Is firearms legal in Massachusetts?

Q: Is firearms legal in Massachusetts?

Firearms in Massachusetts is restricted. Massachusetts requires a License to Carry (LTC) to carry concealed, and it has been shall-issue since the 2024 reform. The minimum age is 21, and nonresidents must obtain a Massachusetts nonresident LTC.

Back

MASSACHUSETTS · FIREARMS

Firearms

Restricted: Massachusetts requires a License to Carry (LTC) to carry concealed, and it has been shall-issue since the 2024 reform.

Restricted

Summary

Massachusetts requires a License to Carry (LTC) to carry concealed, and it has been shall-issue since the 2024 reform. The minimum age is 21, and nonresidents must obtain a Massachusetts nonresident LTC.

Source: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-or-renew-a-firearms-license · Updated July 2, 2026

Massachusetts Firearms topics

Concealed Carry in Massachusetts →Restricted
Massachusetts requires a License to Carry (LTC) to carry concealed, and it has been shall-issue since the 2024 reform.
Open Carry in Massachusetts →Restricted
Open carry is not a practical option in Massachusetts.
Magazine Capacity in Massachusetts →Restricted
In Massachusetts it is illegal to sell, transfer, or possess a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds unless it was grandfathered before September 13, 1994.
Gun Possession in Massachusetts →Restricted
Massachusetts has a red-flag law (Extreme Risk Protection Orders, or ERPOs), an assault-weapon ban, and a ban on large-capacity devices.
Transporting Firearms in Massachusetts →Restricted
In Massachusetts, a handgun left unattended in a vehicle must be unloaded and secured in a locked case, a locked trunk, or a secure container.
Duty to Inform Police in Massachusetts →Info
Massachusetts has no current statutory duty to inform, and that is a recent change: the old G.L. c. 140 § 129C duty to exhibit the license on demand was struck by the 2024 gun-law overhaul (Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, effective October 2, 2024) and has not been re-enacted anywhere.
Suppressors & Silencers in Massachusetts →Restricted
Firearm silencers are banned for civilians in Massachusetts.
Reciprocity — where is my Massachusetts permit honored? →
State-by-state map of which states honor a Massachusetts concealed-carry permit.

Other Massachusetts laws

Firearms in nearby states

Browse all state laws →

Don't get caught off guardGet a push the moment Massachusetts law changes — or when you cross into a state where it's different. Free.Get the free app