Massachusetts residents must apply through the local licensing authority in the city or town where they live. Dartmouth residents should apply through the Dartmouth Police Department. Applications may be completed online through the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal.
|People who live outside Massachusetts should see the nonresident licensing question below.
A first-time LTC or FID applicant must successfully complete a currently approved Massachusetts Basic Firearms Safety Course taught by a certified instructor. The required certificate must be submitted with the application.
Applicants should confirm that the course and instructor are currently approved before enrolling. Renewal applicants generally do not need to submit another Basic Firearms Safety Course certificate.
Create an account through the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal, complete the application, and upload the required documents, including your Basic Firearms Safety Course certificate. You can also submit paper applications which can be found online or in our front lobby.
Dartmouth applicants will then be mailed correspondence which will provide the applicant with specific days of operation in which we will do subsequent fingerprinting. There are no specific appointments for fingerprinting. Please be prepared for brief wait times as we take applicants on a first come, first serve basis.
Complete and submit your renewal application through the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal. Renewal applicants must also complete the required affidavit concerning lost or stolen firearms.
Dartmouth residents should follow the payment and document-submission instructions on the Renewal Applicants page.
When a renewal application is submitted before expiration, the existing LTC or FID generally remains valid for lawful purposes until the renewal is approved or denied. The ideal time for application submission is approximately 4-6 weeks prior to expiration. If applications are submitted too early, they will be archived until the appropriate time. Submitting too early causes confusion, resulting in destruction of the old license, leaving the applicant with a new license that remains inactive until the previous one expires.
No. Dartmouth renewal applicants do not ordinarily need an appointment. After submitting the application through MIRCS or to the front lobby, follow the payment and document-submission instructions on the Renewal Applicants page.
The standard fee for an adult resident LTC or FID application or renewal is $100.
Renewal applicants over age 70 do not pay a renewal fee. An FID application for a person under age 18 costs $25. Different fees may apply to certain active or retired law-enforcement applicants.
Applicants who applied online may check their application status through the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal.
Applicants may also call the Massachusetts Firearms License Application Status Hotline at (617) 660-4722. Have your full name, date of birth, and driver’s license number available. You can also send us an email at firearms@dartmouthpolice.gov.
You must report your new address electronically through the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal within 30 days of moving. Your issuing authority will remain the same until the license expires.
No. You must apply for or renew a resident firearms license through the licensing authority in the specific Massachusetts city or town where you currently live.
A legal name change should be reported through the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal. Supporting documentation may be required.
Contact the firearms licensing authority that issued your license as soon as possible and request instructions for obtaining a replacement.
Dartmouth license holders should contact the Dartmouth Police Department Firearms Licensing Office. Generally, there is no additional fee for a replacement license. You can reach us at firearms@dartmouthpolice.gov
Report the loss or theft as soon as possible to the law-enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the location where it occurred.
You must also report the firearm through the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal within seven days. The electronic system provides notification to the appropriate licensing authorities. The report should include a complete description of the firearm, including its make, model, serial number, caliber, and whether it is a large-capacity firearm.
Not unless that community is also your primary residence. A resident application must be submitted to the licensing authority in the city or town where the applicant lives. The law no longer allows application based on business ownership.
The Dartmouth Police Department processes firearms-license applications but cannot provide private legal advice about a particular firearm, magazine, configuration, or transaction.
Questions about a specific firearm or proposed transaction should be directed to the Massachusetts Firearms Records Bureau, a licensed Massachusetts firearms dealer, or qualified legal counsel.
A firearm that is not being carried by or kept under the control of the owner or another lawful user must be secured in accordance with Massachusetts law.
This generally means placing it in a locked container or securing it with a properly engaged tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other qualifying safety device that renders the firearm inoperable to an unauthorized person.
Transportation requirements depend on the type of firearm and the license held.
A loaded firearm carried in a vehicle must remain under the direct control of the properly licensed person. A large-capacity rifle or shotgun must be unloaded and secured in a locked container. Any firearm left in the vehicle and no longer under the person’s direct control must be secured in accordance with Massachusetts storage law. A firearm that is not being carried by or kept under the control of the owner or another lawful user must be secured in accordance with Massachusetts law.
This generally means placing it in a locked container or securing it with a properly engaged tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other qualifying safety device that renders the firearm inoperable to an unauthorized person.
A firearm left unattended in a vehicle is considered stored or kept and must be secured in accordance with Massachusetts law.
It must be placed in a qualifying locked container or secured with an appropriate locking device that renders it inoperable. A firearm should never be left loose, visible, or unsecured inside a vehicle.
A private firearm sale or transfer must be conducted and reported through the Massachusetts electronic firearms transaction system before or at the time of the transaction.
Both parties must hold the licenses or permits required for the firearm and satisfy all applicable transaction requirements. A pin number assigned when the license is issued is usually required. A firearm left unattended in a vehicle is considered stored or kept and must be secured in accordance with Massachusetts law.
It must be placed in a qualifying locked container or secured with an appropriate locking device that renders it inoperable. A firearm should never be left loose, visible, or unsecured inside a vehicle.
An heir or devisee who receives a firearm through the distribution of an estate generally has 60 days to register it through the Massachusetts electronic firearms registration system.
Additional information regarding Massachusetts firearms laws, firearms licensing, the MIRCS Unified Gun Portal, private firearms transactions, nonresident licensing, approved firearms safety courses, and other firearms-related services can be found on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Firearms Services website:
https://www.mass.gov/firearms-services