Massachusetts FID Card: How to Get One and What It Covers

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140, Section 129B^[1] establishes the Firearm Identification Card (FID) system. The FID is the lower-tier license in the Massachusetts two-license framework, sitting beneath the License to Carry (LTC) governed by Section 131.

What the FID Covers

Following the amendments made by Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024^[2], the FID now covers a narrower category of firearms than it did previously:

Non-large-capacity rifles that are not semiautomatic (bolt-action, lever-action, single-shot)
Non-large-capacity shotguns that are not semiautomatic (pump-action, break-action, single-shot)
Ammunition for the above

Semiautomatic rifles and shotguns, regardless of capacity, now require an LTC. This is a significant change from the pre-Chapter 135 framework, under which an FID holder could possess certain semiautomatic long guns.

Eligibility Requirements

An applicant for an FID must:

Be 15 years of age or older (applicants under 18 require parental consent)
Complete a Massachusetts-approved firearms safety course
Not be a prohibited person under state or federal law
Not be subject to an active restraining order, harassment prevention order, or ERPO
Not have been convicted of a felony, violent crime, or certain drug offenses

Application Process

FID applications are submitted to the licensing authority (chief of police or board of selectmen) in the applicant's city or town of residence. The licensing authority must act on the application within 40 days. The state application fee is $100 under Chapter 135, matching the LTC fee structure. Like the LTC, the FID is valid for six years.

Suitability Standard

Historically the FID did not carry a suitability determination, unlike the License to Carry, but Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 changed that. The FID is now subject to suitability, though through a different route than the LTC. For an LTC, the licensing authority decides suitability directly and may deny an application when reliable, articulable information shows the applicant may pose a risk to public safety (Section 121F(k)). For the FID, the licensing authority cannot deny on suitability grounds itself. Under Section 121F(l) it must instead petition the District Court, which decides suitability by a preponderance of the evidence within 90 days. If the court does not rule within that period, the applicant is deemed suitable by default. In practice, an applicant who meets the statutory requirements and is not a prohibited person is issued the card unless a court, on the licensing authority's petition, finds the applicant unsuitable.

MGL Chapter 140, Section 129B:
Firearm Identification Card