This page is the reference desk for the rest of the guide: the provisions that govern, the offices that administer them, and the documents that answer...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
This page is the reference desk for the rest of the guide: the provisions that govern, the offices that administer them, and the documents that answer procedural questions. Everything is cited so you can read the controlling text rather than trust a summary. Start with a warning about vintage, because Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 rewrote much of Chapter 140 and older material points at provisions that no longer say what it claims.
St. 2024, c. 135, "An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws," approved July 25, 2024, is the act that moved things. These operations matter most for anyone reading older commentary:
St. 2024, c. 206, the fiscal year 2024 supplemental appropriations act, approved September 16, 2024, corrected Chapter 135 after the fact. Its SECTION 50 amends Chapter 135's SECTION 16 by striking the figure "128A" in clause (d) and inserting "131 ¾", relocating the cross reference for the assault-style firearm roster. Its SECTION 51 replaces Chapter 135's SECTION 159, the delayed-effect clause. As enacted that clause read "Sections 38 and 75 shall take effect 18 months after the effective date of this act," but SECTION 75 is the Section 131Q rewrite. As corrected it names Sections 38 and 74, and SECTION 74 is the Section 131P rewrite. Read Chapter 135 SECTION 159 only in its Chapter 206 form.
That trigger, "the effective date of this act," has been counted from different starting points. The editor's note on Section 131P at malegislature.gov gives January 25, 2026, eighteen months from the July 25, 2024 approval. EOPSS Guidance #4 gives April 2, 2026. Both dates have passed.
Dangling cross references to repealed sections. Chapter 269, Section 10(a)(4) still excuses possession by a person "having complied with the provisions of sections one hundred and twenty-nine C and one hundred and thirty-one G of chapter one hundred and forty." Section 131G was repealed, leaving Section 129C as the operative route in that clause. Chapter 140, Section 131F still provides that a temporary license "shall not be used to purchase firearms in the commonwealth as provided in section 131E." Section 131E was repealed. Both cross references survive in the published text and both point at nothing.
Stale catchlines. The headings on malegislature.gov are not enacted text and were not always updated when the section beneath them was replaced. Section 129C still carries a heading ending "exhibiting license to carry, etc. on demand" though SECTION 45 struck and replaced the whole section. Section 131F still carries the heading "Nonresidents or aliens" though SECTION 61 struck "alien that resides outside the commonwealth" and inserted "a citizen or national of the United States or a person who maintains legal permanent residency." Read the section body, not the heading.
Chapter 140 is the licensing chapter. Chapter 269 carries the criminal offenses.
| Citation | What it governs |
|---|---|
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 121 | Definitions for Sections 122 through 131Y, including "Licensing authority", "Machine gun", "Assault-style firearm", "Ammunition" and "Valid serial number" |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 121F | The licensing process: 40-day decision deadline at (a), record inquiries at (c) through (e), prohibited-person denial at (j), unsuitability denial at (k), appeal at (m), fees at (n) through (q), expiration notice and renewal affidavit at (r), expired licenses at (s) and (t), revocation at (u) |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 122 | Dealer and gunsmith licenses, granted "in accordance with section 121F" to applicants 21 or older |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 129B | Conditions and restrictions on the firearm identification card |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 129C | Possession without a license, permit or card, including the nonresident provisions at (i) and (j) that turn on another state's requirements being substantially similar as determined by the colonel under (l) |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 129D | Surrender of firearms and ammunition on denial, suspension or revocation, and their transfer or disposal |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 131 | Conditions and restrictions on the license to carry, (a) through (h): what it entitles a holder to do, the safety certificate prerequisite, who may apply and the initial personal interview, the term of up to six years, the machine gun exception, the 30-day change of address duty, and the regulatory grant to EOPSS |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 131A | Permits to purchase, rent or lease a firearm, or to purchase ammunition |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 131C | Carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle. A person carrying under Section 129B, 131 or 131F, or under a Section 129C exemption, must keep it under direct control |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 131F | The nonresident temporary license to carry, issued by the colonel of state police, valid one year, with the $100 fee |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 131L | Storage in a locked container or with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device, properly engaged |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 131M | Assault-style firearms not lawfully possessed on August 1, 2024, and large capacity feeding devices not lawfully possessed on September 13, 1994 |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 131N | Covert and undetectable firearms, as defined in Section 121 |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 131P | The basic firearms safety certificate: who must submit one and the hunter education substitute for an FID under M.G.L. c. 131, s. 14, the colonel's rulemaking and written examination authority at (b)(i), instructor certification and curriculum including live firearms training at (b)(ii) |
| M.G.L. c. 140, s. 131R | Extreme risk protection order petitions, their contents, the bar on filing and service fees, and impoundment |
| M.G.L. c. 269, s. 10 | Carrying dangerous weapons. Subsection (a) is the unlicensed possession offense and its mandatory minimum; the section also reaches machine guns, sawed-off shotguns and large capacity weapons |
| M.G.L. c. 269, s. 10A | Selling, giving or using silencers, and confiscation and destruction |
| M.G.L. c. 269, s. 10G | Enhanced state prison terms for a person previously convicted of a violent crime or serious drug offense who violates paragraph (a), (c) or (h) of Section 10 |
| M.G.L. c. 269, s. 10H | Carrying a loaded firearm, on the person or under control in a vehicle, at a blood alcohol percentage of eight one-hundredths or greater or under the influence, by a Section 131 or 131F licensee |
| M.G.L. c. 269, s. 12D | Carrying a loaded rifle or shotgun on a public way, the unloaded-carry rules and the exceptions |
| M.G.L. c. 140, ss. 131E and 131G | Repealed by St. 2024, c. 135, SECTIONS 59 and 64. Do not rely on either |
Chapter 140 is published at https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter140. The two session laws are at https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2024/Chapter135 and https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2024/Chapter206.
Your licensing authority. Section 121 defines it as "the chief of police or the board or officer having control of the police in a city or town, or persons authorized by them; provided, however, that should no such chief or officer exist the colonel of the state police or their designee shall act as the licensing authority." For a resident, that is the police department where you live. It receives the application, conducts the initial personal interview required by Section 131(d), decides it under Section 121F, and takes surrendered firearms under Section 129D.
Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS). Its commissioner supplies the standard application and license forms under Section 121F(g) and (i), receives record inquiries under Section 121F(e), sends expiration notices under Section 121F(r), runs the electronic firearms registration system through which Section 131(g) address changes are filed, and under Section 121E publishes firearms data with EOPSS. Agency page: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-criminal-justice-information-services.
Firearms Records Bureau (FRB), within DCJIS. It issues nonresident licenses to carry as the designee of the Colonel of the State Police. Published contact details: 200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200, Chelsea, MA 02150; phone (617) 660-4782; fax (617) 884-4601; frb@mass.gov, and gundealers@mass.gov for dealer matters. The firearms license application status line is (617) 660-4722. Applications are filed through the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal at https://gunportal.mass.gov/mircsUnifiedPortal/.
Colonel of the state police. Beyond acting as licensing authority where no chief or officer exists, the colonel certifies firearms safety instructors and creates the written examination under Section 131P(b), and under Section 131P(b)(ii) must "annually update and post on the department of state police's website a list of approved instructors," and determines under Section 129C(l) which states have substantially similar requirements. The Massachusetts State Police run the Firearms Safety Instructors Certification Program and publish its administrative coordinator contact as firearms.licensing@pol.state.ma.us, 508-820-2299, at 470 Worcester Road, Framingham, MA 01702, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Program page: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/firearms-safety-instructors-certification-program.
Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS). The secretary or a designee may promulgate regulations under Section 131(h), was directed by Chapter 135 SECTIONS 154 and 155 to notify existing licensees and write registration regulations, and issues the implementation guidance memoranda. Published address: One Ashburton Place, Room 2133, Boston, Massachusetts 02108, telephone (617) 727-7775, www.mass.gov/eopss. Agency page: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/executive-office-of-public-safety-and-security.
Where do I apply, what do I bring, what does it cost. "Apply for or renew a firearms license" at https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-or-renew-a-firearms-license. Residents apply to the police department where they reside; nonresidents apply through the FRB. The page carries the required package, a fee table, and links to the approved course list and application forms.
Is my old LTC restriction still enforceable, and other recurring questions. The Firearms License and Transaction FAQ at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/firearms-license-and-transaction-frequently-asked-questions. It states that after New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, restrictions limiting a license holder to hunting, target shooting or employment "are no longer enforceable," and it addresses air guns, PIN retrieval, name and address changes, and NICS warrant removal.
What did the new law change in practice, and when does each piece start. EOPSS memorandum "An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws, Guidance #4," dated November 13, 2025, at https://www.mass.gov/doc/an-act-modernizing-firearms-laws-guidance-4/download. It consolidates the answers given in Guidance #1 through #3, gives April 2, 2026 as the effective date of SECTION 74, addresses who must retake the safety course and complete live fire on renewal, describes instructor upload of certificates to the DCJIS MIRCS Portal, and enumerates the license types under the new law, noting that the resident alien permit is no longer one of them.
How does a nonresident apply. The Non-Resident License to Carry Firearms application packet at https://www.mass.gov/doc/non-resident-license-to-carry-firearms-application-0/download. It covers the in-person appearance for a first application, mail processing for renewals, the annual fingerprint-based check required by Section 131F, the non-refundable $100 fee and accepted payment forms, the immigration documentation rules, and the employment-purpose license valid for two years.
Which states does Massachusetts treat as substantially similar. The State Police list at https://www.mass.gov/doc/states-with-similar-firearm-identification-requirements-032026/download, published under Section 129C(l), with separate lists for firearm identification and for hunting. It is not a carry reciprocity list.
What is happening with the live fire requirement. The EOPSS "Legislative Report on the Live Firearm Training Component of the Basic Firearms Safety Certificate Requirement," July 2, 2025, at https://www.mass.gov/doc/section-152-live-firearms-report/download, filed under Chapter 135 SECTION 152. It covers other states' live fire requirements, the availability and cost of training, the record of the public hearings held May 29 and June 4, 2025, and recommendations.
Where do I find a certified instructor or an approved course. The instructor certification program page above links the public instructor listings, the instructor application, and the approved course list at https://www.mass.gov/doc/approved-basic-firearms-safety-course-list-updated-june-5-2026/download. The nonresident packet points applicants to https://www.mass.gov/firearms-services.
A caution about one index page. The DCJIS and EOPSS listing "Massachusetts Firearms Laws" at https://www.mass.gov/lists/massachusetts-firearms-laws is a useful set of links to Sections 131, 129B, 131F, 129C and 131L, but it is not a reliable account of the licensing structure: the only session law it gives a heading to is Chapter 284 of the Acts of 2014. Where an agency page describes procedure, use it. Where it describes the shape of the statute, check the statute.
515 CMR 3.00, "Firearms Course and Instructor Certifications and Firearms Surrender Programs," is adopted by the Colonel of the Massachusetts Department of State Police under M.G.L. c. 140, ss. 131O and 131P. Section 3.04 sets instructor certification requirements and the ten-year term, 3.05 sets curriculum criteria and lists approved courses, and 3.06 governs the surrender program. Text: https://www.mass.gov/regulations/515-CMR-300-firearms-course-and-instructor-certifications-and-firearms-surrender-programs.
Read it against the statute, not instead of it. Section 3.03 still defines "LTC. License to Carry Firearms which shall include both Class A and Class B licenses," a split the replacement Section 131 written by Chapter 135 SECTION 49 does not carry. And neither the curriculum criteria in 3.05(2), nor the approved course lists in 3.05(3) and (4), nor the certificate contents in 3.05(7) mention live firearms training or the written examination that Section 131P(b)(i) and (c)(i) now require. Sections 3.04(2) and 3.05(6) still direct instructor and curriculum applications by mail to the Department of State Police, Licensing Unit, 470 Worcester Road, Framingham, MA 01702.
| Citation | Subject |
|---|---|
| 18 U.S.C. 921 | Definitions |
| 18 U.S.C. 922 | Unlawful acts |
| 18 U.S.C. 924 | Penalties |
| 18 U.S.C. 926A | Interstate transportation of firearms |
| 18 U.S.C. 926B | Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified law enforcement officers |
| 18 U.S.C. 926C | Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified retired law enforcement officers |
| 18 U.S.C. 930 | Possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in Federal facilities |
| 26 U.S.C. 5811 | Transfer tax |
| 26 U.S.C. 5812 | Transfers |
| 26 U.S.C. 5845 | Definitions |
| 26 U.S.C. 5861 | Prohibited acts |
| 26 U.S.C. 5871 | Penalties |
| 39 CFR 232.1 | Conduct on postal property |
| 36 CFR 2.4 | Weapons, traps and nets |
Current text of each is available from Cornell's Legal Information Institute, for example https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/922 and https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/36/2.4.
Federal law sets a floor, not a ceiling. Nothing in 18 U.S.C. 921, 922, 924 or 926A displaces the Massachusetts licensing requirements in Chapter 140, while 18 U.S.C. 930 and 39 CFR 232.1 restrict federal facilities and postal property regardless of a Massachusetts license. 36 CFR 2.4 runs the other way for possession, and only for possession: subsection (a) bars enforcement of that section against an individual who is not otherwise prohibited and whose possession complies with the law of the State the park unit sits in. It is written in terms of possessing and says nothing about carrying. Subsection (c) separately prohibits "[c]arrying or possessing a loaded weapon in a motor vehicle, vessel or other mode of transportation," and subsection (g) prohibits carry "in violation of applicable Federal and State laws." Read (a) as a possession protection rather than a general licence to carry in a park unit.
Verify against current text. Chapter 135 changed provisions across Chapter 140, SECTIONS 152 through 158 carry report and implementation provisions, among them SECTION 153, which is a savings clause preserving outstanding credentials rather than a deadline. SECTION 159 is the act's only delayed-effect clause, and as replaced by Chapter 206 SECTION 51 it delays Sections 38 and 74. For a case-specific question, consult a Massachusetts attorney.
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