§ 131F — Nonresidents or aliens; temporary license to carry firearms or ammunition

[ First paragraph effective until October 2, 2024. For text effective October 2, 2024, see below.]Section 131F. A temporary license to carry firearms, rifles or shotguns or feeding devices or ammunition therefor, within the commonwealth, shall be issued by the colonel of state police, or persons authorized by him, to a nonresident or any person not falling within the jurisdiction of a local licensing authority or to an alien that resides outside the commonwealth for purposes of firearms competition if it appears that the applicant is not a prohibited person and is not determined unsuitable to be issued a license as set forth in section 131.[ First paragraph as amended by 2024, 135, Secs. 60 to 62 effective October 2, 2024. For text effective until October 2, 2024, see above.]A temporary license to carry firearms or feeding devices or ammunition therefor, within the commonwealth, shall be issued by the colonel of state police, or persons authorized by him, to a nonresident or any person not falling within the jurisdiction of a local licensing authority or to an a citizen or national of the United States or a person who maintains legal permanent residency for purposes of firearms competition if it appears that the applicant is not a prohibited person and is not determined unsuitable to be issued a license as set forth in section 121F.Such license shall be valid for a period of one year but the colonel may renew such license if such renewal is necessary.The colonel shall issue such license in accordance with the provisions of section 131 to any resident of the commonwealth for the purposes of sports competition.[ Fourth paragraph effective until October 2, 2024. For text effective October 2, 2024, see below.]A temporary license issued pursuant to this section shall be clearly marked "Temporary License to Carry Firearms'' and shall not be used to purchase firearms in the commonwealth as provided in section 131E. A large capacity firearm and a large capacity feeding device therefor may be carried if the person has been issued a license. The colonel may permit a licensee to possess a large capacity rifle or shotgun or both; provided, however, that this entitlement shall be clearly indicated on the license. The fee for an application for the license shall be $100, which shall be payable to the licensing authority and shall not be prorated or refunded in case of revocation or denial. The licensing authority shall retain $25 of the fee; $50 of the fee shall be deposited into the general fund of the commonwealth; and $25 of the fee shall be deposited in the Firearms Fingerprint Identity Verification Trust Fund. A license issued under the provisions of this section to a non-resident who is in the employ of a bank, public utility corporation, or a firm engaged in the business of transferring monies, or business of similar nature, or a firm licensed as a private detective under the provisions of chapter one hundred and forty-seven, and whose application is endorsed by his employer, or who is a member of the armed services and is stationed within the territorial boundaries of the commonwealth and has the written consent of his commanding officer, may be issued for any term not to exceed two years, and said licenses shall expire in accordance with the provisions of section one hundred and thirty-one.[ Fourth paragraph as amended by 2024, 135, Sec. 63 effective October 2, 2024. For text effective until October 2, 2024, see above.]A temporary license issued pursuant to this section shall be clearly marked "Temporary License to Carry Firearms'' and shall not be used to purchase firearms in the commonwealth as provided in section 131E. A large capacity firearm may be carried if the person has been issued a license; provided, however, that this entitlement shall be clearly indicated on the license. The fee for an application for the license shall be $100, which shall be payable to the licensing authority and shall not be prorated or refunded in case of revocation or denial. The licensing authority shall retain $25 of the fee; $50 of the fee shall be deposited into the general fund of the commonwealth; and $25 of the fee shall be deposited in the Firearms Fingerprint Identity Verification Trust Fund. A license issued under the provisions of this section to a non-resident who is in the employ of a bank, public utility corporation, or a firm engaged in the business of transferring monies, or business of similar nature, or a firm licensed as a private detective under the provisions of chapter one hundred and forty-seven, and whose application is endorsed by his employer, or who is a member of the armed services and is stationed within the territorial boundaries of the commonwealth and has the written consent of his commanding officer, may be issued for any term not to exceed two years, and said licenses shall expire in accordance with the provisions of section one hundred and thirty-one.A license, otherwise in accordance with provisions of this section, may be issued to a nonresident employee, whose application is endorsed by his employer, of a federally licensed Massachusetts manufacturer of machine guns to possess within the commonwealth a machine gun for the purpose of transporting or testing relative to the manufacture of machine guns, and the license shall be marked "temporary license to possess a machine gun'' and may be issued for any term not to exceed two years and shall expire in accordance with the provisions of section one hundred and thirty-one.