Firearms Licensing
Please read the information below before applying!
NEW APPLICANTS: Prior to applying, you must have completed and passed a (Massachusetts) certified firearms safety certificate.
You will be required to submit the following:
- Your completed application
- A copy of your Safety Course Certificate (Not Required for ACTIVE DUTY Military)
- A check or money order $100.00 made payable to “The City of Northampton” (no cash or credit card).
- Proof of residency (a copy of recent utility bill, cell phone bill, or other official document with name proving residency)
- Two typed letters of reference with original signatures. (They cannot be a relative.)
- Your driver’s license/ photo ID (bring with you at the time of your appointment)
The Firearms Clerk will start to process your application and call you to set up an appointment to be fingerprinted and interviewed.
New applicants applying through the portal need to either mail in or drop off the documentation and fee.
Click Here for the Massachusetts Firearm Forms and Applications Page
RENEWAL APPLICATION: – No appointment neccessary
Complete the “Massachusetts License to Carry (LTC)/Firearms Identification Card (FID)” renewal application to include the Affidavit which is located on page 4 of the Application.
- Your completed application
- A check or money order $100.00 made payable to “The City of Northampton” (no cash or credit card).
- Proof of residency (a copy of recent utility bill, cell phone bill, or other official document with name proving residency)
- Two typed letters of reference with original signatures. (They cannot be a relative.)
All applications can be mailed or dropped off to the Northampton Police Department along with the $100 filing fee (NO fee for RENEWALS over 70):
Firearms Licensing
Northampton Police Department
29 Center Street
Northampton, MA 01060
A receipt will be mailed to you that acts as your license until new card is received as long as you have applied prior to the expiration date.
Applicants renewing through the portal need to mail in or drop off the completed and signed affidavit (page 4 of the application), all other required documentation, along with the fee.
ALL APPLICANTS:
A criminal check will be completed. This will determine if you have any criminal matters that would disqualify you from obtaining a permit.
A check with the Department of Mental Health for any involvement will be completed. If you have ever been confined for mental health treatment/substance abuse it could be a reason for denial of your permit.
A check of the Northampton Police Department’s in-house records will be completed.
Note: Business owners are no longer allowed to apply in the city where their business is located. You must apply in the town that you reside.
Note: When completing your application, pay close attention to Question #4. Please understand that the question "Have you ever appeared in any court as a defendant" includes all adult and juvenile appearances. It does not matter when you appeared or if the charges were Dismissed, Continued Without a Finding or any other disposition. YOU MUST WRITE IT DOWN. YOU ARE SIGNING THE APPLICATION UNDER THE PENALTIES OF PERJURY. YOU CAN BE DENIED A LICENSE AND COULD FACE COURT PROSECUTION FOR PERJURY IF NOT ANSWERED TRUTHFULLY.
This licensing authority will issue licenses for All Lawful Purposes
All Firearm Licenses are valid for no more than 6 (six) years and not less than 5 (five) years.
Applicants are advised to submit an application for renewal at least 90 days prior to the expiration date on their license. There is a grace period for expired licenses as long as the application has been submitted prior to the expiration date.
If an application for a license is denied because of either a statutory disqualification or because of a determination by the licensing authority that the applicant is unsuitable to be licensed, the applicant will be notified in writing.
The licenses and a new PIN number will be mailed to the applicant.
If you have any questions regarding firearms licensing, please call 413-587-1141
No application will be processed until all the paperwork and the fee have been received.
Massachusetts Firearms Forms and Applications
Frequently Asked Firearm Questions:
Licensing
Q: Is a license required to possess an air gun (i.e. bb or pellet guns, so-called air rifles or air pistols, paint ball guns) or ammunition therefore (i.e. bb’s, pellets, CO2 cartridges, paint balls)?
A: An FID Card is not required to possess an air gun in Massachusetts. Air guns are regulated by M.G.L. c. 269, §12B which limits their use by minors who are not accompanied by an adult, holding a sporting or hunting license, or holding a permit from the chief of police. Massachusetts law also prohibits anyone from discharging air rifles from across streets, alleys, public ways or railroads or railway right of ways. It should also be noted that an FID Card or an LTC are not required to purchase an air gun or ammunition. As such, the state FA10 form should not be used to record the sale of such air guns.
Q: Can a nonresident obtain a permit to carry a weapon in Massachusetts?
A: M.G.L. c. 140, § 131F allows the Colonel of the State Police or his designee to issue a temporary LTC to nonresidents or persons not falling within the jurisdiction of a local licensing authority. Currently, the Firearms Record Bureau (FRB) has been designated to issue permits to nonresidents. The phone number of the FRB is (617) 660-4780.
Q: Do I need an FID Card or an LTC Firearms to possess a gun in my home?
A: Yes.
Q: Should a valid holder of an LTC renew their FID Card based upon notification from the Criminal History Systems Board that the FID card is about to expire?
A: Not necessarily. An individual with an LTC is not required to maintain an FID Card also, although an individual may hold both. An LTC permits the holder to possess any weapon which would be allowed with an FID Card, as well as additional weapons depending on the Class of License.
Q: Where do I apply for a License to Carry (LTC) or a Firearms Identification (FID) Card?
A: Applications are made to the local police department where the applicant resides. For more specific information on FIDs refer to M.G.L. c. 140, §129B, or for LTCs refer to §131(d).
Address Change
Q: I am changing my address. Who do I notify?
A: Under M.G.L. c. 140, §129B(10), and §131(l), a holder of an FID Card or an LTC must notify, in writing, the licensing authority that issued the Card or License, the chief of police into whose jurisdiction the Card or License holder moves, and the Executive Director of the CHSB. The notice must be made by certified mail within 30 days of its occurrence. Address changes can also be made now through the online portal through Mass.gov.
Purchasing and Selling
Q: How many guns a year can a person sell without being a dealer?
A: Under M.G.L. c. 140, §128A, a properly licensed resident who is not a dealer may sell up to four guns in any one calendar year through a private transfer of ownership.
Q: Should a special form be used when selling guns through a private sale?
A: No. Transfer notification is completed on line at www.mass.gov/firearms-services
Q: Do weapons purchased by Massachusetts residents while in another state have to be reported in Massachusetts?
A: M.G.L. c. 140, §128B, residents who purchase from someone other than a Massachusetts dealer, either within or outside the Commonwealth, must report the purchase within seven days to the FRB at www.mass.gov/firearms-services
Q: Can a Massachusetts resident sell a gun without being a licensed dealer?
A: Yes. Under M.G.L. c. 140, §128A, a Massachusetts resident may sell a gun provided that he lawfully possesses it with an appropriate FID Card or LTC, or is otherwise exempt, and that the person buying the gun is also properly licensed with the appropriate FID Card or LTC (depending on the type of gun being bought).
Safety Locks
Q: Should all weapons sold within the Commonwealth be equipped with a safety lock?
A: M.G.L. c. 140, §131K states that all sales of firearms and large capacity weapons in Massachusetts MUST include a safety device approved by the colonel of state police. This requirement applies to any seller including a wholesaler. The seller is not required to install the device so long as the weapon is accompanied by it. Failure to comply with this provision will constitute a breach of warranty and an unfair trade practice. This section does not apply to non-large capacity rifles and shotguns.
Q: If an individual buys a handgun or large capacity rifle or shotgun from a dealer, can he supply his own trigger lock to avoid paying for a new one from the dealer?
A: No. M.G.L. c. 140, §131K states that a state approved safety device must be sold with the weapon. This places the burden on the dealer to provide the safety device and does not allow the dealer an option of letting the purchaser provide a trigger lock.
Q: Are state-approved trigger locks required any time a trigger lock is used?
A: No. State-approved trigger locks are only required under the provisions of M.G.L. c. 140, §131K which applies to dealers who provide them with handguns and large capacity rifles and shotguns that they sell. State-approved trigger locks are not required in any other section of chapter 140. However, most common trigger locks that would be used to help the gun owner comply with section 131L are likely to be state approved even though that approval is not required
Transporting Firearms
Q: How do I transport a gun in my vehicle?
A: A person with a Class “A” LTC may transport a handgun loaded or unloaded on his person or under his direct control in the vehicle. If the handgun is not under his direct control, it must be unloaded and in a locked case, locked trunk or other secure container. All persons transporting large capacity rifles and shotguns must transport them unloaded and in a locked case, locked trunk or other secure container. Trigger locks do not meet the requirements of securing a weapon during transport in motor vehicle. For more specific information see M.G.L. c. 140, §131C.
Q: Do I need to lock my non-large capacity rifles and shotguns in a case while transporting them in a vehicle?
A: No. They must be transported unloaded, but are not required to be in a locked case while transporting.
Q: Can I leave my gun in my car if I need to go into the store on my way home from the range or from hunting?
A: If your handgun or large capacity rifle or shotgun is transported in accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. c. 140, §131C (i.e. unloaded and in a locked case, locked trunk or other secure container) then the gun may be left unattended in the vehicle. Weapons transported in this manner will automatically be considered “stored or kept” in compliance with the safe storage requirements of §131L. A person leaving a non-large capacity rifle or shotgun in an unattended vehicle is required to lock the rifle or shotgun in a case/container or in the trunk, or install a mechanical locking device on the weapon (i.e. cable or trigger lock).
Restraining Orders
Q: Can an individual who is the subject of a restraining order, seek to have the judge remove the surrender portion of the restraining order with regards to weapons permits so that he/she can possess a weapon?
A: Previously, the surrender order could be lifted by the judge, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 209A, §3C, and guns and permits could be returned even though the restraining order remained in effect. Under recent changes in M.G.L. c. 140, §§129B and 131, the suspension and surrender of a defendant’s FID Card or LTC must continue as long as the underlying restraining order is in effect.