MGL Chapter 140, Section 131P:
Basic Firearms Safety Certificate

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140, Section 131P ^[1] requires applicants for firearms licenses (LTC, FID, or nonresident temporary license) to complete an approved firearms safety course and obtain a Basic Firearms Safety Certificate before licensure.

Pre-Amendment Requirements

Any person applying who was not licensed on June 1, 1998, had to submit a certificate. Hunter education courses served as a substitute. Persons licensed on June 1, 1998 were grandfathered.

Chapter 135 Changes

Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 ^[2], Section 74 (effective January 25, 2026) introduced major amendments:

• Removed the "not licensed on June 1, 1998" qualifier
• Hunter education is now only valid as a substitute for FID, not LTC
• New grandfathering date of August 1, 2024
• Expanded curriculum added injury and suicide prevention/harm reduction education, applicable laws on use of force, disengagement tactics, and live firearms training requiring actual range time. The expanded curriculum is required as of April 2, 2026. EOPSS published an approved instructor list on April 1, 2026. The live-fire component is a statutory requirement; enforcement of the statewide qualification standard for live-fire instruction is ongoing pending final EOPSS regulations
• The Colonel of State Police must create a standardized written examination with minimum passing requirements used in all courses statewide
• The Colonel must consult with the Municipal Police Training Committee
• An annually updated list of approved instructors must be posted on the State Police website

Demonstrated competency now explicitly includes "class participation, satisfactory completion of the written examination, and live firearms training."

Harm Reduction Materials

A new subsection requires EOPSS, with DPH, to develop educational materials covering the prevalence of suicide by firearm, risks of injury and suicide with household firearms (including survival rates), best practices for reducing suicide risk, and available resources.

Penalties

• Filing a false certificate: Fine of $1,000 to $5,000 or imprisonment up to 2 years, or both
• Instructor knowingly issuing certificate to non-completing person: Fine of $5,000 to $10,000 or imprisonment up to 2 years, or both

Instructor Certification

Instructor certifications are valid for 10 years and are revocable. Initial fee: $50. Renewal fee: $10.

Related Provisions

Section 129B requires the certificate for FID issuance. Section 131 requires the certificate for LTC issuance. Section 131F requires the certificate for nonresident licenses. Chapter 131, Section 14 governs hunter education as a substitute (now FID only). Section 131J establishes the stun gun exemption.

Referendum Status

Subject to the November 2026 referendum. The live-fire mandate, standardized exam, and harm reduction curriculum would be eliminated if Chapter 135 is repealed.

See also: MGL Chapter 140, Section 121B: Electronic Firearms Registration

See also: MGL Chapter 140, Section 121E: Public Firearms Data Dashboard