Welcome to the Tennessee State Certified Handgun Safety Course at Unaka Rod & Gun Club.  Handgun permit classes are held on the second Saturday of each month, unless otherwise announced.  Classes are not normally scheduled for the months of January or February.  Successful completion of this course is required in order to obtain a Tennessee State Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit (EHCP).

There are two types of handgun carry permits issued by the State of Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.  Our class is certified by the State of Tennessee and fulfills the requirement for a Tennessee “Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit”.  This permit allows the holder to carry a handgun either concealed or openly and allows the holder to carry anywhere state laws allow a handgun to be carried.  The second type of permit became available on January 1, 2020 and is known as a “Concealed Carry Permit” (CCP).  With this permit a handgun must be carried concealed and training requirements, fees and locations where the handgun may be carried differ from the Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit.  For additional information on obtaining a Concealed Carry Permit, please refer to the Tennessee Department of Safety’s Handgun Permit website.  Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit required training includes firearms safety, laws, nomenclature, marksmanship, and live shooting units, and is strongly recommended for prospective students who may not be completely familiar or comfortable with handguns, handgun safety and applicable Tennessee laws.

State Requirements and Information 

You must be at least 21 years of age to apply for a Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit unless you are currently serving on active duty or are a veteran, in which case the minimum age is 18.   The State of Tennessee’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DOS) maintains a webpage which contains detailed information concerning the requirements to obtain a handgun carry permit and other pertinent information.  This webpage is located at: https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp/handgun.html  Please visit and review this website.

Application Procedure  

The DOS has mandated that the application for a Tennessee Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit be submitted online on their webpage, https://dl.safety.tn.gov/ , before training is started.  If your are unable or unwilling to submit your application online, we do have the capability to process your training manually and you will be required to complete your written application at the Driver’s License Office following completion of the class, but this will delay the final approval and your receipt of your handgun permit significantly.  We strongly suggest that you complete the State of Tennessee’s Handgun Permit Application online before attending our class.  If you do complete the application online, DON’T FORGET TO BRING YOUR “APPLICATION NUMBER” (not the “Confirmation Number”) WITH YOU TO CLASS.

Our Handgun Class 

The classroom portion of the course is held in Unaka Rod & Gun Club’s clubhouse.  If you have a GPS system, the physical address is 90 Furnace Road, Johnson City, TN.  Some GPS systems only get you to Furnace Road.  If your system is one of these just bear LEFT at the fork in the road after the GPS system stops giving you directions and you will come through our gate and arrive at our clubhouse.  For written directions to the club, please refer to the “Home” tab on our website.  If you would like to pre-register for one of our classes, please send an E-mail with your application number (not the confirmation number), name, phone number and the date of the class you would like to attend to unaka90@yahoo.com.  We have a maximum class size of 24 students and class admission is on a first-come, first-served basis with pre-registered students having priority.   There will be a hotdog lunch served at no additional charge.  You may bring your lunch or go out to a local restaurant if you prefer.  We have a refrigerator, stove and microwave oven you are free to use.  Soft drinks and snacks are available for purchase at the club.  When you arrive at the Club, please do not bring firearms or ammunition into the classroom (clubhouse).

Class Requirements 

The class runs from 8:00 AM to approximately 5:00 PM and costs $50 (cash, check or money order only).  If you submit your application online you will be issued an application number.  Please make sure you bring your application number with you to the class. 

If you would like to take notes, bring a notebook or paper and a pen.  In order to satisfactorily complete the course you will be required to pass both a written exam (you may refer to your notes during the exam, 50 true/false and multiple choice questions) and a 50 shot shooting test at a silhouette target at distances of 3, 5 and 7 yards.  You should bring a safe handgun, at least 50 rounds of factory ammunition (no reloads, no .357 magnum or .44 magnum ammo) and eye and ear protection.   The State of Tennessee does not require you to qualify with the handgun or caliber pistol you may carry after you receive your permit.    If you do not have a pistol to use for the course, the Club has .22 caliber semi-automatic target pistols you can borrow for the class for an additional fee of $10, which includes 50 rounds of ammo.  We also have eye and ear protection available to borrow for the class.  Our firing range is covered, but outdoors, so dress accordingly.  You should also wear a ball cap, closed toe shoes and a shirt, blouse or jacket which closes around your neck to prevent a minor burn from an ejected hot shell case during the shooting phase of the class.

What Happens After the Class?  

After you successfully complete the training requirement you will have to visit any full-service driver’s license station in Tennessee.  If you have completed your application online, make sure you bring your application number with you and they will access your computer record and confirm that they have your completed application and your training requirement.  If you did not submit an online application, bring your training certificate with you and you will have to complete a paper application at the driver’s license station.  In both cases, they will then collect the State’s permit fee.  Handgun Carry Permits will be issued for a period of eight years.  The cost of an original permit is $100.00, which includes a one-time fee for fingerprinting and a background check. Veterans and those serving on active duty who provide a DD-214 form or active duty ID card will pay $68. A lifetime permit is available for a one-time fee of $300 ($268 for veterans).  The State’s Handgun Permit website describes the original and renewal fees in detail.  For your original permit, the personnel at the driver’s license station will accept credit cards (MasterCard, Visa or Discover), money orders, cashier’s checks or cash, but NOT personal checks.  This fee is non-refundable.  You will also be asked to provide proof of United States citizenship (in most cases a certified copy of your birth certificate or a current passport) or lawful permanent residency and you will have your picture taken.  You will then be given instructions on where you may go to have your fingerprints taken and what the procedures are.  If approved, your handgun carry permit will be mailed to you within 90 days at the address they have on file.  Please remember, DO NOT CARRY A HANDGUN UNTIL YOUR PERMIT IS IN YOUR POSSESSION.  For more information consult the State’s Handgun Permit website at https://www.tn.gov/safety/tnhp/handgun.html.