If you wish to buy, possess, own, carry, or transport a large- or non-large-capacity handguns, shotguns, rifles, and feeding devices in Massachusetts, you must first obtain a License to Carry (LTC) if you are at least 21 years of age or a Firearm Identification (FID) card if you are at least 18 years old. Open carry and concealed carry are both legal in the state for individuals with a Class A unrestricted license to carry firearms (LTC-A).
Residents can get an LTC at their local police station, while non-residents can get it from the Firearms Records Bureau in Chelsea. Before you can obtain an LTC, you must take a state-approved firearms training course.
The police or licensing authority may issue an LTC to those who meet the following requirements:
- A lawful resident or business owner in the city or state
- At least 21 years old
- A U.S. citizen
- Hasn’t been convicted of a felony or adjudicated as a delinquent child or youthful offender
- Hasn’t been issued a restraining order
- Hasn’t been discharged from the U.S. military due to dishonorable reasons
- Not subject to a warrant or considered a fugitive
The police station or the licensing authority has 40 days from the date an application was submitted to approve or deny an LTC application. Additional training is not required to renew an LTC.
Possessing a handgun, shotgun, or rifle at home or work without an LTC or FID carries a maximum five-year jail sentence. Possessing a loaded firearm while under the influence is punishable by a maximum two-and-a-half-year jail sentence, while carrying a loaded shotgun or rifle in public results in maximum two-year jail term.
If you have been charged with a gun crime in Boston, contact Brad Bailey Law today at (617) 500-0252 and request a free consultation.