Massachusetts technically permits open carry with a valid License to Carry, but the practice is rare and discouraged, with municipalities and businesses commonly prohibiting visible firearms.
Open carry is not specifically prohibited by Massachusetts statute when the carrier holds a valid LTC under MGL Chapter 140 Section 131. However, openly displayed firearms can trigger disorderly conduct charges or breach-of-peace concerns, and chiefs may consider repeated incidents in suitability reviews. Most public spaces, businesses, and government buildings prohibit open display, and the cultural norm in Massachusetts is concealed carry only. Long guns generally must be unloaded and cased when transported in public.
Open carry without a valid LTC subjects holders to felony unlicensed-possession charges; alarming display can also lead to disturbing-the-peace prosecution.
Bourne, MA
Bourne follows Massachusetts state law (MGL Chapter 48, Section 13) β open-air fires require a permit from the Bourne Fire Chief and may only be set between ...
Barnstable County, MA
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Barnstable County, MA
Barnstable County (Cape Cod) does NOT issue short-term rental permits or licenses. Under the Massachusetts Constitution, the Home Rule Amendment (Article 89)...
Barnstable County, MA
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Barnstable County, MA
Barnstable County (Cape Cod) does not enforce its own pool barrier ordinance; pool fencing across the county's 15 towns (Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Chatha...
Barnstable County, MA
Barnstable County does not regulate accessory dwelling units (ADUs) at the county level. Massachusetts is a home-rule state under Article 89 of the Massachus...
See how Bourne's open carry rules stack up against other locations.
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