Massachusetts Gun Laws

Sections 131R through 131Y of Chapter 140 establish the Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) framework, originally created by Chapter 123 of the Acts of 2018 and substantially expanded by Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024. ERPOs allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who pose a significant risk of harm to themselves or others.

Section 121 is the definitional backbone of Massachusetts firearms law. It defines every key term used throughout Chapter 140, including firearm, rifle, shotgun, large capacity weapon, and feeding device. Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 significantly expanded the definitions to include assault-style firearm, untraceable firearm (commonly called a ghost gun), covert firearm, 3D printer, and unfinished frame or receiver.

Evidentiary provision establishing that a sworn ballistics expert certificate serves as prima facie evidence to identify firearms and ammunition in court proceedings. Not amended by Chapter 135.

Created by Chapter 135, Section 121B mandates a real-time electronic firearms registration system operated by DCJIS. Requires registration of all firearms possessed, manufactured, or assembled in the Commonwealth, with graduated penalties for noncompliance.

Created by Chapter 135, Section 121D regulates the use of 3D printers and CNC milling machines in connection with firearm manufacturing. Requires a valid LTC to use such equipment for firearm production. Prohibits sale of machines with the primary or intended function of manufacturing firearms.

Created by Chapter 135, Section 121E mandates a publicly accessible online data dashboard containing non-personally identifying firearms data, updated at least quarterly. DCJIS publishes licensing demographics and firearm violence statistics.

Foundational licensing provision for firearms dealers, gunsmiths, and manufacturers. Amended by Chapter 135 to require online dealer training, consolidate disqualifiers into Section 121F, and prohibit carrying outside business premises. Application fee is $100.

Establishes all operational compliance conditions for licensed firearms dealers. Chapter 135 restructured the section from numbered conditions to lettered subsections (a) through (p), added suicide prevention posting requirements, expanded credential verification procedures, and introduced severe criminal penalties.

Section 128 of Chapter 140 was restructured by Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024. Pre-Chapter 135, it housed the assault weapons prohibition. Post-Chapter 135, it addresses dealer licensing violations and related offenses. The primary prohibition on assault-style firearms, untraceable firearms, and covert firearms now resides in Section 131M(a). For grandfathering provisions, see Section 131M(b) and (c).

Substantially rewritten by Chapter 135, Section 128A governs person-to-person private firearms transfers. LTC holders may conduct up to 4 private transfers per calendar year. All transfers must be processed through the electronic registration system under Section 121B.

Section 129B governs the issuance of Firearm Identification Cards (FID) in Massachusetts. The FID permits possession of non-large-capacity, non-semiautomatic rifles and shotguns, as well as ammunition. Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 narrowed the scope of the FID by moving semiautomatic long guns to LTC-only status.

Section 129C establishes the general rules for lawful possession and transfer of firearms, rifles, and shotguns in Massachusetts. It requires reporting of all private transfers through the eFA-10 system within 7 days and mandates notification of loss or theft to law enforcement.

Central mechanism ensuring unlicensed persons do not retain firearms. Requires immediate surrender upon license denial, revocation, or suspension. Chapter 135 added electronic reporting, a criminal evidence exception, and a destruction mandate for certain firearms.

Repealed by Chapter 135, Section 47, effective October 2, 2024. Previously prohibited the sale or furnishing of firearms and ammunition to aliens and minors. Substance was reorganized into Section 121F (prohibited persons), Section 123 (dealer conditions), and the broader licensing framework. Would be restored if the 2026 referendum succeeds.

Originally created by St. 2004, c. 150 and modified by Chapter 135, Section 130B establishes the Firearms Licensing Review Board within DCJIS. Provides a petition pathway for individuals with certain minor criminal convictions to seek restoration of licensing eligibility. Requires a two-thirds vote and clear and convincing evidence of suitability.

Section 131 governs the issuance of Licenses to Carry (LTC) in Massachusetts. As amended by Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, the LTC is now a single class of license. The chief of police or the board of selectmen has the authority to issue an LTC to applicants who meet specific criteria, including being 21 years of age or older, completing a certified safety course, and passing a background check.

Repealed by Chapter 135, Section 59, effective October 2, 2024. Previously governed conditions for purchasing firearms from dealers or private sellers. Substance redistributed to Sections 121F, 128A, 129B, 131, and 121B. Would be restored if the 2026 referendum succeeds.

Section 131F authorizes the Colonel of State Police, through the Firearms Records Bureau, to issue temporary Licenses to Carry to non-residents. The license is valid for one year. Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 amended this section, and its restrictions are subject to constitutional challenge in the Donnell and Marquis litigation.

Mandates that every firearm sold in the Commonwealth include a Colonel-approved safety device to prevent discharge by unauthorized users. Treats absence of an approved device as a product defect. Joint and several liability for manufacturers, importers, and sellers. Contributory negligence is not a valid defense.

Section 131L mandates that all firearms be stored in a locked container or secured with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device. Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 introduced tiered penalty structures based on weapon type and whether a minor gains access to an improperly stored firearm.

Requires all license applicants to complete an approved firearms safety course. Chapter 135 (effective January 25, 2026) adds live firearms training, a standardized written exam, injury and suicide prevention curriculum, and use-of-force education. Hunter education now only substitutes for FID, not LTC.

Section 131M contains the prohibition on assault-style firearms and large capacity feeding devices under subsection (a), and the grandfathering framework under subsections (b) and (c). Two statutory cutoff dates apply: September 13, 1994 for LCFDs and August 1, 2024 for assault-style firearms under Chapter 135. Grandfathered LCFDs face location-based possession restrictions. The entire provision is subject to the November 2026 ballot referendum.

Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 created new Sections 121C and 121D of Chapter 140, establishing comprehensive regulations on untraceable firearms (commonly known as ghost guns), requiring serialization of all firearms and firearm parts, and regulating the use of 3D printers and CNC machines to manufacture firearm components.

Core penalty section for unlicensed carrying of firearms. Mandatory minimum sentences. Distinct penalties for first and subsequent offenses.

Criminalizes carrying certain enumerated dangerous weapons other than firearms, including stilettos, daggers, switch knives, ballistic knives, blackjacks, metallic knuckles, nunchaku, and shuriken. Not directly amended by Chapter 135.

Criminalizes unlawful possession of machine guns and sawed-off shotguns. Chapter 135 expanded scope to cover bump stocks, automatic parts (including Glock switches and auto sears), rapid-fire trigger activators, and trigger modifiers. Life imprisonment or any term of years, subject to 18-month mandatory minimum.

Provides escalating mandatory sentences for repeat firearms offenders. Second offense: 5-7 years (5-year mandatory minimum). Third offense: 7-10 years. Fourth offense: 10-15 years. No suspension, probation, or good conduct deductions. Not directly amended by Chapter 135.

Criminalizes owning, possessing, or transferring a firearm or ammunition without FID compliance. Often the "home possession" charge. No mandatory minimum, making it a common plea-down from Section 10(a). Chapter 135 updated terminology.

Prohibits carrying firearms (loaded or unloaded) in any school building or on school grounds. A valid LTC is not a defense. No mandatory minimum. Chapter 135 expanded the LEOSA exception and explicitly added school buses.

Chapter 135 added new prohibited areas where carrying a firearm is restricted, including government buildings, courthouses, correctional facilities, and polling places during elections.

Imposes dramatically enhanced mandatory minimum sentences on persons who violate Sections 10(a), (c), or (h) and have prior convictions for violent crimes or serious drug offenses. Three-tiered penalty structure ranging from 3-15 years to 15-20 years. Not directly amended by Chapter 135.

Completely rewritten by Chapter 135 to broadly target "untraceable firearms" (ghost guns). Prohibits manufacturing, assembling, importing, selling, or receiving firearms with knowledge they are untraceable. New 12-month minimum imprisonment with no fine-only option. Possession of an untraceable firearm is prima facie evidence of guilt.

Firearms discharge within Boston is regulated primarily through MGL Chapter 269, Section 12E, which prohibits discharge within 500 feet of a dwelling or building in use. Municipalities may impose stricter restrictions under Home Rule authority. Penalties include fines of $50 to $100 or imprisonment up to 3 months.

The City of Boston requires separate registration of lawfully possessed pre-ban assault-style firearms beyond state requirements. Failure to register is a municipal violation subject to fines.

Cambridge appears to rely on the state storage standard under MGL Chapter 140, Section 131L rather than imposing a separate municipal ordinance. All firearms must be stored in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant lock. Chapter 135 significantly increased storage penalties with tiered structures based on weapon type and minor access.

EOPSS regulations governing three rosters: the Approved Firearms Roster (handguns meeting testing requirements), the Large Capacity Firearms Roster, and the Formal Target Shooting Firearms Roster. Establishes testing, listing, and removal procedures. Last amended March 25, 2016.

Prescribes the format, content, and publication requirements for the Approved Firearms Roster. Requires supersession notices, testing criteria citations, and a prominent notice that the Roster does not guarantee compliance with AG regulations at 940 CMR 16.00.

Consumer protection regulations governing handgun sales. Drop test, trigger pull weight, and loaded chamber indicator requirements. The second layer of the three-layer purchasing system.

Signed July 25, 2024. Effective October 2, 2024. The most significant amendment to Massachusetts firearms law in a decade. Subject to a potential repeal referendum in November 2026.

Signed August 13, 2014. The most significant Massachusetts firearms legislation between the 1998 reforms and Chapter 135. Introduced the suitability standard for LTC issuance, eliminated Class A/B distinction, expanded prohibited persons, created the private sale web portal, and enhanced storage penalties. Many provisions further amended by Chapter 135.

Overview of the federal Gun Control Act of 1968. Establishes definitions, dealer licensing, prohibited persons, interstate commerce restrictions, and penalties. Section 927 explicitly declines federal preemption, allowing states like Massachusetts to impose additional requirements. Major amendments include FOPA (1986), Brady Act (1993), and BSCA (2022).

Federal statute establishing 11 categories of prohibited persons. Penalties up to 15 years (increased by BSCA 2022). Upheld by the Supreme Court in United States v. Rahimi (2024). Massachusetts is far more restrictive, requiring affirmative licensing for all possession.

Federal safe harbor for interstate transport of firearms. Requires firearms to be unloaded, locked, and inaccessible. Legal at both origin and destination. Massachusetts enforcement of FOPA protections is inconsistent.

ATF regulations implementing the Gun Control Act. Covers FFL types and fees, Form 4473 requirements, Bound Book record-keeping (20-year retention), NICS procedures, interstate transfer rules, and enhanced under-21 checks. Massachusetts requires additional state-level compliance beyond these federal requirements.

The Attorney General's 2016 enforcement notice reinterpreted the "copies or duplicates" language in the AWB. Created the July 20, 2016 grandfathering date. Remains in effect alongside Chapter 135.

Consumer protection regulations promulgated under Chapter 93A. Requires performance testing, drop testing, childproofing (10-pound trigger pull), and load indicator or magazine safety disconnect. Glock handguns cannot be sold by dealers due to failed load indicator test. Upheld post-Bruen in Granata v. Campbell (2025). Not repealed by Chapter 135.