How to Buy a Gun Online in Massachusetts

Massachusetts Gun Shop ships rifles, shotguns and handguns to a Massachusetts FFL that you choose, and sends optics, parts and gear to your door. This page explains how an online order becomes a transfer at a local dealer, and what Massachusetts law requires before a dealer can hand you a firearm.

How ordering online and shipping to a local dealer works

Buying a firearm online in Massachusetts is a two-step process. You order here, and the firearm is shipped to a licensed Massachusetts dealer (FFL) that you choose. The transfer itself happens at that dealer, in person.

Place your order online and choose the licensed dealer who will receive it.
We ship the firearm to that dealer. Handguns, rifles and shotguns go to an FFL, not to your home.
When the firearm arrives, you visit the dealer and show your Firearms Identification card or License to Carry. Before a dealer can hand you anything, that license must be in hand.
The dealer completes the required paperwork, runs the federal background check and records the transfer through the state gun portal.

Optics, parts and most accessories ship directly to your door. Those items do not go through a dealer transfer.

What the Massachusetts rules say

Buying a firearm

Massachusetts is a license state. Before a dealer can hand you anything, you need a Firearms Identification card (FID) or a License to Carry (LTC) issued by the police chief in the city or town where you live. An FID covers rifles and shotguns that are neither large capacity nor semi-automatic, plus ammunition for them. An LTC covers handguns and large capacity firearms, and it is the license most buyers hold.

There is no separate purchase permit and no state waiting period. The dealer must see your license in person, run the federal check and record the transfer through the state gun portal.

Carrying a handgun

Carrying a handgun in Massachusetts, openly or concealed, requires a License to Carry. You apply to your local licensing authority, which is the chief of police in your own city or town. Applicants must be 21, must hold a basic firearms safety certificate and must clear a suitability review. The license runs up to six years. Massachusetts does not recognize permits issued by other states.

A firearm in a vehicle must stay under your direct control or be locked in a case. Schools, government buildings and polling places are off limits.

Handguns on the state roster

Dealers can sell only handguns that appear on the state Approved Handgun Roster and meet the Attorney General's handgun sales regulations at 940 CMR 16.00. The roster is republished several times a year, so check the current version before you choose a handgun.

Hunting rules

Rifles and handguns may not be used for deer anywhere in the Commonwealth. Legal deer firearms are shotguns no larger than 10 gauge and muzzleloaders from .44 to .775 caliber. Sunday hunting is still banned. For 2026, shotgun season runs roughly November 30 to December 12 and primitive firearms season December 14 to 31. Check the current MassWildlife regulations, because season dates change.

Local rules and hunting topics

These points apply wherever you live in the Commonwealth:

Your own city or town, where your local police chief issues your FID or LTC.
Metro areas, where rifles and handguns are still not legal for deer and many towns restrict discharge.
Deer hunting areas, where shotguns, muzzleloaders and archery tackle are the legal options.
Waterfowl hunting, which needs a Massachusetts hunting license, the state waterfowl stamp, HIP registration and a federal duck stamp. Use non-toxic shot and plug the shotgun to three shells.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a license to buy a gun in my city or town?

Yes. Massachusetts requires a Firearms Identification card or a License to Carry before any dealer can transfer a firearm or ammunition to you. The chief of police in your city or town issues it.

Where do I apply for an LTC if I live in my city or town?

You apply to your local licensing authority, which is your city or town police department, not a county office. Applications normally start on the state licensing portal and finish with an in-person appointment.

Can you ship a gun straight to my home?

No. Handguns, rifles and shotguns go to a licensed Massachusetts FFL that you choose, where you show your license and complete the transfer. Optics, parts and most accessories ship to your door.

Which handguns can a dealer actually sell me in Massachusetts?

Only handguns that appear on the state Approved Handgun Roster and meet the Attorney General's handgun sales regulations at 940 CMR 16.00. The roster is republished several times a year, so check the current version.

When is the 2026 shotgun deer season?

Shotgun season runs the two weeks after Thanksgiving, which falls around November 30 to December 12 in 2026, followed by primitive firearms from mid-December to December 31. Confirm the dates with MassWildlife.

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Laws change; confirm current rules with the state agencies named below.

Official sources

Rules and forms come from these agencies. Check them for the current version before you order; last reviewed October 2026.

General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.