Timeline & Effective Dates

Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, formerly H.4485

PDF FIle

Administrative Dates

7/18/24 – Bill passed by the MA Senate and MA House of Representatives

7/25/24 – Signed into law by Governor Maura Healey

10/23/24 – 90 days after signing: date that all provisions not otherwise specified, go into effect.

Effective Dates

Assault Style Firearms

7/20/2016 – GOAL thinks this is a meaningless date in the language; coincides with then-Attorney General Healey’s “enforcement notice” regarding so-called enumerated and duplicates and copies of “assault weapons” now referred to as “assault-style firearms” (ASFs) in the new statute.

9/13/1994 – Grandfather date only applies to “pre-ban” “large capacity” magazines. Any such magazines that were possessed within the Commonwealth on or before that date are legal to possess and transfer in the Commonwealth with an LTC.

8/1/24 – Grandfather date for any “assault-style firearms” possessed, purchased and “registered*” on or before 8/1/24 preventing them from being “unlawful” according to the new law. Applies to enumerated ASFs, duplicates and copies, as well as those that meet the new “2 scary features” test; so all ASFs; including unfinished or home-built ASFs.

Licensing

10/23/24 – Possibly * the last day new LTCs and FIDs will be issued in the Commonwealth without a certificate from the state showing that the applicant has taken one of the required training courses under the new curriculum to be established by the Commonwealth. There is no mandatory timeline for the State Police to develop the new curriculum.

*Licenses issued on, or before, 8/1/24 are grandfathered regarding the new training requirements (renewals).

Registration/Serialization

7/25/25 – The state has up to one year to put the registration system in place, but there does not appear to be any grace period for the mandatory registration of firearms on 10/23/24.

10/23/24 – All guns in the Commonwealth that don’t fit specific exemptions must be serialized. If they are not, the state must have a system in place to issue and register new serial numbers to anyone who requests them.

7/25/25 – The DCJIS has up to a year to establish such serial number request and issue system.

Retailers

10/23/24 – Possibly * the last date any retailers can sell ANY firearms, as whether accidentally or not, all firearms, including long guns, are now included in the new definition of “firearm” and “firearms” are subject to the roster regulations.

*It is unclear as to whether the existing rosters will remain in place or if the state will create new rosters.

Semi- Automatics (Excluding ASFs)

10/23/24 – Also, the last date for any and all FID holders, regardless of age, to possess ANY semi-automatic firearm – including rimfire.