Transporting Firearms in Massachusetts:
Legal Requirements

Transporting firearms in Massachusetts requires compliance with both state law and practical considerations. The rules differ depending on your license type and whether you are traveling within the state or passing through.

LTC Holders

If you hold an unrestricted LTC, you may carry a loaded handgun on your person or in your vehicle while traveling in Massachusetts^[1]. The loaded handgun must remain under your direct control while in the vehicle, meaning on your person or within immediate reach. Leaving it elsewhere in the car violates Section 131C(a), which carries a $500 fine plus mandatory license revocation and a one-year bar, and leaving it in an unattended vehicle unsecured violates the storage law, Section 131L. Provided the handgun stays under your direct control, there is no requirement to unload or case it.

FID Holders

Under Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024^[2], the FID scope was narrowed to non-large-capacity, non-semiautomatic rifles and shotguns only. FID card holders may transport only these types of firearms (e.g., bolt-action rifles, pump-action shotguns, lever-action rifles) and must ensure they are unloaded and contained within the locked trunk of a vehicle, or in a locked case if the vehicle has no trunk. Ammunition should be stored separately from the firearm during transport. Transporting a semiautomatic rifle or shotgun now requires an LTC.

Prohibited Areas (New Under Chapter 135)

Chapter 135 added Section 10(k) to Chapter 269, creating new "prohibited areas" where carrying a firearm is restricted. These include government administrative buildings, judicial/court buildings, correctional facilities, and polling places during elections. An LTC or FID is a defense only if the firearm is securely stored in a vehicle in accordance with applicable law. Municipalities may opt their own administrative buildings out of this designation.

Federal Protections (FOPA)

The Firearms Owners' Protection Act (FOPA), 18 USC 926A^[3], provides a federal safe harbor for persons traveling through Massachusetts with firearms that are legal at both the origin and destination. The firearm must be unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition may be readily or directly accessible from the passenger compartment. In a vehicle with no separate trunk, both must be in a locked container that is not the glove compartment or console. Travelers should not make unnecessary stops in Massachusetts beyond fuel and emergencies.

Transporting to a Range or Hunting

When transporting firearms to a shooting range or for hunting purposes, the same rules apply based on your license type. LTC holders have the most flexibility. FID holders should ensure their non-semiautomatic rifles and shotguns are unloaded and properly cased.

Airport and Public Transit

Firearms may not be carried on MBTA vehicles or in Logan Airport terminals. For air travel, firearms must be declared at check-in, unloaded, and locked in a TSA-approved hard-sided case in checked baggage. Massachusetts law applies until you pass through TSA security.

See also: Vehicle Carry in Massachusetts: Passengers, Storage, and Rideshare