Citation(s) from the GunPolicy.org literature library
Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 2024 ‘Firearm Prohibitions in Massachusetts.’ Who Can Have a Gun. San Francisco, CA: Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 4 December
Relevant contents
Prohibited Purchasers Generally in Massachusetts
Federal law prohibits certain persons from purchasing or possessing firearms, such as felons, certain domestic abusers, and certain people with a history of mental illness.
Massachusetts requires any prospective purchaser of a firearm to obtain a license. These licenses may not be issued to any person who:
- Has been convicted of (or adjudicated as a youthful offender or delinquent child for the commission of) a:
Felony; Misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for more than two years; Violent crime as defined by Massachusetts law to include only crimes punishable by a term exceeding one year, or certain acts of juvenile delinquency; Violation of any law regulating the use, possession, ownership, transfer, purchase, sale, lease, rental, receipt or transportation of weapons or ammunition for which a term of imprisonment may be imposed; or Violation of any law regulating the use, possession or sale of controlled substances;
- Has been confined to any hospital or institution for mental illness, unless the applicant submits a physician's affidavit attesting that he or she is familiar with the applicant and that the applicant is not disabled by such an illness in a manner that would prevent him or her from possessing a firearm;
- Is or has been under treatment or confinement for drug addiction or habitual drunkenness unless the applicant is deemed to be cured of such condition by a licensed physician, in which case he or she may make application for a license after the expiration of five years from the date of such confinement or treatment and upon presentation of an affidavit issued by the physician to the effect that the physician knows the applicant's history of treatment and that in the physician's opinion the applicant is deemed cured;
- Is an alien;
- Is currently subject to orders for suspension or surrender of firearms because of domestic abuse, or permanent or temporary protection orders; or
- Is currently the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant in any state or federal jurisdiction…
[Editor's note: The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence regularly updates its webpages with new data as US gun regulation evolves state by state. For the most up-to-date information on US gun laws, please refer to the Giffords URL below]