Is it legal to carry a loaded gun in your car during a traffic stop? So, in Tennessee, we are now what's called an open carry state, which means as long as you're not a prohibited person, then you can carry a openly in the public, concealed or unconcealed, and you can certainly always carry it in your car. Should you disclose it? Absolutely. If you tell a police officer, I've got a in the glove box, he's going to respect that. He might even give you a break on the ticket because you're being nice and you're being informative and you're looking out for his safety and your safety.