Tennessee Code 39-17-1351, effective January 1, 2024, establishes the framework for obtaining an enhanced handgun carry permit in Tennessee, affirming the state’s recognition of the right to bear arms while providing regulatory measures. This section outlines eligibility criteria, including age, residency, and background checks, along with application procedures, training requirements, and permit validity. It also addresses reciprocity with other states, fee structures, and the dissemination of statistical data related to permits. Notably, the code includes provisions for lifetime permits and outlines specific conditions under which an applicant can be exempted from certain requirements, such as the firing range qualification.
[Effective on January 1, 2024]
(a) The citizens of this state have a right to keep and bear arms for their common defense; but the general assembly has the power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (r), any resident of Tennessee who is a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident, as defined by § 55-50-102, may apply to the department of safety for an enhanced handgun carry permit. If the applicant is not prohibited from possessing a firearm in this state pursuant to § 39-17-1307(b), 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), or any other state or federal law, and the applicant otherwise meets all of the requirements of this section, the department shall issue a permit to the applicant; provided:
(2) The applicant is at least eighteen (18) years of age; and
(A)
(B)
(C)
(i) Is a member of the United States armed forces on active duty status or is a current member of the army national guard, the army reserve, the navy reserve, the marine corps reserve, the air national guard, the air force reserve, or the coast guard reserve, who has successfully completed a basic training program; and
(ii) Includes with the application a military identification card or such other document as the commissioner designates as sufficient proof that the applicant is an active duty member of the military or a current member of the national guard or United States military reserve, who has successfully completed a basic training program.
(c) The application for a permit shall be on a standard form developed by the department. The application shall clearly state in bold face type directly above the signature line that an applicant who, with intent to deceive, makes any false statement on the application commits the felony offense of perjury pursuant to § 39-16-702. The following are eligibility requirements for obtaining an enhanced handgun carry permit and the application shall require the applicant to disclose and confirm compliance with, under oath, the following information concerning the applicant and the eligibility requirements:
(6) That the applicant has not been convicted of a criminal offense that is designated as a felony, or that is one of the disqualifying misdemeanors set out in subdivisions (c)(11), (c)(16), or (c)(18), with the exception of any federal or state offenses pertaining to antitrust violations, unfair trade practices, restraints of trade or other similar offenses relating to the regulations of business practices;
(7) That the applicant is not currently under indictment or information for any criminal offense that is designated as a felony, or that is one of the disqualifying misdemeanors set out in subdivisions (c)(11), (c)(16), or (c)(18), with the exception of any federal or state offenses pertaining to antitrust violations, unfair trade practices, restraints of trade or other similar offenses relating to the regulations of business practices;
(8) That the applicant is not currently subject to any order of protection and, if so, the applicant shall provide a copy of the order;
(10) That the applicant is not an unlawful user of or addicted to alcohol, any controlled substance or controlled substance analogue, and the applicant has not been either:
(11) That the applicant has not been convicted of the offense of driving under the influence of an intoxicant in this or any other state two (2) or more times within ten (10) years from the date of the application and that none of the convictions has occurred within five (5) years from the date of application or renewal;
(12) That the applicant has not been adjudicated as a mental defective, has not been judicially committed to or hospitalized in a mental institution pursuant to title 33, has not had a court appoint a conservator for the applicant by reason of a mental defect, has not been judicially determined to be disabled by reason of mental illness, developmental disability or other mental incapacity, and has not, within seven (7) years from the date of application, been found by a court to pose an immediate substantial likelihood of serious harm, as defined in title 33, chapter 6, part 5, because of mental illness;
(14) That the applicant has not been discharged from the armed forces under dishonorable conditions;
(16) That the applicant has not been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 921;
(d)
(1) In addition to the information required under subsection (c), the applicant shall be required to provide two (2) full sets of classifiable fingerprints at the time the application is filed with the department. The applicant’s fingerprints may be taken by the department at the time the application is submitted or the applicant may have the fingerprints taken at any sheriff’s office and submit the fingerprints to the department along with the application and other supporting documents. The sheriff may charge a fee not to exceed five dollars ($5.00) for taking the applicant’s fingerprints. At the time an applicant’s fingerprints are taken either by the department or a sheriff’s office, the applicant shall be required to present a photo identification. If the person requesting fingerprinting is not the same person as the person whose picture appears on the photo identification, the department or sheriff shall refuse to take the fingerprints. The department shall also be required to photograph the applicant in a manner that is suitable for use on the permit.
(2) An applicant shall also be required to present a photo identification to the department at the time of filing the application. If the name on the photo identification, name on the application and name on the fingerprint card, if taken by a sheriff, are not the same, the department shall refuse to accept the application. If the person whose picture appears on the photo identification is not the same as the applicant, the department shall refuse to accept the application.
(e) The department shall also require an applicant to submit proof of the successful completion of a department approved handgun safety course within one (1) year of the date of application. Any form created by the department to show proof of the successful completion of a department approved handgun safety course shall not require the applicant to provide the applicant’s social security number. Any instructor of a department approved handgun safety course shall not withhold proof of the successful completion of the course solely on the fact the applicant did not disclose the applicant’s social security number. The course shall include both classroom hours and firing range hours; provided, that an applicant shall not be required to comply with the firing range requirements if the applicant submits proof to the department that the applicant has successfully passed small arms qualification training or combat pistol training in any branch of the United States armed forces. Beginning September 1, 2010, and thereafter, a component of the classroom portion of all department-approved handgun safety courses shall be instruction on alcohol and drugs, the effects of those substances on a person’s reflexes, judgment and ability to safely handle a firearm, and § 39-17-1321. Beginning October 1, 2023, all department-approved handgun safety courses shall include instruction on the safe storage of firearms; provided, however, that a course that was approved by the department prior to October 1, 2023, may continue to provide instruction in the same manner under which the course was previously approved. A person who has obtained an enhanced handgun carry permit prior to October 1, 2023, is not required by this subsection (e) to take an additional handgun safety course. An applicant shall not be required to comply with the firing range and classroom hours requirements of this subsection (e) if the applicant submits proof to the department that within five (5) years from the date the application for an enhanced handgun carry permit is filed the applicant has:
(3) Successfully completed the firearms training course required for armed security guard/officer registration, pursuant to § 62-35-118(b);
(4) Successfully completed all handgun training of not less than four (4) hours as required by any branch of the military; provided, however, that an applicant who seeks waiver of the training course pursuant to this subdivision (e)(4) may have completed the military handgun training at any time prior to submission of proof; or
(f) The department shall make applications for permits available for distribution at any location where the department conducts driver license examinations.
(g)
(h) Upon receipt of the fingerprints from the department, the Tennessee bureau of investigation shall:
(1) Within thirty (30) days from receipt of the fingerprints, conduct computer searches to determine the applicant’s eligibility for a permit under subsection (c) as are available to the bureau based solely upon the applicant’s name, date of birth and social security number and send the results of the searches to the department;
(i) The department shall deny a permit application if it determines from information contained in the criminal history record checks conducted by the Tennessee and federal bureaus of investigation pursuant to subsection (h), from information received from the clerks of court regarding individuals adjudicated as a mental defective or judicially committed to a mental institution pursuant to title 33, or from other information that comes to the attention of the department, that the applicant does not meet the eligibility requirements of this section. The department shall not be required to confirm the applicant’s eligibility for a permit beyond the information received from the Tennessee and federal bureaus of investigation, the clerks of court and the sheriffs, if any.
(j) The department shall not deny a permit application if:
(1) The existence of any arrest or other records concerning the applicant for any indictment, charge or warrant have been judicially or administratively expunged;
(3) The applicant, who was rendered infamous or deprived of the rights of citizenship by judgment of any state or federal court, has had the applicant’s full rights of citizenship duly restored pursuant to procedures set forth within title 40, chapter 29, or other federal or state law; provided, however, that this subdivision (j)(3) shall not apply to any person who has been convicted of a felony crime of violence, an attempt to commit a felony crime of violence, a felony drug offense, or a felony offense involving use of a deadly weapon; or
(4) The applicant, who was adjudicated as a mental defective or judicially committed to a mental institution, as defined in § 39-17-1301, has had the applicant’s firearm disability removed by an order of the court pursuant to title 16, and either a copy of that order has been provided to the department by the TBI or a certified copy of that court order has been provided to the department by the applicant.
(k) If the department denies an application, the department shall notify the applicant in writing within ten (10) days of the denial. The written notice shall state the specific factual basis for the denial. It shall include a copy of any reports, records or inquiries reviewed or relied upon by the department.
(l) The department shall issue a permit to an applicant not prohibited from obtaining a permit under this section no later than ninety (90) days after the date the department receives the application. A permit issued prior to the department’s receipt of the Tennessee and federal bureaus of investigation’s criminal history record checks based upon the applicant’s fingerprints shall be subject to immediate revocation if either record check reveals that the applicant is not eligible for a permit pursuant to this section.
(m) A permit holder shall not be required to complete a handgun safety course to maintain or renew an enhanced handgun carry permit. No permit holder shall be required to complete any additional handgun safety course after obtaining an enhanced handgun carry permit. No person shall be required to complete any additional handgun safety course if the person applies for a renewal of an enhanced handgun carry permit within eight (8) years from the date of expiration.
(n)
(1) Except as provided in subdivision (n)(2) and subsection (x), a permit issued pursuant to this section shall be good for eight (8) years and shall entitle the permit holder to carry any handgun or handguns that the permit holder legally owns or possesses. The permit holder shall have the permit in the holder’s immediate possession at all times when carrying a handgun in a location or manner that would be prohibited if not for the person’s status as an enhanced handgun carry permit holder and shall display the permit on demand of a law enforcement officer under such circumstances.
(2) A Tennessee permit issued pursuant to this section to a person who is in or who enters into the United States armed forces shall continue in effect for so long as the person’s service continues and the person is stationed outside this state, notwithstanding the fact that the person may be temporarily in this state on furlough, leave, or delay en route, and for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days following the date on which the person is honorably discharged or separated from service or returns to this state on reassignment to a duty station in this state, unless the permit is sooner suspended, cancelled or revoked for cause as provided by law. The permit is valid only when in the immediate possession of the permit holder and the permit holder has in the holder’s immediate possession the holder’s discharge or separation papers, if the permit holder has been discharged or separated from the service.
(o)
(p)
(1) Except as provided in subsection (x), the department shall charge an application and processing fee of one hundred dollars ($100). The fee shall cover all aspects of processing the application and issuing a permit. In addition to any other portion of the permit application fee that goes to the Tennessee bureau of investigation, fifteen dollars ($15.00) of the fee shall go to the bureau for the sole purpose of updating and maintaining its fingerprint criminal history data base. By February 1 of each year the bureau shall provide documentation to the judiciary committee of the senate and the criminal justice committee of the house of representatives that the extra fifteen dollars ($15.00) is being used exclusively for the intended purposes. The documentation shall state in detail how the money earmarked for fingerprint data base updating and maintenance was spent, the number and job descriptions of any employees hired and the type and purpose of any equipment purchased. Any person, who has been honorably discharged from any branch of the United States armed forces or who is on active duty in any branch of the armed forces or who is currently serving in the national guard or armed forces reserve, and who makes initial application for an enhanced handgun carry permit shall be required to pay only that portion of the initial application fee that is necessary to conduct the required criminal history record checks.
(2) The provisions of subdivision (p)(1) increasing each permit application fee by fifteen dollars ($15.00) for the purpose of fingerprint data base updating and maintenance shall not take effect if the general appropriation act provides a specific appropriation in the amount of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), to defray the expenses contemplated in subdivision (p)(1). If the appropriation is not included in the general appropriations act, the fifteen dollar ($15.00) permit fee increase imposed by subdivision (p)(1) shall take effect on July 1, 1997, the public welfare requiring it.
(3) Beginning July 1, 2008, fifteen dollars ($15.00) of the fee established in subdivision (p)(1) shall be submitted to the sheriff of the county where the applicant resides for the purpose of verifying the truthfulness of the applicant’s answers as provided in subdivision (g)(1).
(4)
(A) Subject to appropriations in the general appropriations act, the department is authorized to utilize the application and processing fee received under subdivision (p)(1) to pay reimbursements to an approved handgun safety school of up to thirty dollars ($30.00) for each person who, for the first time, completes a handgun safety course meeting the requirements set forth in subsection (e) on or after January 1, 2024, subject to the requirements established by the department to seek reimbursement.
(B) A reimbursement issued to an approved handgun safety school pursuant to this subdivision (p)(4) must be used to offset the costs of the handgun safety course for the person taking the course.
(C) The department may reimburse a handgun safety school pursuant to this subdivision (p)(4), regardless of whether the person taking the handgun safety course has applied for an enhanced handgun carry permit.
(D)
(i) The department shall annually provide information to licensed federal firearms dealers in this state, through cooperation with the Tennessee bureau of investigation and other state agencies, on handgun safety training courses provided to residents of this state and approved by the department.
(ii)
(a) A licensed federal firearms dealer in this state may display in a prominent location where firearms are sold, a sign containing the following information:
HANDGUN SAFETY TRAINING
THE STATE OF TENNESSEE WILL PAY $30.00
YOUR COST:______
COURSE AVAILABLE AT
(Name, Address, and Telephone Number of Approved Entity or Entities Providing the Course)
HANDGUN PURCHASE NOT REQUIRED.
(E) By February 1, 2025, the department shall report to the chair of the judiciary committee of the senate and the chair of the criminal justice committee of the house of representatives the number of handgun safety courses provided to persons during the preceding year pursuant to this subdivision (p)(4).
(q)
(1) Prior to the expiration of a permit, a permit holder may apply to the department for the renewal of the permit by submitting, under oath, a renewal application with a renewal fee of fifty dollars ($50.00). The renewal application shall be on a standard form developed by the department of safety and shall require the applicant to disclose, under oath, the information concerning the applicant as set forth in subsection (c), and shall require the applicant to certify that the applicant still satisfies all the eligibility requirements of this section for the issuance of a permit. In the event the permit expires prior to the department’s approval or issuance of notice of denial regarding the renewal application, the permit holder shall be entitled to continue to use the expired permit; provided, however, that the permit holder shall also be required to prove by displaying a receipt for the renewal application fee that the renewal application was delivered to the department prior to the expiration date of the permit. The department is authorized to contract with a local government agency for the provision of any service related to the renewal of enhanced handgun carry permits, subject to applicable contracting statutes and regulations. An agency contracting with the department is authorized to charge an additional fee of four dollars ($4.00) for each renewal application, which shall be retained by the agency for administrative costs.
(2)
(A) A person may renew that person’s enhanced handgun carry permit beginning six (6) months prior to the expiration date on the face of the card, and, if the permit is not expired, the person shall only be required to comply with the renewal provisions of subdivision (q)(1).
(3) If a person whose enhanced handgun carry permit remained valid pursuant to subdivision (n)(2) because the person was in the United States armed forces applies for a renewal of the permit within eight (8) years of the expiration of the sixty (60) day period following discharge, separation, or return to this state on reassignment to a duty station in this state as provided in subdivision (n)(2), the person shall only be required to comply with the renewal provisions of subdivision (q)(1). If the renewal application is filed eight (8) years or more from expiration of the sixty (60) day period following the date of honorable discharge, separation, or return to this state on reassignment to a duty station in this state, the person shall, for all purposes, be considered a new applicant.
(r)
(1) A facially valid handgun permit, firearms permit, weapons permit or license issued by another state shall be valid in this state according to its terms and shall be treated as if it is a handgun permit issued by this state; provided, however, this subsection (r) shall not be construed to authorize the holder of any out-of-state permit or license to carry, in this state, any firearm or weapon other than a handgun.
(2) For a person to lawfully carry a handgun in this state based upon a permit or license issued in another state, the person must be in possession of the permit or license at all times the person carries a handgun in this state.
(3)
(A) The commissioner of safety shall enter into written reciprocity agreements with other states that require the execution of the agreements. The commissioner of safety shall prepare and publicly publish a current list of states honoring permits issued by the state of Tennessee and shall make the list available to anyone upon request. The commissioner of safety shall also prepare and publicly publish a current list of states who, after inquiry by the commissioner, refuse to enter into a reciprocity agreement with this state or honor enhanced handgun carry permits issued by this state. To the extent that any state may impose conditions in the reciprocity agreements, the commissioner of safety shall publish those conditions as part of the list. If another state imposes conditions on Tennessee permit holders in a reciprocity agreement, the conditions shall also become a part of the agreement and apply to the other state’s permit holders when they carry a handgun in this state.
(B) If a person with a handgun permit from another state decides to become a resident of Tennessee, the person must obtain a Tennessee handgun permit within six (6) months of establishing residency in Tennessee. The permit may be issued based on the person having a permit from another state provided the other state has substantially similar permit eligibility requirements as this state. However, if during the six-month period the person applies for a handgun permit in this state and the application is denied, the person shall not be allowed to carry a handgun in this state based upon the other state’s permit.
(C)
(i) If a person who is a resident of and handgun permit holder in another state is employed in this state on a regular basis and desires to carry a handgun in this state, the person shall have six (6) months from the last day of the sixth month of regular employment in this state to obtain a Tennessee enhanced handgun carry permit. The permit may be issued based on the person having a permit from another state provided the other state has substantially similar permit eligibility requirements as this state. However, if during the six-month period the person applies for a handgun permit in this state and the application is denied, the person shall not be allowed to carry a handgun in this state based upon the other state’s permit.
(ii) This subdivision (r)(3)(C) shall not apply if the state of residence of the person employed in Tennessee has entered into a handgun permit reciprocity agreement with this state pursuant to this subsection (r).
(iii) As used in this subdivision (r)(3)(C), “employed in this state on a regular basis” means a person has been gainfully employed in this state for at least thirty (30) hours a week for six (6) consecutive months not counting any absence from employment caused by the employee’s use of sick leave, annual leave, administrative leave or compensatory time.
(s)
(1) The department shall make available, on request and payment of a reasonable fee to cover the costs of copying, a statistical report that includes the number of permits issued, denied, revoked, or suspended by the department during the preceding month, listed by age, gender and zip code of the applicant or permit holder and the reason for any permit revocation or suspension. The report shall also include the cost of the program, the revenues derived from fees, the number of violations of the enhanced handgun carry permit law, and the average time for issuance of an enhanced handgun carry permit. By January 1 of each year, a copy of the statistical reports for the preceding calendar year shall be provided to each member of the general assembly.
(t) Any law enforcement officer of this state or of any county or municipality may, within the realm of the officer’s lawful jurisdiction and when the officer is acting in the lawful discharge of the officer’s official duties, disarm a permit holder at any time when the officer reasonably believes it is necessary for the protection of the permit holder, officer or other individual or individuals. The officer shall return the handgun to the permit holder before discharging the permit holder from the scene when the officer has determined that the permit holder is not a threat to the officer, to the permit holder, or other individual or individuals; provided, that the permit holder has not violated any provision of this section and provided the permit holder has not committed any other violation that results in the arrest of the permit holder.
(u) Substantial compliance with the requirements of this section shall provide the department and any political subdivision thereof with immunity from civil liability alleging liability for issuance of the permit.
(v) Any permit issued pursuant to this section shall be deemed a “license” within the meaning of title 36, chapter 5, part 7, dealing with the enforcement of child support obligations through license denial and revocation.
(w)
(1) Notwithstanding any other law or rule to the contrary, neither the department nor an instructor or employee of a department approved handgun safety course is authorized to require any applicant for an enhanced handgun carry permit to furnish or reveal identifying information concerning any handgun the applicant owns, possesses or uses during the safety course in order to apply for or be issued the permit.
(2) For purposes of subdivision (w)(1), “identifying information concerning any handgun” includes, but is not limited to, the serial number, model number, make of gun or manufacturer, type of gun, such as revolver or semi-automatic, caliber or whether the applicant owns the handgun used for the safety course.
(x)
(1) Any resident of Tennessee who is a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident, as defined by § 55-50-102, who has reached twenty-one (21) years of age, may apply to the department of safety for a lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit. If the applicant is not prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm in this state pursuant to § 39-17-1316 or § 39-17-1307(b), 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), or any other state or federal law, and the applicant otherwise meets all of the requirements of this section, the department shall issue a permit to the applicant. The lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit shall entitle the permit holder to carry any handgun or handguns the permit holder legally owns or possesses and shall entitle the permit holder to any privilege granted to enhanced handgun carry permit holders. The requirements imposed on enhanced handgun carry permit holders by this section shall also apply to lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit holders.
(2) The department shall charge an application and processing fee for a lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit equal to the application and processing fee charged under subsection (p) plus a lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit fee of two hundred dollars ($200); provided, however, that a permit holder who is applying for the renewal of an enhanced handgun carry permit under subsection (q) may instead obtain a lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit by submitting to the department a fee of two hundred dollars ($200). The application process shall otherwise be the same as the application process for an enhanced handgun carry permit as set out in this section. Any funds from the fees paid pursuant to this subdivision (x)(2) that are not used for processing applications and issuing permits shall be retained by the department to fund any necessary system modifications required to create a lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit and monitor the eligibility of lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit holders as required by subdivision (x)(3).
(3) A lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit shall not expire and shall continue to be valid for the life of the permit holder unless the permit holder no longer meets the requirements of this section. A lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit shall not be subject to renewal; provided, however, that every five (5) years after issuance of the lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit, the department shall conduct a criminal history record check in the same manner as required for enhanced handgun carry permit renewals. Upon discovery that a lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit holder no longer satisfies the requirements of this section, the department shall suspend or revoke the permit pursuant to § 39-17-1352.
(4)
(A) If the lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit holder’s permit is suspended or revoked, the permit holder shall deliver, in person or by mail, the permit to the department within thirty (30) days of the suspension or revocation.
(B) If the department does not receive the lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit holder’s suspended or revoked permit within thirty (30) days of the suspension or revocation, the department shall send notice to the permit holder that:
(C) If the department does not receive the lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit holder’s suspended or revoked permit within thirty (30) days of the date of the notice provided by the department, the department shall suspend the permit holder’s driver license in the same manner as provided in § 55-50-502.
(5) The total fee required by subdivision (x)(2) shall be waived if the applicant:
(B) Served for at least ten (10) years prior to retirement and was POST-certified, or had equivalent training, on the date the officer retired;
(y) An applicant shall not be required to comply with the firing range requirements of this section if the applicant:
(1) Is an active duty service member or honorably discharged or retired veteran of the United States armed forces;
