Moving to TN, with FL CCW

[Darrint]

Hey Y'all, Ok I have a Florida concealed carry permit which is honored in TN but I am moving to TN and will become a resident, once I become a resident am I at that point illegal with a FL permit? Does my FL permit become useless and make me ineligable to carry in TN once I become a resident? And if so then at what point would I need to get the TN permit? After I move to my new home or when I change to a TN drivers license?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Fallguy]

The law says must get a TN permit within 6 months of becoming a resident. AFAIK your FL permit should still be good during that time, including the time after your apply and are waiting for your TN permit. Since Handgun Carry Permits are done by the same agency and Drivers License, most people find it easier to just do their carry permit at the same time as doing DL.

 

[Darrint]

I qualified for the FL permit using my DD214 military discharge paperwork but still took the NRA sponsered Concealed Carry course with my wife. Is that course OK for a TN permit or do they have a special requirement. I'm wondering since I have the FL permit if I still will have to go through all the fingerprinting and background checks again, or can I just show my FL permit and they will be satisifed with that? Probably will have to do it all again. Thanks for the info Fallguy.

 

[Fallguy]

I'm not really sure... on the state's website they used to have a breakdown state by state on the requirements to get a TN permit if you had a permit from another state, but they have removed it. Previously if you had fingerprints and background check, you didn't have to do them again. I'm not sure if removing the info means now that regardless you have to apply just like you didn't have a permit or not. This part of the states website is not very well maintained.

I don't think the NRA course covers TNs requirements. Private instructors teach a course with the state's curriculum, the cost ranges depending on the instructor, $75 on up.

 

[Darrint]

After some further research I found that I do indeed have to get the Tennessee permit within 6 months of setting up residency in the state. Still don't know if I will have to go through all the background checks, finger printing and take another concealed carry course. Guess I'll find out when I get down there. I did send an email to the Tennessee authority that issues the permits asking them. If I find out from them I will post it here.

 

[roystere]

Check this link out from the state. It has a question on military members (active/prior), and exemptions from the safety course for a HCP in Tennessee: Link Removed

 

[mrjam2jab]

There is this: Link Removed

For Persons Holding a Handgun Carry Permit from Other States and Applying for a Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit
ALL handgun permit applicants seeking a new, renewal, or replacement permit must provide
Link Removed.

If a person with a handgun permit from another state decides to become a resident of Tennessee, such person must obtain a Tennessee handgun permit within six (6) months of establishing residency in Tennessee.


All applicants, regardless of permits issued by another state will be processed as originals. The applicant must be twenty-one (21), complete the Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit application, provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Residency, pay one hundred and fifteen dollar ($115.00) fee, and be fingerprinted. All applicants, except those with valid permits from New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas must take a DOS approved handgun safety course. Licensing requirements are not included in the reciprocity agreements between states. The mutual recognition of handgun possession privileges between states has not changed and is listed on this website.

and then there is this Link Removed

Requirements for Obtaining a Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit

• Applicant shall submit proof of the successful completion of a department approved Handgun Safety Course within the past six (6) months. Call (615) 251-8590 to find out more information on handgun schools, locations and contact information.
• Provide Link Removed (no photocopies).
• Submit application at any full service Driver License Service Center location.
• Applicant is required to present a photo ID to the department at the time of filing the application.
• Pay $115 non-refundable application fee payable by cash, certified check, or money order.
• When the application is processed at the driver service center, the applicant will be given instructions on being fingerprinted.
• Incomplete applications cannot be processed.
• FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

 

[Rhino]

All applicants, except those with valid permits from New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas must take a DOS approved handgun safety course.

That's really interesting, because that isn't what Tennessee law says.
.

(B) If a person with a handgun permit from another state decides to become a resident of Tennessee, the person must obtain a Tennessee handgun permit within six (6) months of establishing residency in Tennessee. The permit may be issued based on the person having a permit from another state provided the other state has substantially similar permit eligibility requirements as this state. However, if during the six-month period the person applies for a handgun permit in this state and the application is denied, the person shall not be allowed to carry a handgun in this state based upon the other state's permit.

LexisNexis® Custom Solution: Tennessee Code Research Tool
.
The link only takes you to the Lexis Nexis site for the Tennessee code. You have to browse down to section 39-17-1351 to see the actual statute. The text above is in paragraph (r)(3)(b). New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas aren't mentioned anywhere in the statute. The phrase "substantially similar permit eligibility requirements" is what is used to establish reciprocity. Tennessee has reciprocity agreements with 21 other states, so there doesn't appear to be anything that makes New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas stand out from any other state that I can see. In fact, the page that lists the out of state permits they recognize (link below) also mentions the six month requirement for new residents, and it also says they have to attend training, but it says nothing about New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas being different from the other states. It appears Tennessee has a big problem with consistency on their web sites, and they may be enforcing a law that doesn't exist as regards to the training requirement for some people moving there who already have CCW licenses/permits.
.
Link Removed

 

[Fallguy]

That's really interesting, because that isn't what Tennessee law says.
.
LexisNexis® Custom Solution: Tennessee Code Research Tool
.
The link only takes you to the Lexis Nexis site for the Tennessee code. You have to browse down to section 39-17-1351 to see the actual statute. The text above is in paragraph (r)(3)(b). New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas aren't mentioned anywhere in the statute. The phrase "substantially similar permit eligibility requirements" is what is used to establish reciprocity. Tennessee has reciprocity agreements with 21 other states, so there doesn't appear to be anything that makes New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas stand out from any other state that I can see. In fact, the page that lists the out of state permits they recognize (link below) also mentions the six month requirement for new residents, and it also says they have to attend training, but it says nothing about New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas being different from the other states. It appears Tennessee has a big problem with consistency on their web sites, and they may be enforcing a law that doesn't exist as regards to the training requirement for some people moving there who already have CCW licenses/permits.
.
Link Removed

I don't know, but perhaps the TN DOS has approved the safety/training courses required in NM, OK and TX. The statute wouldn't mention specific states because then it would have to be changed every time a new state met the requirements.

 

[Rhino]

I don't know, but perhaps the TN DOS has approved the safety/training courses required in NM, OK and TX. The statute wouldn't mention specific states because then it would have to be changed every time a new state met the requirements.

The statute doesn't say they can change anything based on other states meeting any requirements. It says the permit can be issued based on a permit from another that has substantially similar permit eligibility requirements to Tennessee, which is the same definition used for reciprocity. That means a permit/license from any of the 21 states with reciprocity agreements should qualify a new resident for a TN license. There is nothing anywhere in the statute that I could find that gives them the authority to individually single out states like NM, OK and TX, and treat them differently from the other states. That's why I said it was interesting. I may be missing something though, maybe something I haven't seen yet. It wouldn't be the first time. I'd like to know what it is though, since I'm moving to Tennessee in the next couple of years.

 

[Fallguy]

The statute doesn't say they can change anything based on other states meeting any requirements. It says the permit can be issued based on a permit from another that has substantially similar permit eligibility requirements Tennessee, which is the same definition used for reciprocity. That means a permit/license from any of the 21 states with reciprocity agreements should qualify a new resident for a TN license. There is nothing anywhere in the statute that I could find that gives them the authority to individually single out states like NM, OK and TX, and treat them differently from the other states. That's why I said it was interesting. I may be missing something though, maybe something I haven't seen yet. It wouldn't be the first time. I'd like to know what it is though, since I'm moving to Tennessee in the next couple of years.

A few years ago they had different requirements for every state. Residents from some states only had to pay a $50 renewal fee to get a TN permit others had to do the whole thing and anywhere in between for others. However they stopped that. My guess, because it wasn't authorized by law. This could be another situation that they change sometime in the future.

 

[IamNhobdy]

Thank you all for the info, I too just relocated from FL to TN and was curious about the process. This thread answered my questions!