State suppressor law

Massachusetts Suppressor Laws in 2026: A Ban That Now Covers Parts

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Oct 25, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

Massachusetts is one of the eight states that ban civilian suppressor ownership, and ATF's October 9, 2026 change doesn't affect that. Chapter 269, § 10A makes it a crime for anyone outside a short list of exempt groups to sell, give, use or possess a silencer, punishable by up to five years in state prison. Since the 2024 gun law, the ban also covers parts and kits intended for building one. The ATF registry shows 37,410 suppressors in Massachusetts. The American Suppressor Association says registry counts in ban states are mostly held by police, government agencies and dealers. Here's what the statute says, what the 2024 law changed, and what's on the November 3 ballot.

Not legal advice. This page summarizes the Massachusetts General Laws and session laws as published by the Massachusetts Legislature, and federal guidance, as of the date above. Ask a Massachusetts attorney before you bring any NFA item or part into the state.

The short answer

Suppressors are illegal for civilians in Massachusetts. M.G.L. c. 269 § 10A covers anyone who "sells or keeps for sale, or offers, or gives or disposes of ... or uses or possesses" a silencer.
The penalty is up to five years. The penalty is "imprisonment for not more than five years in state prison or for not more than two and one-half years in a jail or house of correction." On conviction, the silencer is confiscated and destroyed.
Only three groups are exempt. They are federally licensed firearms manufacturers, authorized agents of the municipal police training committee, and sworn officers acting within their official duties under the chief's or the State Police colonel's authorization. There's no exemption for a private owner with federal registration.
Parts count. Since the 2024 amendments, the ban includes "any combination of parts" intended for building a silencer and "any part intended only for use in such assembly."
ATF's October 9 policy changes nothing here. ATF's own FAQ says state laws still apply.

What § 10A says

The statute defines what it bans by function, not by NFA status: "any instrument, attachment, weapon or appliance for causing the firing of any gun, revolver, pistol or other firearm to be silent or intended to lessen or muffle the noise of the firing." That wording doesn't depend on whether ATF registers the item. A suppressor bought on a Form 4473 alone after October 9 is still a § 10A device in Massachusetts. The only lawful way to get rid of one is to turn it in: the statute covers anyone who disposes of a silencer "by any means other than submitting to an authorized law enforcement agency."

Manufacturers aren't banned from the business entirely. The statute says nothing in it prohibits a licensed manufacturer from selling silencers or parts "to authorized law enforcement agencies for law enforcement purposes or to the municipal police training committee for law enforcement training."

What the 2024 law changed, and Question 9

Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 amended § 10A in two places. Section 128 added "including any combination of parts designed or redesigned and intended for use in assembling or fabricating any such instrument ... and any part intended only for use in such assembly or fabrication." Section 129 added "parts" to the list of things a manufacturer may sell to police. Both sections amended the statute "as so appearing," meaning the silencer ban itself was already in the General Laws before 2024.

On November 3, 2026, Massachusetts voters will decide Question 9, a referendum on Chapter 135. A yes vote keeps the law and a no vote repeals it. Based on the text of sections 128 and 129, a repeal would remove the parts language. The ban on complete silencers would stay. We'll update this page once results are certified.

Moving to Massachusetts, or passing through

If you own a suppressor and move to Massachusetts, the item can't come with you. Federal law's interstate-transport approval rule in 18 U.S.C. 922(a)(4), handled on ATF Form 5320.20, lists destructive devices, machine guns, short-barreled shotguns and short-barreled rifles, not suppressors. Nothing in federal law overrides the Massachusetts possession ban. Store or sell the can in your current state before you move. Federal safe-passage protection in 18 U.S.C. 926A covers "firearms" being transported. Whether a stand-alone suppressor qualifies is a question to take to a lawyer, not something to test on the Mass Pike.

Is a challenge coming?

The American Suppressor Association says it is leading legal challenges to the bans in all eight prohibition states. As of October 25, 2026, we haven't confirmed a filed case against Massachusetts's § 10A. The federal suit against New Jersey's ban, Padua v. Platkin, is covered on our New Jersey page, and the Illinois appeal in Anderson v. Raoul is set for argument October 28, 2026. Both are tracked on our NFA lawsuits page.

Bottom line for Massachusetts residents

Don't buy, build or bring a suppressor or suppressor parts into Massachusetts. Read the national buying guide for the state table. Massachusetts also bans magazines over 10 rounds, with narrow pre-1994 exceptions; see our magazine capacity table.

Frequently asked questions

Are suppressors legal in Massachusetts in 2026?

No. M.G.L. c. 269 § 10A bans selling, giving, using or possessing a silencer, punishable by up to five years in state prison or two and a half years in a jail or house of correction. Only federally licensed manufacturers, the municipal police training committee's authorized agents and on-duty sworn officers acting under authorization are exempt.

Does ATF's October 2026 change make suppressors legal in Massachusetts?

No. ATF's October 9, 2026 policy concerns federal NFA enforcement only, and ATF's FAQ says state laws still apply. Section 10A defines a silencer by function, not by federal registration status.

Are suppressor parts illegal in Massachusetts?

Yes, under the 2024 amendments. Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 added any combination of parts intended for assembling a silencer, and any part intended only for that use, to § 10A.

What happens to the suppressor ban if Question 9 passes or fails?

Question 9 on the November 3, 2026 ballot is a referendum on Chapter 135. A yes vote keeps the law. A no vote repeals it, which by the text of sections 128 and 129 would remove the parts language. The ban on complete silencers was already in § 10A before 2024 and isn't on the ballot.

Can I bring my suppressor if I move to Massachusetts?

No. Possession is a crime under § 10A and federal registration isn't an exemption. Store or sell it in your current state before you move.

Sources

Supplementary sources

News reports, advocacy groups, dealer practice and unofficial copies. They add context or report statements; the primary sources above control.

American Suppressor Association via NASGW: The Suppressor Map, state counts from ATF FOIA request 2026-01285 (May 2026) (industry group)