{"id":373982,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:32","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/massachusetts-law\/massachusetts-gun-control-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-10-30T12:48:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T17:48:00","slug":"massachusetts-gun-control-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/massachusetts-law\/massachusetts-gun-control-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Massachusetts Gun Control Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Massachusetts Gun Control Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Massachusetts has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. The state has extensive gun license requirements that relate to firearm ownership, possession, and use. Massachusetts also has a ban on assault weapons, the kind often used in mass shootings. In 2021, it had the lowest gun violence death rate<\/a> in the U.S.<\/p>\r\n

Strong gun control laws do not resolve all public safety concerns related to firearm violence. Those ineligible to buy or possess a gun in Massachusetts may travel to a state with few restrictions to obtain a weapon.<\/p>\r\n

Faced with the constitutional right to bear arms as written in the Second Amendment<\/a> of the U.S. Constitution, states must also balance their gun regulations with the rights of law-abiding gun owners.<\/p>\r\n

Federal Firearms Laws<\/h2>\r\n

With a divided Congress, new firearms laws are rare at the national level. Consensus can be hard to find.<\/p>\r\n

Longstanding federal laws limit the ownership of certain dangerous weapons like machine guns and prohibit certain persons<\/a> from possessing guns. Law enforcement officers also use the National Instant Background Check System (NICS)<\/a> to keep firearms out of the wrong hands.<\/p>\r\n

Massachusetts Gun Control Laws<\/h2>\r\n

Massachusetts gun laws are rather comprehensive and seek to prevent the illegal possession and use of firearms. State licensing regulations provide for universal background checks. Every firearm purchase, sale, or transfer must comply with state requirements for review of the buyer’s criminal and\/or mental health history.<\/p>\r\n

In 2024 Massachusetts enacted "An Act Modernizing Firearms Laws." This act updates the state’s firearm registration and licensing processes, including the establishment of an electronic registration system and enhanced background checks facilitated by court-transmitted records to the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services.<\/p>\r\n

The law broadens the scope of who can petition for Extreme Risk Protection Orders, now including healthcare providers and school administrators. Additionally, it enforces stricter regulations on firearm storage and carrying, particularly in vehicles and designated prohibited areas like government buildings and polling places.<\/p>\r\n

Gun License Laws<\/h3>\r\n

To purchase, possess, and carry a firearm throughout the state, Massachusetts residents must apply for a License to Carry Firearms (LTC). With the LTC permit, you can purchase, possess, and transport all legal handguns, rifles, shotguns, magazines, feeding devices, and ammunition. Residents who seek to purchase, possess, and transport only non-large capacity rifles and shotguns apply for a Firearm Identification Card (FID).<\/p>\r\n

For most jurisdictions, the licensing authority is the local chief of police. To secure the issuance of either type of permit, an applicant needs to complete a state-approved firearms safety course or a qualifying hunter education course. The applicant must also submit their fingerprints and pass the required background check.<\/p>\r\n

Massachusetts does not engage in reciprocity with other states regarding concealed carry permits. Nonresidents who are U.S. citizens and have a concealed carry license from another state may carry a pistol or revolver into Massachusetts in some situations. They must file their request for a temporary license with the Firearms Records Bureau. Such licenses will only be granted for limited purposes that include:<\/p>\r\n