Non-Resident permit · ND → MA
Is a North Dakota Non-Resident Permit Valid in Massachusetts?
Not recognizedVerified 2026-08-08
Your permit stops at the state line. Massachusetts recognizes no North Dakota non-resident permit, and without a Massachusetts-issued license there is no lawful way for a visitor to carry concealed.
Why
- Massachusetts does not recognize any out-of-state carry permit.
Mass.gov firearms FAQ: 'No. Massachusetts does not have reciprocity with any other states.' The former MGL c.140 §131G exemption letting non-residents with home-state permits carry for competition/hunting was REPEALED by Ch. 135 of the Acts of 2024, effective Oct 2, 2024 — no out-of-state permit is valid in MA for any purpose.
The permit (North Dakota)
- Permit
- North Dakota Concealed Weapon License — Class 1 Firearm License
- Issued by
- Director of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (Office of Attorney General)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Non-residents qualify only if they are (a) full-time active military stationed in ND, or (b) a resident of a state that has reciprocity with ND who holds a valid home-state license (NDCC 62.1-04-03(1)(b)); all testing must be completed inside North Dakota.
The destination (Massachusetts)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- 10 rounds
Carry rules in Massachusetts
Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter Massachusetts, these rules replace the ones you know from North Dakota.
- No Massachusetts statute imposes a proactive duty to tell an officer you are carrying; carry the LTC when carrying and present it on lawful demand.
- Massachusetts limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Massachusetts is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Massachusetts recognizes.
- An LTC is required to have a loaded handgun in a vehicle, and MGL c.140 §131C requires it to be under the licensee's direct control or secured in a locked container.
Off-limits places in Massachusetts
- Elementary/secondary schools, colleges and universities without written authorization (MGL c.269 §10(j))
- Government administrative, judicial/court and correctional buildings, including grounds and parking areas (MGL c.269 §10(k), added by Ch. 135 of 2024)
- Polling places, early voting sites (within 150 ft of entrance) and ballot storage/tabulation locations in use (MGL c.269 §10(k))
Frequently asked questions
- Is a North Dakota non-resident permit valid in Massachusetts?
- Your permit stops at the state line. Massachusetts recognizes no North Dakota non-resident permit, and without a Massachusetts-issued license there is no lawful way for a visitor to carry concealed.
- Do I have to tell police in Massachusetts that I am carrying?
- No Massachusetts statute imposes a proactive duty to tell an officer you are carrying; carry the LTC when carrying and present it on lawful demand.
- Does Massachusetts limit magazine capacity?
- Massachusetts limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Where does Massachusetts publish its official reciprocity list?
- Massachusetts publishes its recognition policy on an official state page, linked in the sources on this page. That page is the authority — check it shortly before travel, because recognition lists change without much notice.
Official sources
- Mass.gov — Firearms License and Transaction FAQs (no reciprocity; large-capacity feeding devices; issuing authorities) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MGL c.140 §131G — repealed by Ch. 135 of 2024, Sec. 64 (Mass. Legislature) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Acts of 2024, Chapter 135 (An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws) — Sec. 124 prohibited areas — accessed 2026-08-08
- ND Attorney General — Reciprocity with Other States (honors resident and non-resident licenses; Class 1/Class 2 lists) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ND Attorney General — Constitutional Concealed Carry (18+, any state/territory ID, inform-on-contact guidance) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ND Attorney General — Eligibility for a Concealed Weapon License (ages 18/21, residency and non-resident criteria) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NDCC Chapter 62.1-04 — Concealed Weapons (62.1-04-02, -03, -03.1, -04) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NDCC Chapter 62.1-02 — Possession of Weapons (liquor establishments, public gatherings, vehicle carry) — accessed 2026-08-08