Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in Knox County. Knoxville is the university city of East Tennessee, with Oak Ridge's laboratories to the west and the Smokies to the south-east. Knox 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.
Lights, lasers, mounts and batteries are accessories and ship to your door; the rules below matter only when you order a pistol or rifle to put them on. Tennessee has no purchase permit, no registration and no waiting period. 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. Federal age limits apply: 21 for a handgun, 18 for a long gun.
Dealers in these communities all work for Knoxville-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. 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. Schools, courthouses and posted property stay off limits.
Tennessee's gun deer season opens on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and runs into early January, with muzzleloader and archery seasons ahead of it. 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. Centerfire rifles and handguns, shotguns and muzzleloaders are all legal for deer.
Knox County is Unit L with generous antlerless days; the Cherokee National Forest and the Chuck Swan and Catoosa management areas are the big public tracts within an hour or two.
Catoosa's range on the plateau is the nearest TWRA facility; local hunters lean on lights for coyotes in winter, which is legal here with the right licence.
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 Farragut, Maryville, Oak Ridge, Knoxville or anywhere in Knox 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. Knox County is in Unit L unless the current TWRA guide says otherwise.
Tracking a wounded deer with a light is allowed in many states but carrying a firearm while doing it often is not; check the current regulations before you head out with a rifle.
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.