Massachusetts laws by category

All consumer fireworks are illegal to sell, possess or use in Massachusetts. Exceptions may apply — read the full rule.

A Massachusetts License to Carry (LTC) is required to carry a handgun in public. Residents must be 21 or older to get one. A visitor needs a Massachusetts non-resident LTC, which costs $100 and lasts one year, unless a travel-through exemption applies (see the transport rule). Massachusetts has no permitless carry.

Massachusetts is not a control state: beer, wine and spirits are sold by licensed private package stores. Some grocery and convenience chains sell alcohol, but a single owner is capped on the number of off-premises licenses statewide, so supermarket availability is limited.

Radar detectors are legal in passenger vehicles — Massachusetts has no state ban on them.

In Massachusetts, open burning is prohibited except listed exemptions (310 CMR 7.07). Exceptions may apply — read the full rule.

In Massachusetts, you need a freshwater fishing license from age 15. Licenses are issued by the MA Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (MassWildlife).

6.25% state sales and use tax on tangible personal property and telecommunications. There is no general local sales tax (a local option applies only to restaurant meals).

Recreational cannabis is legal in Massachusetts for adults 21 and older, and a medical program also operates. It is regulated by the Cannabis Control Commission. A 2026 repeal initiative may appear on the ballot, but it has not passed.

In Massachusetts, during the Youth Deer Hunt Day and the shotgun deer season, all hunters must wear 500 square inches of blaze orange on chest, back and head. Exceptions may apply — read the full rule.

Massachusetts sports betting is legal — retail at casinos and statewide online/mobile; minimum age 21. Regulated by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

Massachusetts requires a boater safety certificate to operate a motorboat or personal watercraft under the Hanson-Milone Act. The requirement has been in effect since April 1, 2026 for anyone born after January 1, 1989. People born on or before January 1, 1989 must have a certificate by April 1, 2028.

G.L. c.269 10(b) bans carrying automatic knives over 1.5 in., but Commonwealth v. Canjura (SJC, 2024) struck that switchblade ban as unconstitutional — autos are now legal to own and carry.

No enacted Massachusetts statute criminalizes drone surveillance of a person or property; such provisions exist only in proposed bills. FAA rules apply.