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

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131 (2026)

Licenses to carry firearms; conditions and restrictions; rules and regulations

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 131. The issuance and possession of a license to carry firearms shall be subject to the following conditions and restrictions:

(a) A license shall entitle a holder thereof of a license to purchase, rent, lease, borrow, possess and carry firearms, including large capacity firearms and ammunition therefor. The license shall not entitle a holder thereof to transfer, possess or carry large capacity feeding devices or assault-style firearms unless such transfer, possession or carry is permitted under section 131M.

(b) No license shall be issued under this section unless the applicant submits with their application a basic firearms safety certificate meeting the requirements of section 131P.

(c) A license to carry firearms shall be valid to own, possess, purchase and transfer rifles and shotguns that are not large capacity or semi-automatic, consistent with the entitlements conferred by a firearm identification card issued under section 129B.

(d) A lawful resident 21 years of age or older residing within the jurisdiction of the licensing authority or any law enforcement officer employed by the licensing authority or any person residing in an area of exclusive federal jurisdiction located within a city or town may submit to the licensing authority an application for a license to carry firearms, or renewal of the same, which the licensing authority shall issue as provided under section 121F only if it appears that the applicant is neither a prohibited person nor determined to be unsuitable to be issued a license as set forth in said section 121F, provided that upon an initial application for a license to carry firearms, the licensing authority shall conduct a personal interview with the applicant.

(e) A license to carry firearms shall be valid, unless revoked or suspended, for a period of not more than 6 years from the date of issue and shall expire on the anniversary of the licensee's date of birth occurring not less than 5 years nor more than 6 years from the date of issue. Any license issued to an applicant born on February 29 shall expire on March 1.

(f) No person shall be issued a license to carry a machine gun in the commonwealth, except that a licensing authority may issue a machine gun license to: (i) a firearm instructor certified by the municipal police training committee for the sole purpose of firearm instruction to police personnel; or (ii) a bona fide collector of firearms as defined in section 121 upon application or upon application for renewal of such license. Clauses (i) and (ii) of this paragraph shall not apply to automatic devices or automatic parts.

(g) A person issued a license under this section shall report any change of address via the electronic firearm registration system administered by the commissioner of the department of criminal justice information services. Such notification shall be made on said electronic firearms registration system within 30 days of its occurrence. Failure to notify in a timely manner shall be cause for revocation or suspension of said license.

(h) The secretary of the executive office of public safety and security or their designee may promulgate regulations to carry out the purposes of this section.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 187 cases (46 in the last 5 years), 1922–2026 · leading case: Chardin v. Police Comm'r, 989 N.E.2d 392 (Mass. 2013).
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Chardin v. Police Comm'r, 989 N.E.2d 392 (Mass. 2013). · cites it 27× “In this case, here on a reservation and report by a single justice of this court, we consider whether the Massachusetts firearms licensing statute, G. L. c. 140, § 131 (d) (i), infringes on Mirko Chardin’s right to keep and bear arms under the Second and Fourteenth Amendments to…”
Chief of Police of the City of Worcester v. Holden, 26 N.E.3d 715 (Mass. 2015). · cites it 17× “This case mounts a challenge under the Second *847 Amendment to the United States Constitution 1 to the constitutionality of the “suitable person” standard in G. L. c. 140, § 131 (d) and (/), as amended through St.”
Hightower v. City of Boston, 693 F.3d 61 (1st Cir. 2012). · cites it 13× “” Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131 (f). Section 129D, in turn, provides: Upon revocation, suspension or denial of an application for a firearm identification card .”
Commonwealth v. Farley, 835 N.E.2d 1159 (Mass. App. Ct. 2005). · cites it 35× “” G. L. c. 140, § 131, eighth par., as appearing in St.”
Commonwealth v. Powell, 946 N.E.2d 114 (Mass. 2011). · cites it 9× “269, § 10, and G. L. c. 140, § 131, are unconstitutional per se and as applied to him because they unduly restrict his right to bear arms and right to self-defense under the Second Amendment.”
Firearms Records Bureau v. Simkin, 993 N.E.2d 672 (Mass. 2013). · cites it 15× “We granted Simkin’s application for direct appellate review to consider whether the “suitable person” requirement set forth in G. L. c. 140, § 131, applies to temporary nonresident licenses issued pursuant to G.”
Gun Owners' Action League, Inc. v. Swift, 284 F.3d 198 (1st Cir. 2002). · cites it 11× “Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 121 . A Class A license entitles its possessor to own any type of weapon, including a large capacity weapon.”
Gould v. Morgan, 907 F.3d 659 (1st Cir. 2018). · cites it 6× “140, § 131 , an individual may request a license to carry a firearm in public by submitting an application to the appropriate licensing authority, which is defined as either the applicant's local "chief of police or the board or officer having control of the police in a city or…”
Nichols v. Chief of Police of Natick, 119 N.E.3d 333 (Mass. App. Ct. 2019). · cites it 16× “Natick police Chief James Hicks (chief) found Nichols to be an "unsuitable" person, see G. L. c. 140, § 131( d ), as appearing in St.”
Frawley v. Police Comm'r of Cambridge, 46 N.E.3d 504 (Mass. 2016). · cites it 5× “Further, he continues, the enabling statute on which the regulations are based, G. L. c. 140, § 131 (r), does not suggest any legislative intent to create an enforceable right.”
Police Comm'r v. Robinson, 716 N.E.2d 652 (Mass. App. Ct. 1999). · cites it 12× “Under the pertinent provisions of G. L. c. 140, § 131, then in effect, 2 the commissioner was required to send *768 Robinson written notice of the revocation and his reason for revoking it.”
Commonwealth v. Jefferson, 461 Mass. 821 (Mass. 2012). · cites it 6× “” Because G. L. c. 140, § 131, governs licenses to carry firearms, and because § 131 does not apply to firearms manufactured before 1900, a person does not need a license to carry a firearm made before 1900.”
Show all 187 citing cases →
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(4) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Farley, 835 N.E.2d 1159 (Mass. App. Ct. 2005). “” G. L. c. 140, § 131, eighth par., as appearing in St.”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(4)(vi) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Farley, 835 N.E.2d 1159 (Mass. App. Ct. 2005). “” G. L. c. 140, § 131, eighth par., as appearing in St.”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(A)(iv) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Monteiro, 913 N.E.2d 900 (Mass. App. Ct. 2009).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(a) — 5 cases
Hightower v. City of Boston, 822 F. Supp. 2d 38 (D. Mass. 2011).
Davis v. Grimes, 9 F. Supp. 3d 12 (D. Mass. 2014).
Stavis v. Carney, 12 Mass. L. Rptr. 3 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2000).
Commonwealth v. Norling, 16 Mass. L. Rptr. 484 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2003).
Commonwealth v. Mokdad, 32 Mass. L. Rptr. 101 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2014).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(b) — 2 cases
Hightower v. City of Boston, 822 F. Supp. 2d 38 (D. Mass. 2011).
Stavis v. Carney, 12 Mass. L. Rptr. 3 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2000).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(d) — 8 cases
Hightower v. City of Boston, 822 F. Supp. 2d 38 (D. Mass. 2011).
Commonwealth v. Farley, 835 N.E.2d 1159 (Mass. App. Ct. 2005). “” G. L. c. 140, § 131, eighth par., as appearing in St.”
Howard v. Chief of Police, 794 N.E.2d 604 (Mass. App. Ct. 2003).
Commonwealth v. Ethan Isert (Mass. Super. Ct. 2024).
Wetherbee v. Costerus, 13 Mass. L. Rptr. 159 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2001).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(d)(i) — 3 cases
Commonwealth v. Farley, 835 N.E.2d 1159 (Mass. App. Ct. 2005). “” G. L. c. 140, § 131, eighth par., as appearing in St.”
Hightower v. City of Boston, 822 F. Supp. 2d 38 (D. Mass. 2011).
Banks v. Town of Plainville (D. Mass. 2020).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(d)(i)(B) — 1 case
Christian Capano v. Michaela Dunne, as She Is Chairperson of the Firearm Licensing Review Bd. (& a Consol. Case) (Mass. Super. Ct. 2021).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(d)(i)(b) — 1 case
Shea v. Benedetti, 32 Mass. L. Rptr. 157 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2014).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(d)(i)(e) — 1 case
Celona v. Erickson, 270 F. Supp. 3d 473 (D. Mass. 2017).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(d)(ii)(E) — 1 case
Celona v. Erickson, 270 F. Supp. 3d 473 (D. Mass. 2017).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(d)(iv) — 2 cases
Commonwealth v. Shane S., a Juv. (Mass. App. Ct. 2017).
Commonwealth v. Ethan Isert (Mass. Super. Ct. 2024).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(d)(l) — 1 case
Wheeler v. Town of Franklin, 15 Mass. L. Rptr. 748 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2003).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(e) — 2 cases
Commonwealth v. Farley, 835 N.E.2d 1159 (Mass. App. Ct. 2005). “” G. L. c. 140, § 131, eighth par., as appearing in St.”
Hightower v. City of Boston, 822 F. Supp. 2d 38 (D. Mass. 2011).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(f) — 10 cases
Giragosian v. Ryan, 547 F.3d 59 (1st Cir. 2008).
McGunigle v. City of Quincy, 835 F.3d 192 (1st Cir. 2016).
Hightower v. City of Boston, 822 F. Supp. 2d 38 (D. Mass. 2011).
Gould v. O'Leary, 291 F. Supp. 3d 155 (D.D.C. 2017).
Wetherbee v. Costerus, 13 Mass. L. Rptr. 159 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2001).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(g) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Farley, 835 N.E.2d 1159 (Mass. App. Ct. 2005). “” G. L. c. 140, § 131, eighth par., as appearing in St.”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(i) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Indrisano, 87 Mass. App. Ct. 709 (Mass. App. Ct. 2015).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(m) — 2 cases
Commonwealth v. Farley, 835 N.E.2d 1159 (Mass. App. Ct. 2005). “” G. L. c. 140, § 131, eighth par., as appearing in St.”
Commonwealth v. Indrisano, 87 Mass. App. Ct. 709 (Mass. App. Ct. 2015).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(q) — 1 case
Christian Capano v. Michaela Dunne, as She Is Chairperson of the Firearm Licensing Review Bd. (& a Consol. Case) (Mass. Super. Ct. 2021).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(á)(iv) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. DePeiza, 848 N.E.2d 419 (Mass. App. Ct. 2006).
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