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.
Lowell, MA
Lowell applies the Massachusetts DEP 10-dB-above-ambient standard for objective measurement and uses a plainly-audible test for subjective enforcement.
Lowell, MA
Lowell restricts gas-powered leaf blower use to daytime hours; no outright ban exists, but decibel and hour limits apply under the general noise ordinance.
Lowell, MA
Outdoor music at restaurants, breweries, and event venues in Lowell requires an entertainment license and must end by 10 p.m. in residential zones.
Lowell, MA
Lowell enforces nighttime quiet hours that restrict unreasonable noise in residential areas, authorized under MGL c.40 s.21 and enforced by Lowell Police and...
Lowell, MA
Amplified music from homes, vehicles, or outdoor events in Lowell must not be plainly audible beyond 50 feet and is subject to permit rules for public venues.
Lowell, MA
Industrial operations in Lowell must keep noise within Massachusetts DEP guidelines and the local ordinance, with stricter limits at residential property lines.
See how Lowell's open carry rules stack up against other locations.
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