Massachusetts Approved Handgun Roster: August 2026 Update
The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security publishes the Massachusetts Approved Handgun Roster and related rosters on its official roster page.[1] The current Approved Handgun Roster located during the August 19, 2026 review is the August 2026 edition.[2]
What the Roster Controls
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140, Section 123 generally bars a licensed dealer from selling, renting, leasing, or transferring a handgun unless the model appears on the applicable approved roster or a statutory exception applies.[3] The testing and roster process is governed by 501 CMR 7.00.[4]
Separate Attorney General Rules
Roster placement does not by itself establish compliance with the Attorney General's handgun-sales regulations at 940 CMR 16.00. An FFL must check both the current roster and the separate consumer-protection requirements before a dealer transfer.
How to Verify a Model
- Use the official EOPSS roster page, not an old downloaded copy.
- Match the manufacturer, model, caliber, and any listed configuration exactly.
- Check whether a statutory exception applies before treating an unlisted handgun as transferable.
- Document the roster edition and the date checked in the transaction file.
Sources
Related
- Analysis: Impact of Bruen on Massachusetts Firearms Licensing
- Beckwith v. Frey: First Circuit Vacates Injunction Against Maine Waiting Period
- Granata v. Campbell: DOJ Amicus Brief and First Circuit Appeal on MA Handgun Roster
- Chapter 284 of the Acts of 2014: Massachusetts Gun Reform Act
- Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024: What Changed
- 2026 Ballot Referendum: Repealing Chapter 135