Tennessee Firearms Assoc. Inc.

I rode my motorcycle to the Hamilton County motor vehicle registration office today to get my tag renewal. This is not in the county courthouse, but the clerk's office on Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga, and is not posted at all. I was carrying openly and as I went in the first set of doors, a sheriff's deputy stopped me and asked if I was a police officer. I told him no but I had a permit, and he said that I was not able to carry my weapon inside any government building, so I returned to my motorcycle and put my handgun in the saddlebag (locked) of my motorcycle. He was very polite and we even talked for a half hour after I got my renewal done. He told me he was only following what he had been told by his supervisor. I told him my understanding of the law is, I am prohibited from court houses, according to 39-17-1306. And since there was no posting, according to 39-17-1359 I was legal.

Anyway, since he was so polite, I am going to send a letter of commendation to Jim Hammond, our sheriff. Please correct my understanding of the law, if I am wrong.

Our local TDL offices were posted the last time I visited and I believe even the HCP application specifically states you cannot carry in the TDL offices.
Don't know about similar statement on the other forms such as driver licenses.

As I recall, In the past TN has pretty much banned them from any state property, which is why state universities and state parks were prohibited places.

Guess this is just one more reason to carry concealed. Not that that will change your mind.

However, the TDL offices are not listed here under prohibited places, so that may have changed.

http://www.state.tn.us/safety/handgun/h ... aqs.htm#q7

Other than courtrooms and schools, no state or local government buildings are off limits unless they are posted in compliance with the law.

However, recall that independent of the posting law, those locations can rely on the criminal trespass laws particularly if you open carry.