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Summary of TN carry questions

poetdante

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2014
Messages
449
Location
Louisville, KY
Is there a good summary/reference of TN gun laws? I can't find a good one on here like there is as a sticky in the KY forum.

So I'm a KY resident visiting TN. I'm confused about carrying in TN o(open or CC). I have a KY CC license and it is honored by TN. Reading summaries of laws (i.e handgunlaw.us) I get the sense that I can't carry my firearm in state parks (do local/county/city parks have to follow State laws?) and that No Carry signs carry the force of law.

39-17-1311. Carrying Weapons on Public Parks, Playgrounds, Civic Centers and Other Public Recreational Buildings and Grounds.
(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, playground, civic center or other building facility, area or property owned, used or operated by any municipal, county or state government, or instrumentality thereof, for recreational purposes. (B) (1)

The Provisions of Subsection (a) Shall Not Apply to the Following Persons:
(H) Persons possessing a handgun, who are authorized to carry the handgun pursuant to § 39-17-1351, while within or on a public park, natural area, historic park, nature trail, campground, forest, greenway, waterway or other similar public place that is owned or operated by the state, a county, a municipality or instrumentality thereof, except as otherwise provided in subsection (d);
(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (b)(1)(H), any municipality or county may prohibit, by resolution adopted by a majority vote of its legislative body, persons authorized to carry a handgun pursuant to § 39-17-1351, from possessing the handgun while within or on a public park that is owned or operated by a county, a municipality or instrumentality thereof. If a legislative body elects to prohibit the possession of handguns within a park, the prohibition shall apply to the entire park, notwithstanding subdivision (b)(1)(H). If the area is jointly owned or operated by municipalities or counties, then a resolution adopted by a majority vote of all affected legislative bodies, voting individually, is necessary for the municipalities or counties to prohibit persons authorized to carry a handgun pursuant to § 39-17-1351 from possessing the handgun while within the park.

But the readings on this forum and others makes me think I can carry without worry. I'll be in Western TN area (Obion county)
 
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cjohnson44546

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Messages
188
Location
Memphis, TN
In TN, gun carry of any kind is illegal without a permit. If TN recognizes your states permit, then you are good to go.... With a permit you can carry a handgun, open or concealed. Open carry or concealed carry of long guns is prohibited though, its only for handguns.

As of July 1st its legal to carry any firearm you want inside your own car without a permit... as long as you're legally allowed to own the gun and drive that vehicle (unless its a company owned vehicle and the company has a no-gun policy).

With a permit, carry is allowed in state parks and civic centers etc... except that whoever runs the park is legally allowed to override that state law and post the park as no carry... so if your going into a park you need to check for signage and/or call and try to find out if carry is not permitted in the specific park you are going to. There are other summaries of places you cannot carry at handgunlaw.us

As to "no gun" signs... if a sign in text specifically mentions the law and where it can be found in the law that they are posting no guns... or if its some type of traditional gunbuster sign (any color, any size, any look, as long as it is a circle with a slash and somewhere inside that circle has an image of some type of firearm), then it is against the law to carry into the posted place. I believe its a class b misdemeanor if you are caught and charged... if I recall correctly.
 

Fallguy

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
715
Location
McKenzie Tennessee, USA
You CAN carry in state parks. You can also carry in local parks unless they have passed an ordnance against carry and posted a sign per 39-17-1311.

Just a couple of notes though:

Some state parks may still have "No Weapons", "No Firearms" etc. signs, these do not apply if you have a permit. This was done because of money reasons that probably would have killed the park bill had they been forced to remove or change them.

Our illustrious AG has said you could be charged with carry in a park even if signs aren't posted. Although I know of no case of this happening.
 

poetdante

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2014
Messages
449
Location
Louisville, KY
Thanks guys! It's a lot more confusing than in KY. There we can carry in most state places and signs don't carry weight of law. only a few places explicitly stated as no carry.
 
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