Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in Davidson County. Nashville is the state capital and a music, healthcare and automotive city that has grown into a metro of two million. Davidson County dealers run the TBI instant check at pickup.
Pick an FFL dealer near you that accepts shipped transfers and name it at checkout. We confirm their license and ship the firearm to them. Ammunition, optics and parts ship straight to your door where Tennessee law allows.
A slide, barrel or optic plate is not a firearm under federal law and ships to your door; the rules below apply only when you order a complete pistol. Tennessee has no purchase permit, no registration and no waiting period. Federal age limits apply: 21 for a handgun, 18 for a long gun. You complete ATF Form 4473 at the Tennessee dealer you name and pay their transfer fee. Dealers run the check through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's instant check system, which charges a small fee per transaction.
Dealers in these communities all work for Nashville-area buyers:
Tennessee has allowed permitless handgun carry since July 2021 for adults 21 and over, and for 18 to 20-year-olds with military service, openly or concealed. Schools, courthouses and posted property stay off limits. The enhanced and concealed handgun carry permits are still issued by the Department of Safety and are worth holding for reciprocity and for some posted locations.
Tennessee's gun deer season opens on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and runs into early January, with muzzleloader and archery seasons ahead of it. Centerfire rifles and handguns, shotguns and muzzleloaders are all legal for deer. Wild hogs are not a game animal in Tennessee and may not be hunted on most public land, so check the TWRA rules before you plan on them. Most of the state is Unit L with a generous antlerless allowance, and a separate CWD unit in the southwest has its own rules.
Davidson County is Unit L, so antlerless deer are generous; the Cheatham and Percy Priest areas give Nashville hunters public ground within a half-hour of downtown.
The Cheatham WMA range west of the city is TWRA-run and has pistol positions; Nashville's indoor ranges are where most cut slides get their first hundred rounds.
These ranges are run by or officially listed by a state wildlife agency, a state forest or a national forest. Most ask for a hunting licence, a range permit or a small day fee, and hours change with the season, so check the agency page before you go.
Source: State wildlife agency, state forest and U.S. Forest Service public range listings, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.
Yes. Order here, name a licensed FFL dealer in Franklin, Brentwood, Hendersonville, Nashville or anywhere in Davidson County, and we ship the firearm to them. You fill out ATF Form 4473 at their counter and they run the background check.
No. The dealer runs the TBI instant check when you complete ATF Form 4473, and you leave with the gun once it clears.
Adults 21 and over who may lawfully possess a handgun can carry openly or concealed without a permit. The Department of Safety still issues permits for travel.
The Saturday before Thanksgiving, statewide, running into early January. Davidson County is in Unit L unless the current TWRA guide says otherwise.
An RMR-footprint dot on a compact or full-size slide covers indoor lanes, matches and home defence, and most cut slides and plates take it.
Each dealer sets its own fee, commonly $20 to $75. Call before you order to confirm the price and that they accept firearms shipped from an online store.
General information, not legal advice. Rules current as of September 2026. See our buying guide and check with Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (handgun carry permits) or a local attorney about your own situation.