MGL Chapter 140, Section 129C:
Possession and Transfer Requirements

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140, Section 129C^[1] is primarily an exemptions section. It enumerates who may possess or transfer a firearm, rifle, or shotgun without holding a license or card, for a particular purpose and limited time. It works alongside the licensing provisions (Sections 129B and 131) and the electronic registration and transfer-reporting system (Section 121B), where the private-transfer and loss-or-theft reporting duties now live.

General Possession Rules

No person shall possess a firearm, rifle, or shotgun unless that person holds a valid FID card or LTC appropriate to the type of weapon. Possession without a valid license is a criminal offense under both Chapter 140 and Chapter 269, Section 10. Section 129C itself is the list of exemptions from that licensing requirement. It allows possession or transfer without a license, for a particular purpose and limited time, by:

• A person voluntarily surrendering a firearm or ammunition to the Colonel of State Police
• A returning resident (absent 180 or more days) or a new resident, for 60 days, for firearms already in their possession
• An heir or devisee, for 60 days after a firearm passes to them, who may also transfer it to a licensed person within that period
• A person under the direct supervision of a license or card holder for examination, trial, or instruction, or at a licensed target concession
• Common carriers, banks and institutional lenders, and their authorized employees, in the course of their business
• Federally licensed manufacturers and wholesalers, historical societies and museums, and chartered veterans' organizations
• Military members and police officers in the performance of official duty
• A licensed person furnishing a firearm to a minor or person under 21 for hunting, instruction, recreation, or shooting sports
• Non-residents, under a separate framework, for hunting, range use, travel through the Commonwealth, and vehicle carry, subject to the storage rules in Sections 131C and 131L

Private Transfer Reporting

A private firearm transfer must be conducted through the Section 121B electronic system at or before the point of sale, where the system checks eligibility and signals whether the transfer may proceed. The transaction must also be reported to the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) through that system within 7 days of the transfer. Both the transferor and the transferee are responsible for ensuring compliance. Failure to report a transfer is a criminal offense.

Section 121B Registration System

Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 created a new electronic firearms registration system under Section 121B, distinct from the eFA-10 transfer reporting system. Section 121B requires that all firearms possessed in the Commonwealth be registered through the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal. The registration deadline is October 28, 2026 (one year after the portal became publicly available). The eFA-10 system reports transfers between parties; the Section 121B system registers the existence and ownership of all firearms regardless of transfer activity. Both systems are accessed through the Unified Gun Portal via MyMassGov.

Loss and Theft Notification

Any person who loses a firearm, or has a firearm stolen, must report the loss or theft to the local police department and DCJIS within a specified timeframe. Failure to report a lost or stolen firearm may result in license suspension or revocation and criminal penalties.

Inheritance and Estate Transfers

Section 129C provides specific procedures for the transfer of firearms through inheritance. An executor or administrator of an estate may temporarily possess firearms for the purpose of transferring them to a lawful heir or licensed dealer. The heir must hold a valid license to receive the firearms.