IMPORTANT: This page is intended to provide an introduction to the Massachusetts General Laws regarding firearms, hunting, and fishing licenses. It is NOT intended to act a legal advise, council, or direction. For more information regarding the legal aspects of this subject matter please review the Massachusetts General Laws and/or if you are in need of legal advice or counsel, consult a lawyer.
Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping Licenses
License Type | Fee * |
| Residents | |
| Resident Citizen/Alien Fishing ** | $29.00 |
| Resident Citizen Minor Fishing (Age 15-17) | $13.00 |
| Resident Citizen Fishing (Age 65-69) | $17.75 |
| Resident Citizen Fishing (Age 70+ and Paraplegic) | FREE |
| Resident Citizen/Alien Fishing (3 day) | $14.00 |
| Resident Citizen Hunting | $29.00 |
| Resident Citizen Hunting (Age 65-69) | $17.75 |
| Resident Citizen Hunting (Paraplegic) | FREE |
| Resident Citizen Minor Hunting (Age 15-17) | $13.00 |
| Resident Citizen/Alien Commercial Shooting Preserve (1 day) | $11.50 |
| Resident Citizen Sporting (Fishing & Hunting) | $46.50 |
| Resident Citizen Sporting (Age 65-69) | $26.50 |
| Resident Citizen Sporting (Age 70+) | FREE |
| Resident Citizen Minor Sporting (Age 15-17) | $14.50 |
| Resident Citizen Trapping | $37.00 |
| Resident Citizen Minor Trapping (Age 15-17) | $14.50 |
| Resident Citizen Trapping (Age 65-69) | $37.00 |
Non-Residents | |
| Non-Resident Citizen/Alien Fishing | $39.00 |
| Non-Resident Citizen/Alien Fishing (3 day) | $25.00 |
| Non-Resident Citizen/Alien Minor Fishing (Age 15-17) | $13.00 |
| Non-Resident Citizen/Alien Hunting (Big Game) | $101.00 |
| Non-Resident Citizen/Alien Hunting (Small Game) | $67.00 |
| Non-Resident Citizen/Alien Commercial Shooting Preserve (1 day) | $11.50 |
| Non-Resident Trapping (Contact Boston office for Application) | $N/A |
Duplicates | |
| Duplicate Fishing | $4.00 |
| Duplicate Hunting | $4.00 |
| Duplicate Trapping | $4.00 |
Stamps | |
| Archery Stamp | $5.10 |
| Waterfowl Stamp | $5.00 |
| Primitive Firearms Stamp | $5.10 |
* There is a $1.50 service fee included in the price of all licenses, therefore, fees may differ at other locations.
** These fees are for freshwater fishing. For saltwater fishing informaton, see the Division of Marine Fisheries.
All licenses expire at 23:59:59 on 31 December of the year of issue.
All licenses include a $5.00 Wildlands Conservation Stamp fee. All Massachusetts residents must pay this fee for the first license they purchase each year, Non-residents, however, must pay this fee for every license they purchase.
Fees indicated are for calendar year 2010.
State abstracts can be found here http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/abstracts/abstracts.htm
Due to typographical errors and/or possible changes in availablity and/or price all information above is for general reference only and does not imply any guarantees.
Gun Licenses
Appling for a LTC or FID requires going to your local police station. From there the local policy may vary, from filling out and application and returning it to scheduling a time to do the application and finger printing.
Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 140, Section 121 thru 136:
FID Cards.(MGL C140, S129B)
FID Info to follow...
LTC Class A.(MGL C140, S131)
Section 131. All licenses to carry firearms shall be designated Class A or Class B, and the issuance and possession of any such license shall be subject to the following conditions and restrictions: (a) A Class A license shall entitle a holder thereof to purchase, rent, lease, borrow, possess and carry: (i) firearms, including large capacity firearms, and feeding devices and ammunition therefor, for all lawful purposes, subject to such restrictions relative to the possession, use or carrying of firearms as the licensing authority deems proper; and (ii) rifles and shotguns, including large capacity weapons, and feeding devices and ammunition therefor, for all lawful purposes; provided, however, that the licensing authority may impose such restrictions relative to the possession, use or carrying of large capacity rifles and shotguns as it deems proper. A violation of a restriction imposed by the licensing authority under the provisions of this paragraph shall be cause for suspension or revocation and shall, unless otherwise provided, be punished by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000; provided, however, that the provisions of section 10 of chapter 269 shall not apply to such violation.
LTC Class B.(MGL C140, S131)
(b) A Class B license shall entitle a holder thereof to purchase, rent, lease, borrow, possess and carry: (i) non-large capacity firearms and feeding devices and ammunition therefor, for all lawful purposes, subject to such restrictions relative to the possession, use or carrying of such firearm as the licensing authority deems proper; provided, however, that a Class B license shall not entitle the holder thereof to carry or possess a loaded firearm in a concealed manner in any public way or place; and provided further, that a Class B license shall not entitle the holder thereof to possess a large capacity firearm, except under a Class A club license issued under this section or under the direct supervision of a holder of a valid Class A license at an incorporated shooting club or licensed shooting range; and (ii) rifles and shotguns, including large capacity rifles and shotguns, and feeding devices and ammunition therefor, for all lawful purposes; provided, however, that the licensing authority may impose such restrictions relative to the possession, use or carrying of large capacity rifles and shotguns as he deems proper. A violation of a restriction provided under this paragraph, or a restriction imposed by the licensing authority under the provisions of this paragraph, shall be cause for suspension or revocation and shall, unless otherwise provided, be punished by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000; provided, however, that the provisions of section 10 of chapter 269 shall not apply to such violation. A Class B license shall not be a valid license for the purpose of complying with any provision under this chapter governing the purchase, sale, lease, rental or transfer of any weapon or ammunition feeding device if such weapon is a large capacity firearm or if such ammunition feeding device is a large capacity feeding device for use with a large capacity firearm, both as defined in section 121. (c) Either a Class A or Class B license shall be valid for the purpose of owning, possessing, purchasing and transferring non-large capacity rifles and shotguns, and for purchasing and possessing chemical mace, pepper spray or other similarly propelled liquid, gas or powder designed to temporarily incapacitate, consistent with the entitlements conferred by a firearm identification card issued under section 129B.
Loan of money secured by weapons.(MGL C140, S131B)
Section 131B. Whoever loans money secured by mortgage, deposit or pledge of a firearm, rifle, shotgun or machine gun shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both; provided, however that nothing herein shall prohibit a bank or other institutional lender from loaning money secured by a mortgage, deposit, or pledge of a firearm, rifle, shotgun or machine gun to a manufacturer, wholesaler, or dealer of firearms, rifles, or shotguns. The provisions of section one hundred and twenty-three shall not be applicable to any such mortgage, deposit or pledge unless or until the lender takes possession of the collateral upon default or the collateral is removed from the premises of the debtor.
Carrying of firearms in a vehicle.(MGL C140, S131C)
No person carrying a loaded firearm under a Class A license issued under section 131 or 131F shall carry the same in a vehicle unless such firearm while carried therein is under the direct control of such person. A person with a Class A LTC may carry a loaded firearm in a vehicle provided that the weapon is under and remains under their direct control. Note that this is usually interpreted to mean on their person such as in a holster. Section 131C. (a) No person carrying a loaded firearm under a Class A license issued under section 131 or 131F shall carry the same in a vehicle unless such firearm while carried therein is under the direct control of such person. Whoever violates the provisions of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of $500. (b) No person carrying a firearm under a Class B license issued under section 131 or 131F shall possess the same in a vehicle unless such weapon is unloaded and contained within the locked trunk of such vehicle or in a locked case or other secure container. Whoever violates the provisions of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of $500. (c) No person possessing a large capacity rifle or shotgun under a Class A or Class B license issued under section 131 or 131F shall possess the same in a vehicle unless such weapon is unloaded and contained within the locked trunk of such vehicle or in a locked case or other secure container. Whoever violates the provisions of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000. (d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to (i) any officer, agent or employee of the commonwealth or any state or the United States; (ii) any member of the military or other service of any state or of the United States; (iii) any duly authorized law enforcement officer, agent or employee of any municipality of the commonwealth; provided, however, that any such person described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, is authorized by a competent authority to carry or possess the weapon so carried or possessed and is acting within the scope of his duties. (e) A conviction of a violation of this section shall be reported forthwith by the court or magistrate to the licensing authority who shall immediately revoke the card or license of the person so convicted. No new such card or license may be issued to any such person until one year after the date of revocation.
Sale or possession of electrical weapons.(MGL C140, S131J)
Section 131J. No person shall possess a portable device or weapon from which an electrical current, impulse, wave or beam may be directed, which current, impulse, wave or beam is designed to incapacitate temporarily, injure or kill, except: (1) a federal, state or municipal law enforcement officer, or member of a special reaction team in a state prison or designated special operations or tactical team in a county correctional facility, acting in the discharge of his official duties who has completed a training course approved by the secretary of public safety in the use of such a devise or weapon designed to incapacitate temporarily; or (2) a supplier of such devices or weapons designed to incapacitate temporarily, if possession of the device or weapon is necessary to the supply or sale of the device or weapon within the scope of such sale or supply enterprise. No person shall sell or offer for sale such device or weapon, except to federal, state or municipal law enforcement agencies. A device or weapon sold under this section shall include a mechanism for tracking the number of times the device or weapon has been fired. The secretary of public safety shall adopt regulations governing who may sell or offer to sell such devices or weapons in the commonwealth and governing law enforcement training on the appropriate use of portable electrical weapons.
