MGL Chapter 140, Section 131:
License to Carry Firearms

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140, Section 131^[1] establishes the current framework for issuing Licenses to Carry firearms.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for an LTC, an applicant must:

• For an ordinary lawful-resident application, be 21 years of age or older
• For an application to a local licensing authority under Section 131, be a lawful resident 21 years of age or older residing within that authority's jurisdiction, be a law enforcement officer employed by that authority, or reside in an area of exclusive federal jurisdiction within the city or town. Section 131F^[10] governs temporary licenses for qualifying nonresidents and certain other applicants
• Submit the required Massachusetts Basic Firearms Safety Certificate unless a statutory exemption applies. Section 131P includes live firearms training, but EOPSS guidance says live fire is not yet required while implementing regulations remain unfinished.^[9]
• Not be a prohibited person under the detailed rules in Section 121F^[7]
• Not be disqualified under Section 121F^[7] by a qualifying mental-health or alcohol- or substance-use commitment, unless the applicable waiting period, affidavit, or court-relief requirement has been satisfied
• Not be subject to an active restraining order, harassment prevention order, or extreme risk protection order identified in Section 121F^[7]
• Not have a felony or other conviction that Section 121F^[7] treats as disqualifying

Application Process

An ordinary resident applies to the licensing authority for the jurisdiction where the resident lives. Section 131 also allows an application by a law-enforcement officer employed by that authority or a person residing in an area of exclusive federal jurisdiction within the city or town. The Commonwealth's application instructions list a completed resident application, the applicable fee, identification and residence documents, and a Massachusetts Basic Firearms Safety Course certificate for new applications.

Licensing Authority Discretion and the Suitability Standard

Massachusetts operates under a "shall-issue" framework with a suitability carve-out. The licensing authority shall issue an LTC to an applicant who meets the statutory requirements and is neither prohibited nor unsuitable. If the authority determines the applicant is unsuitable under Section 121F(k), it shall deny the application. The determination must rest on reliable, articulable and credible information that the applicant has exhibited behavior suggesting the applicant may create a risk to public safety or a danger to self or others.

Licensing Review Board

The Firearm Licensing Review Board under Section 130B^[4] provides a limited eligibility-review process when an applicant's sole disqualifier is a qualifying Massachusetts conviction or adjudication punishable by 2.5 years or less and the other statutory conditions are met. It is not a general appeal board for every denial or revocation. Judicial review of a denial, suspension, or revocation is governed by Section 121F(v).

License Scope

The LTC entitles the holder to purchase, rent, lease, borrow, possess, and carry firearms, including large-capacity firearms, and ammunition, under Section 131(a). It does not entitle the holder to transfer, possess, or carry large capacity feeding devices or assault-style firearms unless Section 131M permits it. Under Section 131(c), the license carries the same entitlement as an FID to own, possess, purchase, and transfer non-large-capacity, nonsemiautomatic rifles and shotguns. An LTC ordinarily expires on the licensee's birthday occurring not less than 5 years and not more than 6 years after issue, while a license issued to an applicant born on February 29 expires on March 1. Section 121F(s)^[7] states three continuation rules: a license remains valid when renewal was applied for before expiration until the application is approved or denied; it remains valid during the specified active-duty period and for at least 180 days after release, with further continuation if renewal was applied for before that period ends; and it remains valid while expiration has not exceeded 90 days, unless revoked or suspended.

An LTC does not override item-specific acquisition, transfer, or possession restrictions, including Section 131M. Section 131(a) expressly authorizes renting, leasing, and borrowing, so the license's possession and carry authority is not limited to firearms the holder owns. A separate law may still prohibit a particular item or transaction regardless of the holder's license status.

See also: MGL Chapter 140, Section 130B: Firearms Licensing Review Board

See also: MGL Chapter 140, Section 131F: Non-Resident Temporary License to Carry

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

See also: Firearm Licensing Review Board: Section 130B

Constitutional Challenge Decided: Commonwealth v. Thomson

On October 20, 2026, the Supreme Judicial Court decided Commonwealth v. Thomson, SJC-13856. The court held that the licensing age restriction, which keeps persons under twenty-one from obtaining a license to carry, is consistent with the nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation, and it affirmed Thomson's conviction for carrying a firearm without a license. The court did not reach the as-applied challenge, because Thomson had never applied for a license.^[15]

The current text of Section 131(d) continues to require a lawful-resident LTC applicant to be at least 21.^[1]