Gun & Civil Rights Restoration in Tennessee
A Tennessee felony conviction can strip the right to vote, hold office, serve on a jury, and possess firearms. Tennessee provides separate paths to restore them — a court petition to restore citizenship (T.C.A. § 40-29-101), a voting-rights Certificate of Restoration (§ 40-29-203), and a narrow, fact-specific route for firearms. Firearm restoration is the hardest: some convictions can never restore gun rights, and a separate federal bar may still apply.
By Find Local Law Editorial Team · Last reviewed: May 25, 2026
Researched and drafted with AI assistance and verified against primary sources (statutes, Judicial Council forms, and official court websites). This is general information, not legal advice.
This is general information, not legal advice — and rights restoration in Tennessee is highly fact-specific, especially for firearms. Whether a right can be restored depends on the exact offense and the date of conviction. Talk to a Tennessee attorney about your situation.
A Tennessee felony conviction makes a person “infamous” and strips several rights: the right to vote, to hold public office, to serve on a jury, and to possess firearms. Getting them back is not one process — it’s several, each with its own rules.
Restoring citizenship / civil rights
A person convicted of an infamous crime may petition for restoration of citizenship under T.C.A. § 40-29-101 and § 40-29-102. Key points:
- The petition is filed in the circuit court of the county where you live or were convicted.
- You can generally petition once the maximum sentence has expired (or immediately after a pardon that restores citizenship).
- The court must give the district attorney general at least 30 days’ notice before a hearing.
This restores general civil rights — but, importantly, it does not automatically restore firearm rights (below).
Restoring voting rights
Voting-rights restoration is its own track (T.C.A. § 40-29-201 et seq.). In general you must:
- Have completed your sentence, and paid restitution to victims and (for sentences after Sept. 1, 2010) court costs — unless found indigent; and
- Obtain a Certificate of Restoration of Voting Rights (COR) under T.C.A. § 40-29-203, typically completed by an official with knowledge of your sentence completion (such as a probation/parole officer).
Some convictions — including murder, rape, treason, and voter fraud (and certain others depending on the conviction date) — permanently bar voting-rights restoration.
Restoring firearm rights — the hardest path
This is where Tennessee is most restrictive, and where you should be most careful:
- Under T.C.A. § 39-17-1307, it’s a crime for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
- Even a full restoration of citizenship does not restore handgun rights for a felony involving force, violence, or a deadly weapon, or a felony drug offense.
- A felony conviction also triggers a federal firearms bar (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)), and state restoration lifts it only in limited circumstances.
The practical takeaway: firearm-rights restoration is complex and not guaranteed, and some convictions can never restore gun rights. No one should promise you a result — get advice on your specific conviction.
A pardon can also help restore rights — see executive clemency & pardons. And remember restoration is different from clearing the record — see Tennessee expungement. To get matched with a local attorney, connect with a lawyer.
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Start your free intakeFrequently asked questions
- What rights does a felony conviction take away in Tennessee?
- A felony can strip the right to vote, hold public office, serve on a jury, and possess firearms. Tennessee provides separate processes to restore each, but not every right can be restored for every conviction.
- How do I get my voting rights back in Tennessee?
- Generally by completing your sentence — including paying restitution and (for sentences after Sept. 1, 2010) court costs — and obtaining a Certificate of Restoration of Voting Rights under T.C.A. § 40-29-203, or through a pardon. Some convictions, such as murder, rape, treason, and voter fraud, permanently bar voting-rights restoration.
- Can a felon ever get gun rights back in Tennessee?
- Sometimes, but it's limited and fact-specific. Restoring citizenship does not restore handgun rights for felonies involving force, violence, a deadly weapon, or drugs (T.C.A. § 39-17-1307), and a separate federal firearms bar may still apply. Because outcomes depend heavily on the exact conviction, legal advice is essential — and some convictions can never restore gun rights.
- Is restoring civil rights the same as expungement?
- No. Restoration gives back rights like voting or firearm possession; it does not erase the conviction from your record. Expungement is a separate process — see our Tennessee expungement guide.
Sources
Related guides
- Executive Clemency & Pardons in Tennessee Clemency in Tennessee is the Governor's constitutional power (Article III, § 6) to forgive or soften a punishment — through a pardon, commutation, or exoneration. The Tennessee Board of Parole's Executive Clemency Unit investigates applications and sends a non-binding recommendation to the Governor, but only the Governor can grant clemency, and only for Tennessee state convictions. A pardon does not automatically erase your record.
- Tennessee Expungement: Clearing Your Record Tennessee expungement (the statute calls it 'expunction') removes a criminal record from public access under T.C.A. § 40-32-101. It's free when a charge ended without a conviction — dismissals, no-true-bills, acquittals, or completed diversion — and available for certain eligible convictions after a waiting period (generally five years after completing the sentence). Serious violent and sexual offenses are permanently ineligible. You petition the court where the case was handled.