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State restoration routes

What your state's own remedy is, who decides it, how long it takes, what it costs, and what it does — and does not — do about the separate federal bar. One row for each jurisdiction that we have checked, with its statute and the day we checked it.
3. Date (today or later)

TENNESSEE · The state's own restoration route · on Oct 9, 2026

A route exists

In short
Tennessee is one of the hardest states for automatic restoration: for a conviction on or after 18 May 1981, a court order is required even to restore voting rights before re-registering.
Route
Restoration of rights of citizenship (the section covers citizenship, suffrage and firearm possession); also Pardon and Exoneration
Who decides
Circuit court of the county of residence or of conviction; or the Governor on the Board of Parole's non-binding recommendation
Waiting period
Citizenship restoration: no fixed period — a qualifying event, not elapsed time. Pardon: no fixed rule. The Governor "will give serious consideration to pardon requests when" the petitioner has not been convicted, confined or supervised "within five (5) years since the completion of the sentence(s) from which he or she seeks a pardon", among other criteria (Board of Parole FAQ).
Fee
Not pinned — a circuit-court filing, so ordinary court costs apply and vary by county; the Board of Parole's clemency FAQ mentions no fee
What it restores
Tennessee counts firearm possession as a right of citizenship, so the citizenship petition can reach it. But "The court shall not order the restoration of the petitioner's right to possess a firearm unless the person's full rights of citizenship are being restored and the person is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under § 39-17-1307(b), (f)(1), (h)(1)(D), (i), or (j)" (Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-29-103(e)(2)(A)(i)).
Without this route, does the state firearm bar stay?
Yes
Official form
https://tncourts.gov/docs/forms/trial-court/verified-petition-restoration-citizenship-rights
Effective
—
Next scheduled change
None scheduled in the sources checked
Statute / rule
Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 40-29-101, 40-29-102, 40-29-103; § 39-17-1307 · Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts — official forms index
Checked
Verified Sep 19, 2026
What changed →

State law, with its statute and check date. We do not tell you whether your state's remedy cures your federal bar — that turns on your own facts and on federal case law, and it is the question to take to an attorney. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(20) — official text — checked Oct 8, 2026
  2. 27 CFR 478.11 — definitions — checked Oct 8, 2026
  3. DOJ — 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(4) and mental health — checked Oct 8, 2026
  4. DOJ — Frequently asked questions — checked Oct 8, 2026