Massachusetts has two distinct vehicle-firearm rules depending on what license the carrier holds and what firearm is in the vehicle:
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
Massachusetts has two distinct vehicle-firearm rules depending on what license the carrier holds and what firearm is in the vehicle:
The interplay of these rules is the most commonly misunderstood feature of Massachusetts firearms law for new LTC holders.
Under M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131 and Section 131C, an LTC holder may carry a loaded handgun on the person or under direct control in a vehicle. "Direct control" means the firearm is within the holder's reach - on the person, in a holster, in a center console, in a glove box, or in a similar location accessible from the driver's or passenger's seat.
Practical points:
A restricted LTC (target & hunting only, sporting, employment) limits where the holder may carry the firearm; vehicle transport under that restriction is allowed only for purposes consistent with the restriction.
The same direct-control authority applies to long guns being transported by an LTC holder, provided the LTC also authorizes possession of the specific firearm category (large-capacity, etc.). For loaded long-gun transport in a vehicle, the LTC must authorize the firearm category and the holder must be the operator or passenger.
A loaded long gun in a vehicle, even by an LTC holder, can implicate hunting-overlay rules under M.G.L. c. 131 if the transport is in connection with hunting; consult the MassWildlife regulations for those scenarios.
The FID does not authorize carry of a loaded firearm in a vehicle. Under M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131C(b), an FID holder transporting a long gun in a vehicle must keep the firearm:
A glove box is not a "secure container" for this purpose; a soft case is not "locked"; the passenger compartment of the vehicle is not the "trunk." A locked rigid case in the back of an SUV (no trunk) satisfies the rule.
The general public is not authorized to carry a firearm in Massachusetts. Narrow exceptions (transporting between a place of purchase and place of residence within Massachusetts, between two places where the person is lawfully entitled to possess the firearm, etc.) require the firearm to be:
These exceptions are heavily restrictive and intended for narrow one-time situations (e.g., a person taking inheritance possession of a long gun being transported to a licensed dealer for transfer). Any general civilian carry of a handgun in a vehicle without an LTC is prosecuted under M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10(a).
A non-resident traveling through Massachusetts may rely on the federal Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA), 18 U.S.C. 926A, to protect interstate transport of an unloaded firearm in a locked container, with ammunition stored separately, between two states where possession is lawful at origin and destination. FOPA is a federal-law affirmative defense:
FOPA does not authorize the non-resident to stop in Massachusetts for non-journey purposes, to spend a night in a Massachusetts hotel without the firearm secured per FOPA, or to remove the firearm from the locked container while in Massachusetts.
M.G.L. c. 140, Section 121 defines "loaded" for firearm purposes. A firearm is loaded if:
A magazine carried separately from the firearm does not make the firearm "loaded." A round in the chamber of a revolver makes the revolver loaded.
M.G.L. c. 269, Section 12E and overlapping hunting-regulation provisions in M.G.L. c. 131 prohibit discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle or from a public way. Hunting from a vehicle is also prohibited under MassWildlife rules. The discharge prohibitions apply regardless of license type.
If you are stopped by police with a firearm in the vehicle and you hold an LTC:
The voluntary disclosure step is not statutorily required under M.G.L. c. 140 or c. 269 (see DUTY_TO_INFORM section), but is universally recommended by Massachusetts firearms instructors.
When the LTC holder leaves the vehicle and the firearm stays behind, M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131L applies and the firearm must be secured:
Leaving a loaded handgun in plain view on the seat is a storage violation. A theft from the vehicle that proceeds from such a storage failure can result in a separate criminal charge against the licensee.
| Statute | Subject |
|---|---|
| M.G.L. c. 140, Section 121 | Definitions (loaded, large capacity) |
| M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131 | LTC scope including vehicle authority |
| M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131C | Improper transportation / unloaded-locked rule |
| M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131L | Safe storage including in vehicles |
| M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10(a) | Unlicensed carry penalty |
| M.G.L. c. 269, Section 12E | Discharge from vehicle / public way |
| 18 U.S.C. 926A | FOPA interstate transport defense |
This page covers one part of our Massachusetts concealed carry guide.
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