Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title XX Chapter 140
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 129C (2026)

Application of Sec. 129B; ownership or possession of firearms or ammunition; transfers; report to commissioner; exemptions; exhibiting license to carry, etc. on demand

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 129C. (a) Possession of a firearm or ammunition for a particular purpose and limited time without being duly issued a license, permit or card under sections 129B, 131, 131A or 131F shall be permitted by: (i) a person voluntarily surrendering the firearm or ammunition to the colonel of the state police pursuant to section 131O, (ii) a resident of the commonwealth returning after having been absent from the commonwealth for not less than 180 consecutive days or any new resident moving to the commonwealth, only with respect to any firearm or ammunition then in their possession prior to moving or return and only for 60 days after such return or entry into the commonwealth; or (iii) an heir or devisee upon the death of the legal owner of the firearm or the ammunition for not more than 60 days after said firearm or ammunition is transferred into their possession and who shall also be permitted to sell or otherwise transfer said firearm or ammunition to a duly licensed person within this time period pursuant to section 128A.

(b) Possession of a firearm or ammunition while under direct supervision of an individual holding a license or card under section 129B, 131 or 131F and only for a particular purpose and limited time without being duly licensed or permitted under said sections 129B, 131 or 131F is permitted by: (i) a retail customer for the purpose of firing at duly licensed target concessions at amusement parks, piers and similar locations; provided, that the firearms to be so used shall be firmly chained or affixed to the counter and shall be under the direct supervision of a proprietor or employee thereof who holds the necessary license or card; (ii) a professional photographer or writer for examination purposes while in the pursuit of their profession or during the course of any television, movie, stage or other similar theatrical production; provided, that they are at all times under the immediate supervision of a holder of a license to carry or, in the case of rifles and shotguns that are not large capacity or semi-automatic, a firearm identification card; or (iii) a person in the presence of a holder of the necessary license or card for the purpose of examination, trial or instruction.

(c) Common carriers and their duly authorized employees and agents may possess firearms and ammunition therefor without holding the necessary license or card under sections 129B, 131 or 131F while performing the regular and ordinary transport of firearms and ammunition as merchandise for customers duly licensed to permit such transport and so long as they abide by all storage and transportation requirements set forth in sections 131C and 131L.

(d) Notwithstanding section 131B, banks or institutional lenders and their duly authorized employees and agents, may possess and transfer non large capacity firearms and ammunition therefor as collateral for a secured commercial transaction or because of a default thereof without holding the necessary license or card under said sections 129B, 131 or 131F.

(e) Other organizations and their duly authorized employees and agents, may purchase, transfer and possess as so indicated in this subsection non large capacity firearms and ammunition therefor for a particular purpose and limited time without holding the necessary license or card under sections 129D, 131 or 131F if they are: (i) a federally licensed firearms manufacturer or wholesale dealer or their employees or agents who may possess firearms and ammunition therefor when their possession is necessary for manufacture, display, storage, transport, installation, inspection or testing; (ii) federal, state and local historical societies, museums and institutional collections open to the public who may possess firearms and ammunition therefor; provided, that such firearms shall be unloaded and properly housed and secured from unauthorized handling; provided further that the requirements for sales in section 128A are met; or (iii) a veteran's organization chartered by the congress of the United States, chartered by the commonwealth or recognized as a nonprofit tax-exempt organization by the internal revenue service and its members who may possess firearms and ammunition; provided, however, that members may only possess unloaded large capacity rifles or unloaded large capacity shotguns or large capacity rifles or large capacity shotguns that are loaded with blank cartridges and which contain no projectile within the blank or the bore or chamber; and provided further, that all possession by members of veteran's organizations shall be limited to official parade duty or ceremonial occasions.

(f) A person in the military or other service of any state or of the United States, and police officers and other peace officers of any jurisdiction, who may purchase, sell or otherwise transfer and possess non-large capacity firearms and ammunition therefor without holding a license or card under sections 129D, 131 or 131F while in the performance of their official duty or when duly authorized to possess them by their employing agency; provided, that the requirements for sales in section 128A are met. Upon purchase, a person exempted under this subsection shall submit to the seller full and clear proof of identification, including shield number, serial number, military or governmental order or authorization, military or other official identification, as applicable.

(g) A person may furnish a minor or person under 21 years of age with a firearm and ammunition for hunting, instruction, recreation and participation in shooting sports provided that the person furnishing the firearm and ammunition holds the appropriate license, permit or card, or is a duly commissioned officer, noncommissioned officer or enlisted member of the United States army, navy, marine corps, air force or coast guard, or the national guard or military service of the commonwealth or reserve components thereof, while in performance of their duty

(h) No license, permit or card under this chapter shall be required for a legal resident of the commonwealth over the age of 18 to carry or possess: (i) a firearm known as a detonator and commonly used on vehicles as a signaling and marking device and only when carried or possessed for such purposes; or (ii) any device used exclusively for signaling or distress use and required or recommended by the United States Coast Guard or the Interstate Commerce Commission, or for the firing of stud cartridges, explosive rivets or similar industrial ammunition.

(i) A nonresident who is at least 18 years of age may possess rifles and shotguns that are not large capacity or semi-automatic and ammunition therefor if the nonresident has a permit, card or license issued from their state of residence which has substantially similar requirements to those of the commonwealth for a firearm identification card as determined by the colonel of the state police pursuant to subsection (1)

(j) A nonresident who is at least 18 years of age may possess rifles and shotguns that are not large capacity or semi-automatic and ammunition therefor: (i) to hunt during hunting season with a nonresident hunting license or a hunting license or permit lawfully issued from their state of residence, which has substantially similar requirements to those in section 11 of chapter 131, as determined by the colonel of the state police pursuant to subsection (1); (ii) while on a firing or shooting range; (iii) while traveling in or through the commonwealth; provided, that the rifles and shotguns that are not large capacity or semi-automatic shall be unloaded and in a locked container pursuant to sections 131C and 131L; or (iv) while at a firearm showing or display organized by a regularly existing gun collectors' club or association.

(k) A nonresident may carry a firearm on their person while in a vehicle lawfully traveling through the commonwealth; provided, however, that the firearm shall remain in the vehicle and if the firearm is outside its owner's direct control it shall be stored in the vehicle in accordance with section 131C.

(l) The colonel of the state police shall determine those states with substantially similar requirements to those of the commonwealth for a firearm identification card under section 129C and a hunting license under section 11 of chapter 131 and shall annually publish a list of those states.

(m) Nothing in this section shall supersede the firearm registration and serialization requirements pursuant to sections 121B and 121C.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 73 cases (13 in the last 5 years), 1975–2026 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Harris, 119 N.E.3d 1158 (Mass. 2019).
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Commonwealth v. Harris, 119 N.E.3d 1158 (Mass. 2019). · cites it 25× “Exemptions apply to new residents of the Commonwealth, see G. L. c. 140, § 129C ( j ) ; holders of a Massachusetts firearm license, see G.”
Commonwealth v. Barros, 755 N.E.2d 740 (Mass. 2001). · cites it 9× “See G. L. c. 140, § 129C (“Any person who, while not being within the limits of his own property or residence .”
Chardin v. Police Comm'r, 989 N.E.2d 392 (Mass. 2013). · cites it 5× “, G. L. c. 140, §§ 129C, 13IF, 131G. See also Commonwealth v.”
Commonwealth v. Jones, 361 N.E.2d 1308 (Mass. 1977). · cites it 4× “140, § 131 or 131F, or complying with G. L. c. 140, §§ 129C and 131G, or with G.”
Commonwealth v. Seay, 383 N.E.2d 828 (Mass. 1978). · cites it 4× “G. L. c. 140, § 129C. G. L. c. 269, § 10 (h).”
Commonwealth v. Haskell, 784 N.E.2d 625 (Mass. 2003). · cites it 3× “1 The Commonwealth instead argues that G. L. c. 140, § 129C, creates an exception to the Miranda rule and would permit the specific question posed to the defendant.”
Commonwealth v. Powell, 946 N.E.2d 114 (Mass. 2011). · cites it 2× “269, § 10 (h) (1), makes it an offense to own or to possess a firearm, see note 3, supra, in one’s home or place of business without obtaining an FID card pursuant to G. L. c. 140, § 129C. See Commonwealth v.”
Commonwealth v. Gouse, 965 N.E.2d 774 (Mass. 2012). · cites it 2× “269, § 10 (h) (1), and G. L. c. 140, § 129C (FID card). See also Commonwealth v.”
Hightower v. City of Boston, 693 F.3d 61 (1st Cir. 2012). · cites it 2× “As the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has explained: “To lawfully ‘carry’ a firearm within the Commonwealth .”
Commonwealth v. Cornelius, 938 N.E.2d 892 (Mass. App. Ct. 2010). · cites it 11× “Whether satisfaction of the firearm identification card exception set out in G. L. c. 140, § 129C(/), by itself, satisfies the firearm possession exemption set out in G.”
Commonwealth v. Wood, 495 N.E.2d 835 (Mass. 1986). · cites it 13× “)] where that person is a ‘new resident’ within the meaning of G. L. c. 140, § 129C (j)?” We transferred the case to this court on our own motion.”
Powell v. Tompkins, 783 F.3d 332 (1st Cir. 2015). · cites it 2× “See Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 129C; see Jones, 361 N.”
Show all 73 citing cases →
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 129C(1) — 1 case
United States v. Richie Fontaine, 697 F.3d 221 (3rd Cir. 2012).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 129C(j) — 2 cases
Commonwealth v. Bates, 548 N.E.2d 889 (Mass. App. Ct. 1990).
Commonwealth v. Cornelius, 938 N.E.2d 892 (Mass. App. Ct. 2010). “Whether satisfaction of the firearm identification card exception set out in G. L. c. 140, § 129C(/), by itself, satisfies the firearm possession exemption set out in G.”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 129C(k) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Ethan Isert (Mass. Super. Ct. 2024).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 129C(m) — 2 cases
Ryan v. Hughes-Ortiz, 959 N.E.2d 1000 (Mass. App. Ct. 2012).
Commonwealth v. Bachman, 673 N.E.2d 90 (Mass. App. Ct. 1996).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 129C(o) — 1 case
Hightower v. City of Boston, 693 F.3d 61 (1st Cir. 2012). “As the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has explained: “To lawfully ‘carry’ a firearm within the Commonwealth .”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 129C(s) — 1 case
United States v. Bater, 830 F. Supp. 28 (D. Mass. 1993).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.