Title 39, Criminal Offenses

(a) (1) A person commits an offense who carries, with the intent to go armed, a firearm or a club.(2) (A) The first violation of subdivision (a)(1) is a Class C misdemeanor, and, in addition to possible imprisonment as provided by law, may be punished by a fine not to exceed five…

(a) It is a defense to the application of § 39-17-1307 if the possession or carrying was:(1) Of an unloaded rifle, shotgun or handgun not concealed on or about the person and the ammunition for the weapon was not in the immediate vicinity of the person or weapon;(2) By a person a…

(a) As used in this section, “weapon of like kind” includes razors and razor blades, except those used solely for personal shaving, and any sharp pointed or edged instrument, except unaltered nail files and clips and tools used solely for preparation of food, instruction and main…

(1) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under § 39-17-1309(a)-(d) that the person's behavior was in strict compliance with the requirements of one (1) of the following classifications:(1) A person hunting during the lawful hunting season on lands owned by any public or pr…

(a) It is an offense for any person to possess or carry, whether openly or concealed, with the intent to go armed, any weapon prohibited by § 39-17-1302(a), not used solely for instructional, display or sanctioned ceremonial purposes, in or on the grounds of any public park, play…

(a) It is an offense if a person eighteen (18) years of age or older, including a parent or other legal guardian, knows that a minor or student is in illegal possession of a firearm in or upon the premises of a public or private school, in or on the school's athletic stadium or o…

(a) Notwithstanding any law or any ordinance or resolution adopted by the governing body of a city, county, or metropolitan government, including any ordinance or resolution enacted before April 8, 1986, that prohibits or regulates the possession, transportation, or storage of a …

(a) Except as otherwise provided by state law or as specifically provided in subsection (b), the general assembly preempts the whole field of the regulation of firearms, ammunition, or components of firearms or ammunition, or combinations thereof including, but not limited to, th…

(a) (1) (A) The following persons may carry handguns at all times pursuant to a written directive by the executive supervisor of the organization to which the person is or was attached or employed, regardless of the person's regular duty hours or assignments:(i) Any law enforceme…

(a) (1) (A) A person appropriately licensed by the federal government may stock and sell firearms to persons desiring firearms; however, sales are prohibited to persons who:(i) Have been convicted of the offense of stalking, as prohibited by § 39-17-315;(ii) Are addicted to alcoh…

(a) (1) Any weapon that is possessed, used, or sold in violation of the law shall be confiscated by a law enforcement officer and declared to be contraband by a court of record exercising criminal jurisdiction.(2) (A) The sheriff or chief of police for the jurisdiction where the …

(a) If any firearm confiscated and adjudicated as contraband pursuant to this part or any other law could be sold at public auction or retained by a law enforcement agency for law enforcement as provided in § 39-17-1317, but for the fact that the serial number of the firearm has …

(a) As used in this section and § 39-17-1320, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Handgun” means a pistol, revolver, or other firearm of any description, loaded or unloaded, from which any shot, bullet, or other missile can be discharged, the length of the barrel of which,…

(a) It is an offense for a person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly to provide a handgun with or without remuneration to any person that the person providing the handgun knows or has reason to believe is a juvenile in violation of § 39-17-1319. (b) It is an offense for a par…

(a) Notwithstanding whether a person has a permit issued pursuant to § 39-17-1315 or § 39-17-1351 or § 39-17-1366, it is an offense for a person to possess a handgun while under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substance or controlled substance analogue. (b) It is an of…

(a) A person shall not be charged with or convicted of a violation under this part if the person possessed, displayed or employed a handgun in justifiable self-defense or in justifiable defense of another during the commission of a crime in which that person or the other person d…

(a) A person commits an offense who knowingly wears a body vest, when acting either alone or with one (1) or more other persons, while committing:(1) Any felony whose statutory elements involve the use or threat of violence to a human being;(2) Any burglary, car-jacking, theft of…

(a) It is an offense to possess a firearm or antique firearm with the intent to go armed during the commission of or attempt to commit a dangerous felony. (b) It is an offense to employ a firearm or antique firearm during the:(1) Commission of a dangerous felony;(2) Attempt to co…

(a) A person, business, or other entity that owns, controls, or manages property and has the authority to prohibit weapons on that property by posting, pursuant to § 39-17-1359, shall be immune from civil liability with respect to any claim based on such person's, business's, or …

(a) This section and § 39-17-1327 are known and may be cited as the “Firearms Information Privacy Protection Act.” (b) If a person intentionally discloses information that the person knows or reasonably should know was unlawfully obtained and that identifies another person as the…

(a) It is an offense for any personnel, including elected and appointed officials, of this state, a local governmental entity, or a political subdivision of this state, when acting in the person's official capacity or disclosing information obtained in the person's official capac…

(a) Subject to appropriations, the department of safety shall provide free firearm locks to a Tennessee resident upon the resident's request. The department of safety shall prominently display on the department's website instructions for requesting free firearm locks. (b) The dep…

(a) As used in this section, “extreme risk protection order”:(1) Means an executive order or a written order or warrant issued by a judge, magistrate, or other judicial officer, with the primary purpose of reducing the risk of firearm-related death or injury by doing one (1) or m…

(a) A person commits an offense who recklessly discharges a firearm into the air, ground, a body of water, or an object in proximity to the person if the firearm is discharged at a place of public gathering or at a public event where there are at least twenty-five (25) people in …

(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any law enforcement officer may carry firearms at all times and in all places within Tennessee, on-duty or off-duty, regardless of the officer's regular duty hours or assignments, except as provided by subsection (c), federal law, lawf…

(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 U…

(a) The department shall suspend or revoke a handgun permit upon a showing by its records or other sufficient evidence that the permit holder:(1) Is prohibited from purchasing a handgun under applicable state or federal law;(2) Has not accurately disclosed any material informatio…

(a) Any person who has received a notice of suspension or revocation may make a written request for a review of the department's determination by the department at a hearing. The request shall be made on a form available from the department. If the person's permit has not been pr…

(a) Within thirty (30) days of the issuance of the final determination of the department following a hearing under § 39-17-1353, a person aggrieved by the determination shall have the right to file a petition in the chancery court of the county of the person's residence for judic…

The Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, applies to the extent it is consistent with the proceedings under §§ 39-17-1353 and 39-17-1354 relating to administrative hearing and judicial review.

The department shall issue a duplicate permit to a permit holder upon the payment by the permit holder of a fee of five dollars ($5.00).

(a) Within sixty (60) days of any change in a permit holder's principal place of residence, the permit holder shall notify the department in writing of the permit holder's new address. (b) On or after January 1, 2015, the department shall provide a method for permit holders to no…

(a) The sheriff or chief law enforcement officer may retain applications and files related to the approval or denial of any application submitted from October 1, 1994, to October 1, 1996, if the applications and files are relevant to any pending litigation. After the pending liti…

(a) (1) Except as provided in § 39-17-1313, an individual, corporation, business entity, or local, state, or federal government entity or agent thereof is authorized to:(A) Prohibit the possession of weapons by any person who is at a meeting conducted by, or on property owned, op…

The department of safety is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, to implement §§ 39-17-1351 — 39-17-1360 or § 39-17-1366.

(a) As used in this section:(1) “Certification” means the participation and assent of the chief law enforcement officer necessary under federal law for the approval of the application to transfer or make a firearm; (2) “Chief law enforcement officer” or “officer” means any offici…

(a) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Imitation firearm” means an object or device substantially similar in coloration and overall appearance to a firearm, as defined in § 39-11-106(a), as to lead a reasonable person to perceive that the object o…

(a) For purposes of this section:(1) “Potentially vicious dog” means a dog that may reasonably be assumed to pose a threat to public safety as demonstrated by any of the following behaviors:(A) When unprovoked and off the property of the owner or keeper of the dog, inflicts a bit…

(1) Notwithstanding § 39-17-1307, or any other law, it is lawful in this state for a person to purchase, and have shipped directly to such person's residence, the following:(1) A black powder weapon; provided, that it meets the definition of 18 U.S.C. § 921;(2) A knife, even if t…

(a) A person who petitions the court and is granted an order of protection, ex parte or otherwise, pursuant to title 36, chapter 3, part 6, may apply for a temporary handgun carry permit from the department of safety within twenty-one (21) calendar days after that order of protec…

(a) Any resident of this state who is a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident, as defined by § 55-50-102, may apply to the department for a concealed handgun carry permit. If the applicant is not prohibited from possessing a firearm in this state pursuant to § 39-17-…

(1) As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Metals recycling facility” means any business that is predominantly engaged in performing the process by which scrap, used or obsolete ferrous or nonferrous metals are converted into raw materials consisting of …

(a) A person may not sell, convey or otherwise transfer to a metals recycling facility any of the following items without first obtaining from the metals recycling facility a signed written acknowledgment that the item has been sold, conveyed or transferred to the facility:(1) Le…

(A) A metals recycling facility shall post in a conspicuous location a notice that is readily visible to all persons selling materials to the facility. The notice shall be no smaller than twenty-four inches (24″) horizontally by eighteen inches (18″) vertically and must contain t…

A person who violates this part commits a Class B misdemeanor.

This part shall be known and may be cited as the “Prevention of Youth Access to Tobacco, Smoking Hemp, and Vapor Products Act.”