TN
Tennessee — Body Armor Regulation Profile
Statutes, eligibility requirements, shipping rules, and the dealer and agency directory for this jurisdiction.
Primary Statute
Tenn. Code §39-17-1324
Strategic Context
- Gpo Sweet Spots
- rural sheriffs among 95 counties (East TN Appalachian + West TN rural)
- Fort Campbell SOF-contractor ecosystem
- Nashville music industry security specialty
- Memphis FedEx Superhub specialty
- Y-12 + ORNL federal-nuclear contractor security
- TN community colleges + smaller public universities
- small municipal PDs
- Unique To TN Categories
- Fort_Campbell_5th_SFG_160th_SOAR_101st_ABN_major_SOF_concentration
- Oak_Ridge_Y_12_nuclear_weapons_component_production_unique_protective_force
- FedEx_Memphis_Superhub_largest_cargo_hub_Western_Hemisphere
- CoreCivic_Nashville_HQ
- HCA_Healthcare_Nashville_HQ
- Vanderbilt_VUPD_one_of_largest_private_university_PDs_US
- Nashville_music_industry_security_specialty
- TVA_Police_federal_authority
- Dollywood_Graceland_seasonal_tourism_surges
- Nashville_consolidated_Metro_government_unique_PD_SO_structure
- Arnold_AEDC_Air_Force_largest_jet_engine_testing
- Onboarding Friction Notes
- TN is enhanced_penalty tier (Class E felony for armor during crime); enhancement informational only; TN Private Protective Services registration serves as profession verification proxy
- Partnership Opportunities
- TN CPO state contract awardee
- Tennessee Sheriffs' Association endorsement
- TACP endorsement
- TN Board of Regents + UT System cooperative
- CoreCivic Nashville HQ strategic corporate relationship
- HCA Healthcare Nashville HQ healthcare-security relationship
- Fort Campbell SOF-contractor channel
- Vanderbilt VUPD direct engagement
- Music industry security channel (CMA + labels + venues)
- Aggregated Demand Estimate
- 90000+ tactical-armor-eligible buyers in TN
- Strategic Corporate Anchors
- TN has unique dual HQ concentration: HCA Healthcare + CoreCivic in Nashville metro = direct relationships with healthcare-security + private-corrections giants
- Phase 2 Threshold Met By Tn Alone
true
Detailed intelligence
Laws
Reviewed 2026-04-14Public
Laws
Laws — Tennessee
Restriction tier: enhanced_penalty
Federal baseline
- 18 USC §931 — violent felons prohibited.
State statutes
Tenn. Code §39-17-1324 — Unlawful Wearing of Body Armor
- Codification: Tenn. Code Ann. §39-17-1324 (armor provisions)
- Summary: Makes it unlawful to wear body armor during the commission of a crime. Unlawful wearing is a Class E felony.
- Source: TN Code Title 39
Civilian purchase
- Adults 18+ (non-felon) may purchase online or in-person.
- No dealer license required.
Local ordinances
None identified.
Recent changes (past 3 years)
None material.
Pending / proposed legislation
Monitor TN General Assembly.
ArmorOS compliance handling
- Civilians permitted 18+
- Federal §931 screening
- Standard flow
Regulations
Reviewed 2026-04-14Public
Regulations
Regulations — [STATE]
State agency administrative rules
[Any state-level agency rules implementing armor-related statutes — often from State Police, Dept. of Public Safety, or Department of State.]
Enforcement posture
[How rigorously the state enforces armor statutes, any notable enforcement actions.]
Sources
[AG opinions, state police guidance, state AG website links.]
Purchase channels
Reviewed 2026-04-15Free account
Purchase channels
Dealer licensing
Reviewed 2026-04-14Free account
Dealer licensing
Suppliers in state
Reviewed 2026-04-14Free account
Suppliers in state
Tactical buyers
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
Tactical buyers
Law-enforcement breakdown
Per-agency detail — name-level coverage of municipal PDs, sheriffs, state police, corrections, National Guard, federal-in-state, transit/port, and university/campus police. Verified-industry subscribers only.
Major municipal PDs
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
Major municipal PDs
County sheriffs
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
County sheriffs
State police / highway patrol
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
State police / highway patrol
Corrections
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
Corrections
National Guard
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
National Guard
Federal agencies in-state
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
Federal agencies in-state
Transit & port authorities
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
Transit & port authorities
University & campus police
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
University & campus police
Authorized Dealers (1)
Dana Safety Supply, Inc. (DSS)
Greensboro
Law Enforcement Agencies (34)
TN Army + Air National Guard
national_guard
Tennessee Department of Correction
state_corrections
Memphis Police Department
municipal_pd
Shelby County Sheriff's Office
county_sheriff
Metropolitan Nashville Police Department
consolidated_metro_pd
Tennessee Highway Patrol
state_police
Davidson County Sheriff's Office
metro_sheriff_court
Knox County Sheriff's Office
county_sheriff
Hamilton County Sheriff's Office
county_sheriff
Y-12 Protective Force (Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC)
federal_contractor_nuclear_protective
Chattanooga Police Department
municipal_pd
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
state_investigative