The Massachusetts firearm registration deadline is October 28, 2026. By that date, gun owners must make sure their firearms are registered in the state’s electronic firearms registration system, run through the MIRCS firearms portal. This requirement comes from Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, the law that overhauled firearms regulation across the Commonwealth. Missing the deadline is not a paperwork slip-up. It carries criminal penalties, and it can put your license at risk.
Here is what every Massachusetts gun owner needs to know before the deadline arrives.
What Firearms Must Be Registered?
Chapter 135 requires registration of every firearm possessed, manufactured, or assembled in Massachusetts. That includes the obvious categories: handguns, rifles, shotguns, and large-capacity firearms, whether loaded or unloaded.
It also reaches further than many owners expect. The law expanded the definition of “firearm” to cover frames and receivers, including unfinished frames and receivers. So a stripped lower or a partially built component can count as a firearm that needs to be registered, even though it cannot fire on its own.
If a firearm does not yet have a valid serial number, the state requires you to get one before you can register it. This mainly affects privately made firearms, sometimes called “ghost guns,” and older firearms that were never serialized. You request a unique serial number through the state, have it permanently engraved or embedded, and then complete the registration. The serialization deadline matches the registration deadline.
Which Firearms Are Exempt From The Registration Deadline?
Not every gun owner has to scramble. The most important exemption covers firearms that the state already has on record. If you bought a handgun from a Massachusetts dealer, the dealer reported that transaction, so a record already exists in the state system. Firearms already recorded in MIRCS or the older state systems generally do not need to be registered again.
This is why the deadline matters most for firearms the state has no record of, such as privately made firearms or guns that were never entered into the system. To be safe, log in to your account and confirm your firearms actually appear there. Records from the old system are still being migrated, and a missing entry is easier to fix now than after the deadline.
Other firearms fall outside the requirement entirely. The law does not apply to antique firearms or permanently inoperable firearms. It also carves out narrow situations, including firearms turned over to law enforcement for destruction, firearms carried by nonresidents lawfully passing through the state with proper storage, and short-term loans to a licensed person for less than seven days. If you are unsure whether a specific item must be registered, it is worth asking before you guess.
What Happens If You Miss The Massachusetts Firearm Registration Deadline?
The penalties climb with each violation. A first offense brings a fine of up to $1,000. A second offense raises the fine to as much as $7,500 and can include up to six months in jail. A third or later offense carries a fine of up to $10,000 and a prison term of one to five years. On top of the criminal exposure, failing to comply can lead to suspension or permanent revocation of your license, card, or permit.
In plain terms: an unregistered firearm can turn a law-abiding owner into a criminal defendant. That is a serious risk for something that, in most cases, takes a few minutes to fix.
What Should You Do Now?
Start by creating a MyMassGov account, which you need to reach the registration portal. Then review every firearm you own and confirm each one is either already on record with the state or registered before October 28, 2026. Pay special attention to privately made firearms and any older guns that may never have been serialized, since those take extra steps and time.
If you are uncertain about your obligations or if you are already facing a charge for an unregistered firearm, do not wait. The Law Office of Matthew W. Peterson helps gun owners across Eastern Massachusetts understand these requirements and defend against firearms charges. If you are facing a criminal charge, the firm offers a free consultation. Call or text 617-295-7500, or send us a message below.
