Summary

• Permit required: Yes. A MassachusettsLicense to Carry (LTC) is required to carry a handgun concealed (and generally to carry firearms in public).

• Minimum age:21 to obtain an LTC for handguns/concealed carry (FID options exist for some long guns at younger ages).

• Duty to inform:No general duty to proactively inform law enforcement you’re carrying, though you must present your LTC if asked.

• Where you can/can’t carry: Carry is broadly allowed unless in a prohibited/sensitive place like schools, many government buildings, courthouses, secure airport areas, and certain posted private properties. Recent 2024 reforms expanded/clarified several sensitive locations.

Massachusetts runs alicense-based system. Residents apply for an LTC through theirlocal police department, while non-residents apply through theMassachusetts State Police Firearms Records Bureau. 

Since the 2022Bruen decision and state guidance, Massachusetts operates as a“shall-issue” state in practice for qualified applicants, and prior “good reason” style restrictions or carry-purpose limits on LTCs are no longer enforceable. The 2024 Firearms Act (effective Oct. 2, 2024) updated training standards and a number of carry/transport definitions. 

Reciprocity is extremely limited: Massachusetts does not honor other states’ carry permits for concealed carry. Visitors who want to carry concealed must obtain a MA non-resident LTC in advance. Practical note for travelers: when transporting firearms through vehicles, hotels, or shared spaces, keep them unloaded, locked, and under your direct control; many people use lockboxes and, for privacy and electronic protection of devices/keys, Faraday-protected SLNT bags as part of their secure storage setup.

Useful Links

• Summary of Ch. 135 of the Acts of 2024 (modernizing firearms laws)

• Non-Resident LTC Application (FRB)
  
  

Official Links

• MGL c.140 § 131C (loaded firearm in vehicle/direct control rule)