Buying a Handgun in Massachusetts:
Step-by-Step Compliance Guide

Purchasing a handgun in Massachusetts requires careful compliance with state regulations. This guide walks you through every step from selecting an approved firearm to completing the required registration.

Step 1: Verify Your License

You must hold a valid License to Carry (LTC), or an FID card together with a Section 131A permit to purchase, to acquire a handgun in Massachusetts, unless you are an exempted person permitted under Section 129C^[1]. An FID card alone does not permit handgun purchases. With a Section 131A permit to purchase, an FID holder may acquire one in a private transfer under Section 128A(b)(iii). Verify that your license is current. Note that Chapter 284 of the Acts of 2014 ended the issuance and renewal of Class B licenses, and Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 rewrote Section 131 without class designations. All LTCs are a single class.

Step 2: Check the Approved Firearms Roster

Massachusetts maintains a roster of handguns approved for sale by licensed dealers^[2]. The roster is maintained by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) and is updated periodically. Under Section 123(o), a licensed dealer generally may not sell a firearm covered by the statute's design restrictions, apart from a limited transfer exception for a business primarily engaged in firearms wholesaling that may not resell it to a Massachusetts retailer or consumer. The roster lists the firearms approved for sale using those parameters. Private sales between individuals are not subject to the roster requirement.

Step 3: Complete the Transaction

A dealer conducts the required background check and completes the required electronic records. For a private sale, Section 128A(g) requires the parties to conduct the transfer through the electronic system before or at the point of sale, while Section 121B(b) separately requires all parties to report the transaction within seven days. A private handgun purchaser who holds only an FID card must also hold a Section 131A permit to purchase, as described below. An LTC holder does not need one. These requirements are separate, so the seven-day reporting window does not authorize the parties to postpone point-of-sale processing.^[3]

Step 4: Report the Transaction

All firearm transactions must be reported through the electronic firearms registration system maintained by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS). For dealer sales, the dealer records the transaction. For private transfers, the seller provides the required information through the system before or at the point of sale, and all parties report the transaction through the system within seven days.

Common Pitfalls

• Purchasing a handgun not on the approved roster from a dealer (private sales are exempt)
• Failing to complete a private sale through the MIRCS portal at or before the point of sale (Section 128A(g))
• Buying a handgun in a private sale with only an FID card and no Section 131A permit to purchase, which Section 128A(b)(iii) requires for an FID holder acquiring a handgun. An LTC holder purchases under Section 131(a) and needs no separate permit
• Accepting a transfer from an out-of-state seller without going through a Massachusetts FFL
• Knowingly purchasing an untraceable firearm subject to Section 121C's serialization requirements