Massachusetts Firearms Registration Deadline:
What to Do Before October 28, 2026

Chapter 135 created Section 121B, which says all firearms possessed, manufactured, or assembled in Massachusetts must be registered through the real-time electronic system.^[1] The statute assigns deadlines to purchases, acquisitions, imports, assembly, inheritance, and other events. Guidance Letter #4 separately identifies October 28, 2026 as a transition date for existing owners to comply with Sections 121B and 121C. That date comes from agency guidance, not from a single statutory deadline imposed on every possessor.

Who Must Register

• Massachusetts residents and other people covered by Section 121B who purchase, obtain, import, manufacture, or assemble a firearm
• Frames, receivers, and unfinished frames or receivers that fall within the statutory firearm definition
• Licensed dealers, gunsmiths, manufacturers, and distributors when the statute assigns them a reporting duty

There are no exemptions based on when the firearm was acquired or how long you have owned it. If you possess it in Massachusetts, it must be registered.

Registration Deadlines

• Existing records under Guidance Letter #4: October 28, 2026 transition date, subject to the guidance inconsistency discussed below
• New Massachusetts residents and certain heirs: within 60 days under the applicable statutory provision
• Licensee imports: licensed dealers, gunsmiths, manufacturers, and distributors must register imported firearms within 7 days
• Other acquisitions and transactions: at the time of acquisition or through the electronic transaction process, with the separate reporting deadlines stated in Sections 121B and 128A
• Loss or theft: report within 7 days

How to Register

1. Go to the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal
2. Log in using your MyMassGov single sign-on credentials (create an account if you do not have one)
3. Navigate to the firearms registration section
4. Enter each firearm: make, model, caliber, serial number, and type
5. Confirm and submit

The current online service is the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal.^[3]

What Firearms Must Be Registered

Under the expanded definitions in Chapter 135, the registration requirement covers:

• Handguns (pistols and revolvers)
• Rifles (all types, including semiautomatic)
• Shotguns (all types, including semiautomatic)
• Large capacity firearms
• Frames and receivers, whether finished or unfinished
• Pre-ban assault-style firearms (grandfathered under Section 131M but still subject to registration)

Antique firearms (manufactured before 1899) that meet the statutory definition may be exempt. Consult DCJIS or a firearms attorney if you are unsure whether a specific item must be registered.

Unserialized Firearms (Ghost Guns)

If you possess a firearm without a serial number, Section 121C requires use of the DCJIS serial-number request system before registration.^[4] Guidance Letter #4 is internally inconsistent about the transition date: Question 35 says individuals are not required to comply with both Sections 121B and 121C until October 28, 2026, while Question 8 states October 2, 2026 for serialization.^[2] Because the official guidance contains both dates, owners of unserialized firearms should not wait and should confirm the current deadline with DCJIS.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

The October 28, 2026 compliance deadline is an administrative date set by EOPSS Guidance Letter #4 for existing owners to register firearms in the new MIRCS Unified Gun Portal. The underlying statute (MGL c.140 §121B) imposes registration duties on a transaction basis (7/60-day windows). Section 121B establishes escalating penalties for failure to register:

• First offense: Fine of up to $1,000
• Second offense: Fine of up to $7,500 and/or imprisonment up to 6 months
• Third or subsequent offense: Fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment of 1 to 5 years

Ballot Question

Chapter 135 is subject to a veto referendum on the November 3, 2026 ballot^[5]. A YES vote keeps the law. A NO vote repeals it. The registration deadline of October 28 falls before the November 3 election. Gun owners must comply regardless of the pending ballot question. If the law is repealed by voters, the registration requirement would be eliminated prospectively, but the state would already have the submitted data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to register firearms I already reported on an FA-10?

The new registration system under Section 121B is separate from the eFA-10 transaction reporting system. EOPSS Guidance Letter #4 indicates that firearms previously reported via eFA-10 will be migrated into the new system, but owners should verify their records in the Unified Gun Portal and correct any discrepancies before the deadline.

What if I cannot access the portal?

The MIRCS Unified Gun Portal is the only authorized method of registration. If you experience technical difficulties, contact DCJIS at (617) 660-4600 or through the Mass.gov firearms services page^[6].

Is there a fee to register?

Chapter 135 does not impose a separate registration fee. Access to the portal requires a valid firearms license (LTC or FID).