New LTC/FID Application Portal
You may not be aware, but there is a new online portal for applying for or renewing an LTC or FID in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Click Here to Apply for or Renew a Firearms License
Seacoast Firearms Training encourages those in cities and towns with lengthy delays to apply or renew their LTC or FID through this new online application portal. This also includes out-of-state applicants looking to apply for a non-resident permit.
Registering for the portal takes a few minutes and requires details on your current LTC/FID if you have one, or other state-issued credentials if you do not. You will receive an initial email with a temporary password and a validation code email. Wait until you have both emails before setting your password. The initial password and validation code are long and complex, so registering from a computer might be easier than using a mobile phone or tablet.
According to statute, the licensing authority must forward the applicant's fingerprints to the Colonel of the State Police for a background check within 7 days of receiving the completed application and approve or deny the license within 40 days.
Feedback from registrants indicates that the application is marked as "Pending" as soon as you submit it. You will still need to go in person to pay the $100 fee and have your fingerprints taken. However, the FRB and MIRCS consider the submission date to be the application date, starting the clock.
We hope (though not entirely optimistically) that licensing authorities will comply with their statutory obligations.
If the Commonwealth requires lawful firearms owners, and those who wish to be lawful firearms owners, to follow the law, we expect the licensing authorities to do the same.
Acronyms:
- LTC: License to Carry
- FID: Firearms Identification
- FRB: Firearms Records Bureau
- MIRCS: Massachusetts Instant Record Check System