P.S. For either of the TN CCW permits, their HCP, or EHCP it’s required to be on your person whenever you are carrying.
So, when CCWs are no longer a thing when National Constitutional Carry becomes a thing, I think that it will be reasonable to assume that there will be a ID requirement with that.
OK here is a reality check for the current challenges to getting a REAL ID Driver License, or non-driver ID.
First don’t panic, and check if you already have a “REAL” item.
No sense spinning your wheels if you got that base covered.
Next if you don’t need it to fly by May 7, 2025; breathe a sigh of relief, and just do it when you can.
No need for artificial stress as if you have to have a passport sooner than practical for an impending international flight departure.
No need to get worked up unnecessarily.
But, know that in some states they are already booked up for appointments past May 7, 2025.
You still need to do your homework, get your checklist, take inventory of what you have vs. what you need to obtain, and start working on getting that.
Walking-ins have hours-long waits currently.
Having an appointment is the best way to go.
In Tennessee if you do your application/s online you input most of the data including uploading needed documents to get that appointment.
So, when you arrive, and check in, and get called to a Window, all the clerk has to do is check over those documents, and scan them in, and not have to do a lot of data input, just check it for correctness, and completion.
It’s a lot quicker than them having to do all the data entry themselves from scratch.
If everything is in order, and complete; they just need to do your eye test for the DL, not the ID, take your photo, get your signature, take your payment, and print your receipt / temporary license, or ID.
It’s good to go for a traffic stop while you wait for the actual hard plastic license/ID to come in the mail in about two weeks that you need for TSA.
And, you are good to go for any REAL ID purposes.
If you can do that, and wish a Passport, make another appointment at the nearest Post Office that accommodates that.
And, put your new REAL ID DL/ID to use getting that with essentially all the same supporting documentation.
Instant replay with attention to their details, and process.
But, with the global situation the way it is, I would be real choosy about where I’d go even in the northern half of our own western hemisphere.
Due to global migration into the “western civilization” on other continents, I might only travel most places if I were still in the military, and not as a private citizen tourist.
i dont have a real id/dl and have no need for one, as i have 3 others that work one from dod, one from VA, and a twics card that has all my bio metrics and finger prints tied to it. so if NCCR becomes law i’ll have no problem getting that card if needed.
You got your bases covered more than most with just one item from their dmv. 
This is the current state, or (29-states) of Constitutional, or Permitless Carry until a National Bill is passed:
As of 2025, there are 29 states in the U.S. that have constitutional or permitless carry laws A B C. Here’s the list along with the year they enacted these laws:
These laws allow individuals who legally possess firearms to carry them openly or concealed without requiring a permit. Let me know if you’d like more details about any specific state!
I think NCCR is the only way we will be allowed 2 carry anywhere in the USA without a problem.
I live in #21.
Edit, moved it to the Correct State.
I live in #18.
Since I don’t know much about constitutional carry, I have a question. If your state has constitutional carry and is surrounded by states with constitutional carry, can you carry in the surrounding states without a permit or does it only apply to the state of residence?
Not an attorney, but as one of ours famously says about our Reciprocity and State Laws site: “Check your local listings.”
That sounds logical, but that does not always fly.
TN honors 48 other states for reciprocity, but is honored by only 37 other states.
Only 29 out of 50 states are currently “Constitutional” Permitless carry states.
All is not equal, and that is what we hope to correct with a nation bill being passed that addresses that issue.
The ability to carry a firearm without a permit under constitutional carry laws depends on the specific laws of each state. While Tennessee has constitutional carry, allowing residents to carry firearms without a permit, this does not automatically extend to other states, even if they also have constitutional carry laws.
Each state sets its own rules regarding reciprocity and permitless carry. For example, some states may allow non-residents to carry without a permit under their constitutional carry laws, while others may restrict this privilege to residents only. It’s crucial to research the laws of the surrounding states to ensure compliance when carrying a firearm across state lines.
If you’re planning to travel, I recommend checking the specific constitutional carry laws and reciprocity agreements of the states you’ll be visiting. This will help you avoid any legal complications.
To research this any further I would need to know the specific “home” state of residence, and which state(s) would be visited.
But, the results could vary wildly depending on each state’s specific reciprocity laws.
Theoretically, it should not matter, and that is what is behind the legislation being pushed, to correct that.
That is the generic answer w/o specifics.
I have a CCW and my state is not constitutional carry. I was kind of wondering about the name “Constitutional Carry”. You know, it’s one of those things that make you go “um”. So the “Constitutional Carry” laws are state constitutional laws and have nothing to do with Federal law. But then, do you have to go through another background check every time you buy another firearm since you don’t have a CCW?
Like I said, things that make you go “um”.
It’s a misnomer in that anything added beyond pure 2A short and sweet language is not truly constitutional which is why you often see quotes around that word, it is Permitless.
As soon as they add an age, or other specific qualifications, like not being a prohibited person, aka criminal by whatever criteria it’s not truly considered constitutional, but it’s more constitutional than requiring any state’s CCW permit (permission) to carry.
Right now more reciprocity is based on different states honoring each other’s CCWs.
The Constitutional Reciprocity Carry bills are to try to eliminate the need for a CCW from any state, and be able to travel to all states as such without that.
I don’t see anything changing except that if a dealer could short circuit doing a background check to make a sale w/CCW presented, that if you did not have that, or it expired. The dealer likely would have to run a quick NCIC check to assure that in the meantime you did not become a fugitive, or felon the same as an LEO at a traffic stop.
Likely, unless there is a system backlog, a short wait while making your checkout, and not a big go home, and come back delay.
Again, w/o a CCW, having some form of acceptable ID like your state’s DMV issued DL driver license, or ID, be it REAL, or unreal whatever “flys” at that point in time, literally, or figuratively for firearms purchases.
I can only speculate what might be required if National Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity (whatever they call it) becomes the law of the land what the protocol that will be enforced becomes then.
I don’t think that anything other than a DMV issued DL driver license, or ID will be required, just don’t know if they will insist that it be REAL vs. standard.
BTW, unless otherwise required like at a military facility, or a passport checkpoint during international travel, I always go with the lowest typically accepted travel document needed to get by, like my REAL ID DL at TSA in an airport.
I save the “bigger guns” just for were they are needed.
If there is a glitch with my DL, I have backup, but have yet to have to step it up while at a lower level of need.
I don’t know that Constitutional Carry will change anything to do with buying firearms out of state, and needing a FFL to facilitate a transfer back to your home state of residence as it is now.
That may? or may not be affected.
We may just have to bide our time, and see how it will all shake out.
I am not getting anxious anticipating any problems until they develop other than having some form of “acceptable” ID if needed that is a likely given for purchases, and encounters with law enforcement like the happenstance of a traffic stop, that you can minimize by complying with your V&T, vehicle and traffic laws.
BYW By the way, as long as you do have a CCW expired or not, I would keep carrying that item. It does show that you did that process and passed a criminal background check at that point.
You can wow the younger cops with being a dinosaur who survived the repressive unconstitutional days of yore, before America reverted to the Constitution.
One thing that I learned in life is to expect a lot of change(s), and be adaptable.
The Ten Commandments are carved in stone, little else is. Most everything else is written in graphite and erasable.
I an other life, much younger, I was a volunteer instructor for American Red Cross Safety Programs like **CPR, First Aid & Emergency Care, Water Safety Programs, “Life Guards.”
First to other individuals, or their organizations like First Responders, or Utility Company Employees like linemen.
Then I became an Instructor Trainer of those subjects, meaning that I trained others to become instructors of those subjects.
Just in CPR alone we had to constantly refresh ourselves on new changes, new protocols seeming every year there was a new nuance, something added, discontinued, sequenced differently, whatever. It was always being tweeted, Whatever was the latest brainstorming of the National Institute of Health, and adopted by the ARC.
In the military we were always planning. And, there were always updates, and changes.
Just when you thought that they were the best laid planes, the enemy had their vote, and you can bet it was a “monkey wrench” in the works.
It seems the same with the landscape of air travel, and the realm of all things 2A also.
The only constant is change: I just try to keep up.
If you plan any travel, anywhere, anytime, check the latest version of the ever changing “rules.” You can bet something changed more recently than the last time you traveled with or w/o a firearm to another state, or by air. Here is a batch of changes by the TSA. (Always check them before you go to the airport.)
TSA approves 11 new items you can now travel with in any size
Just read an interesting article on how some people feel about any and everyone 18 and older carrying concealed with no training. Now I believe in the constitution,2nd amendment and all that, I also think that some type of training should be involved,maybe not as extreme as law enforcement and military, but some type of training. I have had and been obsessed with weapons firearms, knives and such since I was a kid but we grew up with guns hunting,target shooting, and safety and taught that they are tools, from hunting to home and self defense but I fear that just turning them loose will result in total disaster. Just wanted what community thinks about this.
Being the fountain of information that I have been sharing; here is another angel for those who are against a short time line to get a REAL ID to travel with by, or soon after May 7, 2025; and your DMV is jammed up, and cannot accommodate you.
There are other lesser known alternatives.
It’s still a process, and fees greater than DMV likely apply.
Both official websites for the DHS Department of Homeland Security, and TSA the Transportation Security Administration have lists of alternatives like
Clear, Clear Plus, TSA Pre 
, and Global Entry that offer their Identification, and expedited security screening lanes at airports, and ports of entry.
Along with your passport, it’s also a good idea to bring another form of proper identification.
You’ll need to show this to officials like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) if you’re traveling by air.
Acceptable identification documents include:
