Gun laws in Tennessee

[4]State supreme court rulings and state attorney general opinions interpret Section 26 to mean regulation cannot and should not interfere with the common lawful uses of firearms, including defense of the home and hunting, but should only be aimed at criminal behavior.

Effective July 1, 2021, Tennessee no longer requires a permit to carry a handgun, whether openly or concealed for residents and non-residents.

Permittees may carry handguns in most areas except civic centers, public recreation buildings and colleges.

Except for four specific exceptions, Tennessee's preemption statute prevents localities from enacting any new laws regulating the use, purchase, transfer, taxation, manufacture, ownership, possession, carrying, sale, acquisition, gift, devise, licensing, registration, storage, and transportation of firearms and ammunition.

The current statute also preempts any existing local law, ordinance or regulation concerning firearms, ammunition or their components.

At one time, Tennessee required a purchase permit for a handgun approved by one's city police chief or county sheriff with a fifteen-day waiting period; that was replaced under the federal Brady Act with the Tennessee Instant Check System (TICS).