Section 1340-02-03-.05 - HANDGUN SAFETY COURSE REQUIREMENTS(1) The Instructor must verify the student's identification utilizing the online system. If the student is not registered in the online system, the student will be required to provide one (1) valid government issued photo identification to the instructor.(2) The Handgun Safety Course shall be a minimum of eight (8) hours in length, including a ten (10) minute break per hour. The course shall include both classroom and range portions of instruction. The eight (8) hour class does not include meal breaks or drive time.(a) The classroom instruction shall include only the course curriculum provided by the Department. This portion must be taught only at a Department approved classroom location and prior to any firing range instruction.(b) The firing range instruction shall include only the course curriculum established within these regulations. This portion must be taught only at an approved range location.(3) Handgun Safety Schools and instructors shall only utilize the instructional material provided by the Department.(4) A written examination and handgun firing qualification shall be administered to each student.(a) The written examination shall be individually taken by the student and consist of only those questions provided by the Department.(b) The test is provided in two (2) versions; "Test A & B". In each class, fifty percent (50%) of students shall complete Test A and fifty percent (50%) shall complete Test B to ensure proper testing procedures.(c) This shall be a closed book test with no notes, materials or aids allowed.(d) The Instructor shall proctor and grade the examinations personally.(e) The written examination must be administered and the students must pass prior to firing range qualifications.(f) Instructors may assist students by reading the test questions; however, the student must be able to mark their answer choice on the answer sheet without assistance.(5) The handgun firing qualification shall be the course of fire specified by the Department.(a) Each student must fire a minimum of fifty (50) rounds. This will consist of twenty (20) rounds fired from the three (3) yard line (9 feet), twenty rounds (20) from the five (5) yard line (15 feet), and ten (10) rounds from the seven (7) yard line (21 feet).(b) Instructors shall only coach the student during the first firing sequence.(c) Students must fire the required rounds independently with no physical aids or assistance from anyone.(d) All firing will be conducted at a distance no greater than twenty-six (26) feet from the berm.(e) It is recommended the student have one hundred (100) rounds available for range qualification. If the student shoots a score of seventy percent (70%) or better with the first fifty (50) rounds, the instructor may record that score as final qualification. Should the student not score seventy percent (70%) or better, they will be allowed to shoot the remaining fifty (50) rounds. If at the end of the second firing session a seventy percent (70%) or better score is not obtained, the student has failed the course. Instructor must inform the student they must retake the entire eight (8) hour course on another day.(f) Students must be able to complete the live fire (qualification) portion unassisted. No aids or assistance from an instructor will be allowed. Exceptions will be for handgun or ammunition malfunctions, at which time an instructor may assist the student with clearing and making the handgun safe.(6) A minimum score of seventy percent (70%) must be achieved on the written examination and a minimum score of seventy percent (70%) must be achieved on the firing qualification, separately, to successfully pass the Handgun Safety Course; and(7) A copy of all written tests to include the score, range score, and witnessed waiver forms for each student must be retained by the Handgun Safety School for a minimum of three (3) years from the date of completion.(8) Classroom and Range size:(a) The classroom shall be of sufficient size to audibly and visually accommodate the total number of students approved by the Department. No classroom will exceed a maximum of fifty (50) students. Each student will be provided a fixed (desk/table) work space to facilitate note taking and examination.(b) There shall be a minimum of one (1) instructor per fifty (50) students during classroom and legal instruction.(c) There shall be a minimum of one (1) instructor per five (5) students during the actual live firing portion of the range instruction; and,(d) In no case shall the number of students on the firing line exceed the number of established firing positions.(e) Only instructors approved by the Department shall be on the firing range during live fire.(f) No ammunition is allowed in classroom.(g) A Handgun Safety School, having more than one classroom at one location, may only conduct classes for no more total students than indicated on the school certificate within a calendar day.(9) Only persons 21 years of age or older shall be allowed to attend or enroll in a Handgun Safety Course, unless: (a) The person is 20 years of age and their 21st birthday is within six (6) months from the date of the course; or(b) The person is eighteen (18) years of age or older and currently on active duty in any branch of the military or is an honorably discharged veteran and provides the instructor with either a current active duty ID card or DD214 prior to attending the course.(10) While on, or within twenty-five (25) yards of an active firing line, all students and instructors must wear approved hearing protection and approved eye protection, provided by the school at no additional charge, if student does not have protection.(11) Certificates of completion provided by the Department, whether paper certificates or certificates provided through the online system, shall only be issued to students upon successful completion of both the classroom and firing range instruction. Sharing of certificates and/or passwords to the online system among schools and instructors is prohibited.(12) Type of ammunition: (a) All ammunition used by students during training shall be of quality, commercial manufacture.(13) Type of handguns: (a) Handguns used by students in a Handgun Safety Course shall be of quality commercial manufacture and free from operational defects;(b) After inspection, if, in the opinion of the instructor, the handgun is unsafe, it shall not be used.(c) The Department shall not establish restrictions on the type, make, model or caliber of handguns used by students in a Handgun Safety Course; however, 1. Each Handgun Safety School may establish restrictions on the caliber or type of handgun used in their Handgun Safety Course.(14) Scoring of Targets(a) Each standard B29 silhouette target shall have no more than fifty (50) rounds total. Each round will have a value of two (2) points each, and shall be counted as follows: 1. Any hit on the silhouette from the seven (7) ring into the center of the target counts as two (2) points.2. Any hits on the silhouette but outside the seven (7) ring counts as one (1) point.3. Any shots outside of the silhouette count as zero (0).4. If a round breaks the line, it shall be counted at the next higher value. For example, if someone hits the paper but has a shot that breaks the silhouette line, then that shot shall count as one (1) point. If round is in the silhouette but breaks the seven (7) line then it shall count as two (2) points.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1340-02-03-.05
Original rule filed January 25, 1995; effective April 10, 1995. Amendment filed September 16, 1996; effective January 28, 1997. Amendments filed March 15, 2018; effective 6/13/2018.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-3-2009, 39-17-1351, and 39-17-1360.