As we continue our two-part series answering common questions about Massachusetts Gun Laws, we remind our readers that all gun laws can be found on the Mass.gov site where you can contact the Firearms Record Bureau with any questions you may have specific to your gun ownership, possession, and use.
What Laws Regulate Travel with a Firearm in Massachusetts?
The State of Massachusetts regulates how gun owners can travel with a firearm in the vehicle with them. According to MA law, “A person possessing a license to carry may carry a loaded handgun or short-barreled firearm in a vehicle only if the weapon is under his or her direct control.”
Additionally, a person licensed to carry may possess a large-capacity rifle or shotgun in a vehicle only if the weapon is unloaded and contained within the locked trunk or in a locked case or other secure container.
The laws regarding travel with a firearm can be confusing. In short, if you keep the firearm unloaded, and locked in a case in the trunk or rear storage compartment of a truck or SUV you will comply with the current law. For more information about specifics regarding firearms while traveling visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/gun-ownership-in-massachusetts.
How Can Owners Practice Safe Gun Storage?
Keeping guns away from children should be of paramount importance to gun owners. The statistics regarding child and adolescent deaths due to guns is astonishing.
According to the Everytown for Gun Safety 2024 report, “Guns are the 4th-leading cause of death among children and teens in Massachusetts. In Massachusetts, an average of 17 children and teens die by guns every year, of which 25% of these deaths are suicides and 73% are homicides.”
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 140, Section 131L covers the storage and keeping of firearms, rifles, shotguns, stun guns, and machine guns. The law states that guns must be stored in a way that makes them inaccessible to anyone other than the owner or a licensed user.
Child safety advocates suggest storing firearms outside the home and in a secure storage unit. Jeep ammunition in a separate storage area away from the firearm and be sure that it is stored unloaded.
Can a non-resident or non-citizen obtain a license to carry a firearm in Massachusetts?
The Firearms Records Bureau does issue a non-resident License To Carry as the designee of the Colonel of the State Police.
Resident Aliens(Green Card holders) or non-citizens can also apply for an LTC or FID card through their local police departments. Individuals with any other type of immigration papers (such as student or work VISAs) can apply for a resident alien permit to possess non-large capacity rifles and shotguns through the Firearms Records Bureau. Additional information about the licensing process can be found HERE.
For more information about firearm requirements, disqualifiers and charges, contact the team at the Law Office of Patrick Conway in Salem, Massachusetts.