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TENNESSEE'S
HANDGUN PERMIT LAW
IN A NUTSHELL
Tennessee's civilian handgun permit law is contained in Tennessee Code
Annotated §§ 39-17-1301 to 39-17-1360. As a
result of the changes in the handgun permit laws from 1994 through 1997,
Tennessee issues civilian handgun carry permits that have the following
general attributes:
the initial application fee is $115 (cash) and requires the
successful completion of a state certified handgun training course prior
to making application for the permit;
the state must respond to the application within 90 days by either
issuing the permit or notifying the applicant of any problems with the
application;
renewal fees are $50 and, like a driver’s license, do not require
further training or qualifications as a condition of renewal;
the handgun permit is good for four years;
the handgun permit is good “statewide;”
the handgun permit is good for any handgun that the permit holder
legally owns or possesses; and
the handgun permit is not a concealed weapon permit.
These attributes were obtained only after concentrated lobbying efforts
over several years by many groups including the
National Rifle Association and the Tennessee
Firearms Association. However, the Tennessee civilian handgun carry
permit remains practically useless as a means of enabling the permit holder
to provide for his or her own personal protection with a firearm while in
public.
The Tennessee civilian handgun permit is useless because a permit holder
remains burdened with a patchwork of restrictions, prohibitions, conditions
and traps set by the Tennessee Legislature, local governments, and the
federal government. As a result of that patchwork of regulations and
restrictions, a permit holder cannot rely upon the handgun permit as a means
of enabling him or her to legally have a handgun readily available whenever
and wherever it may be needed. What use can be made of a handgun for
self-defense if the permit holder is effectively disarmed by governmental
enactment of questionable constitutionality?
As it exists since 1997 in Tennessee, the civilian handgun permit is
primarily form over substance. Its burdened existence is similar to having
the freedom of speech with no printing press or other effective means of
communication. It is, nonetheless, better than its state predecessors.
Consequently, even burdened with restrictions, it represents a step, albeit
a small one, in the direction of enabling the good and concerned citizens of
the State of Tennessee to exercise their right to provide for their own
self-defense and, if they so chose, to do so by carrying a handgun. |
