{"id":376451,"date":"2016-03-31T21:36:48","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:36:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/tennessee-law\/tennessee-gun-control-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-11-15T13:19:18","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T18:19:18","slug":"tennessee-gun-control-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/tennessee-law\/tennessee-gun-control-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee Gun Control Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Tennessee Gun Control Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Many see gun violence as an epidemic in America today. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC) estimates that in 2022, there were 48,000 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. More than half of those were suicide deaths, and 4 out of 10 were gun homicides.<\/p>\r\n

No state is safe from gun violence. In 2023, Tennessee saw its deadliest mass shooting at the Covenant School<\/a>, a private elementary school in Nashville. Three of the six victims who died were 9-year-old students.<\/p>\r\n

The Second Amendment<\/a> to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of U.S. citizens to own firearms for self-defense and other reasons. Yet states can establish limits to how people buy and carry guns. State and federal governments also ban certain categories of people from having firearms, such as convicted felons.<\/p>\r\n

Tennessee gun control laws are some of the least restrictive among the states. It has not adopted significant reforms to stem gun violence in recent years.<\/p>\r\n

Federal Firearms Law<\/h2>\r\n

The constitutional right to bear arms remains a key source of gun rights in the U.S. It’s often an obstacle to efforts to enact gun control measures. The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the Second Amendment to include an individual right to possess guns for self-defense at home and, to a certain extent, in public. As a result, it is not unusual for new state and federal gun regulations to end up in court battles.<\/p>\r\n

At the federal level, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is the rule-making agency that oversees the licensing of gun dealers. It is also a law enforcement agency that cracks down on illegal gun trafficking and the unlawful possession of firearms by those who can’t own or use them. The ATF worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to set up the National Instant Background Check System<\/a> (NICS), a tool that helps gun dealers keep guns out of the wrong hands.<\/p>\r\n

Tennessee Gun Laws<\/h2>\r\n

In 2021, Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation backed by Republican lawmakers in the General Assembly to make Tennessee a permitless carry state. Tennessee law enforcement officers opposed the measure. Permitless carry laws operate on the honor system. They allow gun owners to decide whether they can legally carry a firearm in the state before they do so. Previously, state residents had to apply for a handgun carry permit and pass a background check to legally carry a handgun in public.<\/p>\r\n

Many gun owners still apply for a concealed handgun permit for reciprocity in other states. The Tennessee Highway Patrol<\/a> issues handgun carry permits.<\/p>\r\n

After the Nashville school shooting, many parents urged the state legislature to pass a red flag law<\/a>. Under a red flag law, family members and law enforcement officers can petition a court for an order to remove and ban firearm possession by a person who is a threat to self or others. Efforts to enact a red flag law failed in 2023. Despite voicing support at that time, Lee signed legislation in 2024 that banned extreme risk protection orders<\/a> from local law. So, until the state decides whether to create a red flag law, no local jurisdiction can enact one.<\/p>\r\n

In 2024, Tennessee passed a law allowing teachers to carry concealed firearms in schools. To carry a weapon on school grounds under section 49-6-815<\/a> teachers must obtain consent from a local principal, education commissioner, and sheriff. Teachers also must complete 40 hours of training, pass a psychological evaluation, submit fingerprints, and secure a handgun permit. The law has sparked significant debate about the best ways to ensure school safety.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Tennessee does not ban assault weapons or require universal background checks for gun purchases.<\/p>\r\n

State law bans the ownership or possession of machine guns unless a person complies with the federal National Firearms Act<\/a> (NFA). The state also bans those convicted of felonies, and misdemeanor domestic violence or stalking offenses from possessing firearms. In some cases, a DUI conviction will also bar you from possessing a gun.<\/p>\r\n

In 2023, Tennessee enacted a law to provide free firearm locks<\/a> to state residents. It also appropriated funds for a statewide public safety campaign on safe firearm storage. Both programs fall under the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.<\/p>\r\n

Even if you can legally own and carry a firearm, state law bans you from taking your weapon to certain locations. These include:<\/p>\r\n