Massachusetts

Key Notes

FID or LTC required to own any firearm. Approved firearms roster for handgun sales. Suppressors restricted to law enforcement.

• •Yes (FID or LTC) Permit to Purchase — A Firearm Identification (FID) card is required for rifles and shotguns; a License to Carry (LTC) is required for handguns. Without one of these, you cannot legally own any firearm.
• •Suppressors banned; SBR/SBS OK (NFA) — Suppressors are restricted to law enforcement only. Short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns are legal with the federal tax stamp and an LTC.
• •Yes (Assault Weapon Ban) — Massachusetts bans assault weapons by name and feature. The AG's 2016 enforcement notice broadened the ban to include 'copies or duplicates' of named weapons.
• •10 rounds (Mag Limit) — Magazines over 10 rounds manufactured after September 13, 1994 are banned. Pre-ban magazines are grandfathered and legal to possess.
• •No (State Preemption) — Massachusetts has no preemption law. Cities and towns can and do pass their own additional firearm regulations.
• •De facto (Firearm Registration) — While there is no formal registry, all sales and transfers are recorded through the state, creating a de facto registration system.