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Criminal Attorney Bonavita is a skilled litigator with extensive courtroom experience. As a former Criminal Prosecutor for both the Office of the
Attorney General and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, she successfully argued her perspective to either a judge or jury on hundreds of occasions.

Carrying Guns Possession Laws

Carrying Guns Possession Laws

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Massachusetts Carrying Guns & Possession Laws

Massachusetts has a number of very specific, and very stringent, laws regarding gun possession, beginning with the requirement to be licensed by the state to purchase firearms and ammunition.  Those licenses are issued upon successful completion of a state-approved firearm safety course.  They are also “may issue” state, except in the case of FID’s, which are “shall issue,” so that once the state requirements are met, the issuing agency may still refuse to grant a license at their own discretion.

There are four possible licenses that can be issued, each lasting 6 years, including:

  • Firearm Identification License (FID), which only permits ownership of long arms, which are defined as rifles or shotguns) that hold ten rounds of ammunition or less.
  • Class B License to Carry, authorizes the ownership of non large-capacity handguns, but place certain restrictions on the possession, use and carrying of said handgun. This license does not permit concealed weapons and the weapons must be unloaded and in a locked case when carried in the gun holder’s vehicle .
  • Class A License to Carry, which allows any capacity handgun or long gun, with the ability to carry concealed weapons.
  • Machine gun license, which can only be issued to a firearms instructor certified by the Criminal Justice Training Council or a proven collector who can only use the gun for historical information and appreciation, display, research, demonstration, teaching, test firing, investment, or similar activities.

Ownership is restricted from those persons who have a disqualifying conviction, who have been confined for mental illness or confined and treated for drug addiction or alcohol abuse, who are fugitives, who have had a domestic protective order issued against them, are under 15, or are more than 15 but less than 18 and have not obtained parental or guardian permission.

All licensed firearms are to be stored or carried in a locked container or with a trigger lock.  The one exception is the Class A unrestricted license for handguns and it requires the handgun be under the owner’s control at all times.

Collateral Penalties & Regulations for Unlawful Possession

  • Any individual who is unable to produce the required FID card or license upon demand by a law enforcement official may be required to forfeit their firearm.  They may be able to reclaim it if they can produce their license within 30 days.
  • Any individual found to be carrying an unsecured firearm may have their license revoked and their weapon confiscated.

Requirements for Possession: For Firearm, Shotgun, and Rifle Possession in the state of Massachusetts

Age Registration License Permit
FID (Non-large capacity rifles or shotguns 15 to 18 years old w/parental permission None required Required for carry Required for carry
Class A (any large capacity handgun, shotgun, or rifle) 21 years of age None required Required for carry Required for carry
Class B (any non-large capacity handgun, or large capacity rifle or shotgun) 21 years of age None required Required for carry Required for carry

Purchasing Guns

In the state of Massachusetts, no weapon can be purchased without a duly granted license or FID card and successful completion of a state-approved firearm safety course.

The U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of American citizens to bear arms.  There have been numerous attempts to limit gun ownership, resulting in an ever-changing landscape concerning gun legislation.  While federal law certifies the right of citizens to own and carry weapons under certain conditions, most of the specific laws concerning firearms are made and enforced in the individual states.  Massachusetts is a “may issue” state, giving law enforcement officials more discretion in granting permits.

Communities Served By Criminal Attorney Bonavita
Essex CountySuffolk CountyMiddlesex County

SUFFOLK COUNTY

suffolk county criminal attorney

Boston
Dorchester
Hyde Park
Jamaica Plain
Roxbury
South Boston
West Roxbury
Charlestown
Chelsea
Revere
Winthrop

MIDDLESEX COUNTY

middlesex county criminal attorney

Acton
Arlington
Ashby
Ashland
Ayer
Bedford
Belmont
Billerica
Boxborough
Burlington
Cambridge
Carlisle
Chelmsford
Concord
Dracut
Dunstable
Everett
Framingham
Groton
Holliston
Hopkinton
Hudson
Lexington
Lincoln
Littleton
Lowell
Malden
Marlborough
Maynard
Medord
Melrose 

Natick 
Newton 
North Reading
Marlborough
Maynard
Medord
Melrose
Natick
Newton
North Reading
Pepperell
Reading
Sherborn
Shirley
Somerville
Stoneham
Stow
Sudbury
Tewksbury
Townsend
Tyngsborough
Wakefield
Waltham
Watertown
Wayland
Westford
Weston
Wilmington
Winchester
Woburn

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    Law Office Of Attorney Kristen Bonavita Address: 6 Harris Street, Newburyport, MA 01950 Phone: 978-376-6746
    Massachusetts Criminal Lawyer Kristen Bonavita serves the following communities: Andover, Amesbury, Beverly, Boxford, Danvers, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Groveland, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lawrence, Lynn, Lynnfield, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Nahant, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Peabody, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Saugus, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wenham, West Newbury, Boston Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, South Boston, West Roxbury, Charlestown, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop, Acton, Arlington, Ashby, Ashland, Ayer, Bedford, Belmont, Billerica, Boxborough, Burlington, Cambridge, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Everett, Framingham, Groton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Lowell, Malden, Marlborough, Maynard, Medord, Melrose, Natick, Newton, North Reading, Marlborough, Maynard, Medord, Melrose, Natick, Newton, North Reading, Pepperell, Reading, Sherborn, Shirley, Somerville, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Westford, Weston, Wilmington, Winchester, Woburn.
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