gun
| Permitless (constitutional) carry | Yes. A person may carry a handgun, openly or concealed, without a permit if the person is at least 21 years of age, or at least 18 years of age and an honorably discharged or retired veteran, an honorably discharged reserve or National Guard member who completed basic training, or a current active-duty, reserve or National Guard member who completed basic training. The person must lawfully possess the handgun and be in a place where the person is lawfully present, so people barred from possessing firearms are excluded. Permitless carry covers handguns only. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1307(g) |
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| Concealed carry permit | Tennessee issues two handgun carry permits through the Department of Safety, and both are shall-issue (the department 'shall issue a permit' to a qualified applicant). (1) Enhanced handgun carry permit: allows open or concealed carry; requires a course with both classroom hours and firing-range hours (certain waivers apply, such as military small-arms qualification); fee $100; valid 8 years; a lifetime enhanced permit is also available (fee $200 in the mirror text, plus the application fee) and does not expire. Since Public Chapter 356 (HB 1332, effective May 8, 2025), the minimum age for the enhanced permit is 18 (previously 21, with military exceptions). (2) Concealed handgun carry permit: concealed carry only; requires a firearms safety course of not less than 90 minutes, which may be taken online, completed within one year before applying; fee $65 (renewal $50); valid 8 years. Applicants must be Tennessee residents. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. Concealed permit: https://codes.findlaw.com/tn/title-39-criminal-offenses/tn-code-sect-39-17-1366/ . Age change: Tennessee General Assembly bill page for HB 1332 (114th GA): https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1332&GA=114 . |
| Open carry | Allowed for handguns: the permitless-carry exception covers carrying a handgun 'whether openly or concealed' by a person 21 or older (18 or older with qualifying military service) who lawfully possesses it and is lawfully present. Holders of an enhanced handgun carry permit may also carry openly; the concealed handgun carry permit covers concealed carry. The permitless-carry rule applies to handguns, not long guns; carrying a firearm with intent to go armed is otherwise an offense unless an exception or defense in § 39-17-1307 applies. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. |
| Guns in your car | A person who may carry without a permit (21 or older, or 18 or older with qualifying military service, lawfully possessing the handgun and lawfully present) may carry a handgun, openly or concealed, including in a vehicle, under the general permitless-carry exception. In a public or private parking area, a permit holder or a person lawfully carrying a handgun may transport and store a firearm or ammunition in a vehicle parked where it is permitted to be; it must be kept from ordinary observation while the person is in the vehicle, and when the person is not in the vehicle it must also be locked in the trunk, glove box or interior, or a container securely affixed to the vehicle. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. |
| Other states' permits (reciprocity) | Tennessee honors all other states' permits: a facially valid handgun permit, firearms permit, weapons permit or license issued by another state is valid in Tennessee according to its terms and is treated as a Tennessee handgun permit. This covers handguns only. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. |
| Where guns are banned | Main places: (1) public or private school buildings, buses, campuses and grounds (carrying a weapon with intent to go armed is a Class E felony; possessing a firearm is a Class B misdemeanor), with an exception for a nonstudent adult whose firearm stays in a private vehicle and is not handled; (2) any building where judicial proceedings are in progress (Class E felony); (3) property where the owner or operator posts the statutory 'NO FIREARMS ALLOWED' sign (Class B misdemeanor, fine only of $500); (4) possessing a firearm in a public establishment serving alcohol for on-premises consumption while consuming alcohol, and possessing a handgun while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. Courts: https://codes.findlaw.com/tn/title-39-criminal-offenses/tn-code-sect-39-17-1306/ ; posted property: https://codes.findlaw.com/tn/title-39-criminal-offenses/tn-code-sect-39-17-1359/ ; alcohol: https://codes.findlaw.com/tn/title-39-criminal-offenses/tn-code-sect-39-17-1321/ . |
Buying a gun
| Age to buy a gun | It is an offense to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly sell, loan or give a firearm to a minor, except a loan or gift for hunting, trapping, fishing, camping, sport shooting or other lawful sporting activity. Separately, it is an offense for a juvenile (any person under 18) to knowingly possess a handgun, with exceptions such as safety courses, target shooting at a range, organized competition, licensed hunting, instruction with a parent or guardian present, and at home with parental permission. These rules apply to all sellers, including private sellers. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. Juvenile possession: https://codes.findlaw.com/tn/title-39-criminal-offenses/tn-code-sect-39-17-1319/ . § 39-17-1303 does not itself define 'minor'; the under-18 definition quoted here is from § 39-17-1319. |
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| Background checks and private sales | Only gun dealers must run a background check: before delivering a firearm, a gun dealer (a person engaged in the business as defined in federal law, including retail dealers and pawnbrokers) must obtain an instant check from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. An occasional sale of a used or second-hand firearm by a person not in the business of dealing in firearms is exempt, so private sales do not require a check. No permit to purchase is required. It is a Class A misdemeanor for anyone to sell or offer to sell a firearm to a person knowing that person is prohibited from possessing one. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. |
Red flag law and weapon limits
| Red flag law | A 2024 law (Public Chapter 1062, SB 2763, signed June 3, 2024) provides that 'the general assembly preempts the entire field of legislation regarding extreme risk protection orders', bars political subdivisions from adopting them or accepting grants or other funding for them, and declares federal orders that would enforce such an order against a Tennessee resident void in Tennessee (ordinary orders of protection are not affected). Whether Tennessee has any state extreme risk order statute was not confirmed by a full chapter review. |
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Gun Laws FAQ
Is Tennessee a constitutional carry state?
Yes. A person may carry a handgun, openly or concealed, without a permit if the person is at least 21 years of age, or at least 18 years of age and an honorably discharged or retired veteran, an honorably discharged reserve or National Guard member who completed basic training, or a current active-duty, reserve or National Guard member who completed basic training. The person must lawfully possess the handgun and be in a place where the person is lawfully present, so people barred from possessing firearms are excluded. Permitless carry covers handguns only.
How do you get a concealed carry permit in Tennessee?
Tennessee issues two handgun carry permits through the Department of Safety, and both are shall-issue (the department 'shall issue a permit' to a qualified applicant). (1) Enhanced handgun carry permit: allows open or concealed carry; requires a course with both classroom hours and firing-range hours (certain waivers apply, such as military small-arms qualification); fee $100; valid 8 years; a lifetime enhanced permit is also available (fee $200 in the mirror text, plus the application fee) and does not expire. Since Public Chapter 356 (HB 1332, effective May 8, 2025), the minimum age for the enhanced permit is 18 (previously 21, with military exceptions). (2) Concealed handgun carry permit: concealed carry only; requires a firearms safety course of not less than 90 minutes, which may be taken online, completed within one year before applying; fee $65 (renewal $50); valid 8 years. Applicants must be Tennessee residents.
Is open carry legal in Tennessee?
Allowed for handguns: the permitless-carry exception covers carrying a handgun 'whether openly or concealed' by a person 21 or older (18 or older with qualifying military service) who lawfully possesses it and is lawfully present. Holders of an enhanced handgun carry permit may also carry openly; the concealed handgun carry permit covers concealed carry. The permitless-carry rule applies to handguns, not long guns; carrying a firearm with intent to go armed is otherwise an offense unless an exception or defense in § 39-17-1307 applies.
How old do you have to be to buy a gun in Tennessee?
It is an offense to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly sell, loan or give a firearm to a minor, except a loan or gift for hunting, trapping, fishing, camping, sport shooting or other lawful sporting activity. Separately, it is an offense for a juvenile (any person under 18) to knowingly possess a handgun, with exceptions such as safety courses, target shooting at a range, organized competition, licensed hunting, instruction with a parent or guardian present, and at home with parental permission. These rules apply to all sellers, including private sellers.
Do private gun sales need a background check in Tennessee?
Only gun dealers must run a background check: before delivering a firearm, a gun dealer (a person engaged in the business as defined in federal law, including retail dealers and pawnbrokers) must obtain an instant check from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. An occasional sale of a used or second-hand firearm by a person not in the business of dealing in firearms is exempt, so private sales do not require a check. No permit to purchase is required. It is a Class A misdemeanor for anyone to sell or offer to sell a firearm to a person knowing that person is prohibited from possessing one.
Does Tennessee have a red flag law?
A 2024 law (Public Chapter 1062, SB 2763, signed June 3, 2024) provides that 'the general assembly preempts the entire field of legislation regarding extreme risk protection orders', bars political subdivisions from adopting them or accepting grants or other funding for them, and declares federal orders that would enforce such an order against a Tennessee resident void in Tennessee (ordinary orders of protection are not affected).
Can you keep a gun in your car in Tennessee without a permit?
A person who may carry without a permit (21 or older, or 18 or older with qualifying military service, lawfully possessing the handgun and lawfully present) may carry a handgun, openly or concealed, including in a vehicle, under the general permitless-carry exception. In a public or private parking area, a permit holder or a person lawfully carrying a handgun may transport and store a firearm or ammunition in a vehicle parked where it is permitted to be; it must be kept from ordinary observation while the person is in the vehicle, and when the person is not in the vehicle it must also be locked in the trunk, glove box or interior, or a container securely affixed to the vehicle.
Which states' carry permits does Tennessee honor?
Tennessee honors all other states' permits: a facially valid handgun permit, firearms permit, weapons permit or license issued by another state is valid in Tennessee according to its terms and is treated as a Tennessee handgun permit. This covers handguns only.
Where can't you carry a gun in Tennessee?
Main places: (1) public or private school buildings, buses, campuses and grounds (carrying a weapon with intent to go armed is a Class E felony; possessing a firearm is a Class B misdemeanor), with an exception for a nonstudent adult whose firearm stays in a private vehicle and is not handled; (2) any building where judicial proceedings are in progress (Class E felony); (3) property where the owner or operator posts the statutory 'NO FIREARMS ALLOWED' sign (Class B misdemeanor, fine only of $500); (4) possessing a firearm in a public establishment serving alcohol for on-premises consumption while consuming alcohol, and possessing a handgun while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.