How to get your LTC or FID in Massachusetts

Three steps. That's the whole process.

People think this is complicated. It's three things, in order — and the only one we do is the middle one.

1 You · free · 30 seconds

Check you qualify

Seven things Massachusetts cares about — age, residency, record. No point paying for a class if the answer is no.

Check now
2 Us · 4–5 hours · one visit · the part we do

Take the license class

The state-approved safety course. Classroom and live fire on our indoor range, same day. License or your money back.

See class dates
3 You · your police department

Apply

With your own department. They set the process, the fee and the timeline — so ask them early. This step is yours, not ours.

What that involves
First, which one

LTC or FID?

Most people want this one

LTC

License to Carry · 21+

  • Handguns, rifles and shotguns
  • Concealed carry
  • Both our classes qualify you for it
The other one

FID

Firearms Identification Card · 15+

  • Rifles and shotguns only
  • No handguns, no concealed carry
  • Same safety course requirement
Step 1

Do you qualify?

Four things must be true. Three must not.

21 or older15+ for an FID card
US citizen or permanent residentGreen card counts
No MA residency neededNon-residents apply through the Firearms Records Bureau
Your city must consider youThe new law stops towns issuing restricted licenses
No felony convictionSome crimes disqualify — read the full list
No active restraining orderExpired is different — call us
No MA DUI/OUI after 1994Convicted after 1994 in MA — most likely denied
Not ruled mentally unfit by a courtA court ruling — not treatment or a diagnosis
Not sure about something in your record? Our thirty-second check walks the same list. If it flags something, call before you write yourself off — sealed cases and expired orders often sit differently than a yes-or-no question suggests.
Check if I qualify Full disqualifier list
Step 2 — the part we do

Same four to five hours. Pick how far it reaches.

You take one of these, once. Same four to five hours, same live fire, both approved under the new Massachusetts gun laws (Course LTC035). The only difference is how many states your license reaches.

Carry in Massachusetts

Basic Firearm Safety Course

$249per seat · 4–5 hours · one visit

  • Everything Massachusetts requires before you apply
  • Live fire on our indoor range — included
  • Real firearms, ear and eye protection, all provided
  • Runs morning, afternoon and evening
See dates — $249 Full details
Best value
MA + 38 other states · most popular

39 State Multi License Course

$349per seat · 4-5 hours · one visit · includes the MA LTC

  • Six state courses in one sitting — MA, ME, NH, CT, PA, FL
  • Here it is $100 more, once, on the date you already picked
  • Same live fire, same range, same instructor
See dates — $349 Full details
39 State Multi License Course

What states can I carry in?

Map of the United States. States where a Boston Firearms Multi License holder can carry are green; states that do not honour these licenses are red.
Carry allowed (YES)

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Rhode Island applicants are required to take a shooting qualification test. Boston Firearms does not provide this test — we tell you where to take it.

See every state, one by one →
Carry allowed (NO)

California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, New York City, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington.

Reciprocity changes — check before you travel.

See every state, one by one →
The maths

Six states' course requirements, in one visit, for $349 — instead of $1,249+.

Reserve your seat — $349
In the four to five hours

What you actually learn.

  • Massachusetts firearms law, and how the license process works
  • The parts of a firearm and how it operates
  • Safe storage at home
  • Transporting and travelling with a firearm
  • Ammunition
  • Marksmanship basics — grip, stance, sight picture
  • Cleaning and maintenance
  • Live fire on our indoor range, instructor behind you
Students at the Boston Firearms classroom benches, each handling a revolver under instruction.
Live fire

Live fire is included in our class. Not every course does that.

Massachusetts lets a safety course pass you without ever shooting. Ours puts a real firearm in your hands on our indoor range, with an instructor behind you — and everything you'd otherwise rent is already in your seat.

See class dates
Step 3

Applying is your step.

Massachusetts licenses are issued by the police department where you live. They run the application, the interview, the fee and the timeline — and departments differ, sometimes a lot.

To be clear about what we do and don't do. We teach the course and the law that Massachusetts requires you to complete before you apply. We are not part of your application and we do not file it with you — that is between you and your department.
Questions

The ones we get asked most.

Is this course up to date with the new MA law?
Yes — approved under the new Massachusetts gun laws: Course LTC035, Massachusetts Pistol License Course. It includes live fire.
How many times do I have to come?
Once. We do recommend you keep practising afterwards, but the license class is a single four-to-five-hour visit.
Do I need my own firearm?
No — and please do not bring one. We provide the firearm, the ammunition and your ear and eye protection. Never come to class with your own firearm, especially if you are travelling from out of state. Bring a photo ID and wear closed-toe shoes.
Do I have to be a US citizen?
No — a permanent resident is fine.
Do I have to live in the states I want a license for?
No.
What if I have a DUI or OUI?
If it was after 1994 in Massachusetts and you were convicted, you will most likely be denied.
What if I have a restraining order?
If it is not currently active you may still have a chance of being approved. Call the school and we can tell you more.
What if I have a medical marijuana card?
You can still get your license, but federal law prevents you from purchasing a firearm to protect yourself.
I have a conviction or an arrest on my record. Does that stop me?
Certain crimes disqualify you and it is worth reading the full list rather than guessing. GOAL publishes it — start here.
What about constitutional carry states?
States like New Hampshire that allow constitutional carry need no application from you — they are already inside the 39+ reciprocity count. We still recommend getting the Maine and New Hampshire non-resident licenses.
I already have my MA LTC. Can I still take the Multi course?
Yes. And if you took your MA LTC course with us, we give you a discount.
Can I take the class in a language other than English?
The class itself is taught in English. Your prep video is recorded in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Mandarin, so you can go through the whole course in your own language first.

Ready for the class?

Four to five hours, live fire included. Then you apply with your department.

See class dates Check if I qualify
Getting here

Ten minutes from Boston. Free parking.

151 Bow Street, Unit 2
Everett, MA 02149

Classroom and indoor range in the same building. Free parking on site, accessible by public transport.