Concealed carry of a handgun in Massachusetts requires a valid License to Carry (LTC) issued under M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131 (residents) or M.G.L. c....
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Concealed carry of a handgun in Massachusetts requires a valid License to Carry (LTC) issued under M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131 (residents) or M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131F (non-residents). The LTC is the only Massachusetts license that authorizes carry of a handgun, whether concealed or openly. The Firearm Identification Card (FID) under c. 140, Section 129B covers long guns and ammunition only and does NOT authorize handgun carry.
The LTC authorizes the holder to carry a loaded handgun on the person or under direct control in a vehicle, subject to the place-restrictions in M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10 and Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, the storage requirements in M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131L, the impairment prohibition in M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10H, and any restrictions written on the face of the LTC itself.
Pre-Bruen Massachusetts was the leading example of a may-issue concealed carry state. M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131 conditioned issuance on the applicant's showing of "good reason to fear injury" - a need-based test that licensing authorities applied with broad discretion, often denying unrestricted LTCs to applicants who could not articulate a specific threat.
After New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, 597 U.S. 1 (2022), the "good reason" test became constitutionally untenable. Massachusetts responded by enacting Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 ("An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws"), which:
The post-2024 framework continues to give the local chief of police meaningful authority but reduces the variability across municipalities that characterized the pre-Bruen practice.
Under c. 140, Section 131, the licensing authority may issue an LTC subject to written restrictions. Common restrictions:
Carry outside a restriction can lead to revocation and prosecution. Restrictions are appealable de novo to the District Court under c. 140, Section 131(f).
The carry-related offenses are codified in M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10, with subsections covering specific scenarios:
| Offense | Statute | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Possession of firearm/rifle/shotgun without license outside home or business | M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10(a) | The core unlicensed carry offense |
| Possession of loaded firearm without license outside home or business | M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10(n) | Enhanced penalty for loaded firearm |
| Possession of firearm/rifle/shotgun at home or business without proper licensing | M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10(h) | Separate offense from carry outside |
| Possession of ammunition without proper licensing | M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10(h) | Ammunition possession requires FID or LTC |
| Failure to surrender revoked/suspended LTC, FID card, or firearms | M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10(i) | Applies upon revocation or suspension |
| Defacing a firearm serial number | M.G.L. c. 269, Section 11C | Serial number alteration |
| Possession of a firearm with defaced serial during felony | M.G.L. c. 269, Section 11B | Enhanced |
Massachusetts Criminal Model Jury Instructions for these offenses were revised in July 2023, and certain dangerous-weapons instructions under c. 269, Section 10(b) were further revised in February 2026. Practitioners and trial courts work from the current model instructions in active prosecutions.
It is unlawful for an LTC holder to carry a loaded firearm on the person or under control in a vehicle while:
Penalty: fine up to $5,000, imprisonment in the house of correction for up to 2.5 years, or both. Conviction is near-automatic grounds for LTC revocation under c. 140, Section 131. See UNDER_INFLUENCE section for the full framework.
Every firearm not under the LTC holder's immediate control must be in a locked container or have a tamper-resistant mechanical lock attached. The c. 140, Section 131L rule applies at home, in a vehicle, and in any other context where the firearm is left unattended. Violation penalties scale with the firearm type and outcome - civil for long guns, misdemeanor for handguns, felony for large-capacity firearms or where injury to a child results (M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10G). See STORAGE section.
It is unlawful to discharge a firearm within 500 feet of a building used for residential or business purposes, with limited exceptions for self-defense and lawful sport at a permitted range. Many municipalities impose additional local restrictions on discharge on town-owned property under M.G.L. c. 269, Section 12E and local ordinance authority.
Certain dangerous weapons are categorically prohibited regardless of license. The list includes switchblade knives, blackjacks, slungshots, brass knuckles, sword canes, and others. The c. 269, Section 10(b) Criminal Model Jury Instructions were revised in February 2026, reflecting ongoing judicial attention to the dangerous-weapons category.
Suitability under c. 140, Section 131 is a continuous standard. The licensing authority may suspend or revoke an LTC at any time if subsequent conduct supports a finding that the holder is no longer suitable. Common bases for post-issuance revocation:
A revocation is appealable de novo to the District Court under c. 140, Section 131(f) on the same standard as an initial denial.
The LTC authorizes both concealed and open carry of a handgun. In practice:
Most Massachusetts firearms instructors recommend concealed carry to minimize incident potential. See the OPEN_CARRY section for the open-carry-specific analysis.
Under c. 140, Section 131 read with c. 140, 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. The vehicle carry authority does NOT extend to the FID holder for long guns or to any unlicensed person. See the VEHICLE_CARRY section.
| Statute | Subject |
|---|---|
| M.G.L. c. 140, Section 121 | Firearm definitions |
| M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131 | License to Carry (resident) |
| M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131C | Vehicle transport |
| M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131F | Non-resident LTC |
| M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131L | Safe storage |
| M.G.L. c. 140, Section 131P | Basic Firearms Safety Course |
| M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10 | Unlicensed carry penalties |
| M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10G | Storage causing child injury |
| M.G.L. c. 269, Section 10H | Carry while intoxicated |
| M.G.L. c. 269, Section 11B | Firearm with defaced serial during felony |
| M.G.L. c. 269, Section 11C | Defacing serial number |
| M.G.L. c. 269, Section 12D | Carry on school grounds |
| M.G.L. c. 269, Section 12E | Discharge near dwelling |
| Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 | 2024 reform act |
| 18 U.S.C. 922 | Federal Gun Control Act |
This page covers one part of our Massachusetts concealed carry guide.
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