Moving out of MA - Change of Address (yes, another thread about that...)

sbi

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I searched the forums and read plenty of "change of address" threads with many different opinions on the matter.
Clearly I will notify my current licensing authority (Chief of Police) as well as FRB, as required by MA law. Meaning - I will notify them that as of a specific date, I will no longer be living in my current address and as a matter of fact will no longer be living in Massachusetts at all as I am moving out of state.

This is what the law says:

M.G.L. Part I, Title XX, Chapter 140, section 129B:
(11) A cardholder shall notify, in writing, the licensing authority that issued such card, the chief of police into whose jurisdiction such cardholder moves and the executive director of the criminal history systems board of any change of address. Such notification shall be made by certified mail within 30 days of its occurrence. Failure to so notify shall be cause for revocation or suspension of such card.

The state that I am moving "into" does not require a licesne to own firearms. You need a license to carry, but not to own. Basically, the requirement under MA M.G.L is referred to your license, not any firearms you own, so even if I do notify my new CoP "hey, I have a MA LTC and I moving to your town", I am sure his/her response will be along the line of "Who the hell cares and why are you wasting my time?".
Technically, the CoP of the jurisdiction that I will be moving to does not give a rat's ass about me and/or what I own or don't own.
In addition, the CoP of the jurisdiction that I will be moving to is not even a licensing authority that issues license to carry, it is a totall different authority within that state.

So why the hell am I obligated to notify anyone in the state of MASSACHUSETTS where I am moving to and/or my new address? It is none of their damn business. I will notify them that "I'm OUT" of course. But please educate me on why am I required to provide my new address. Notice how vauge the law is, it does not talk about moving out of state, only "moving" in general.
 
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I searched the forums and read plenty of "change of address" threads with many different opinions on the matter.
Clearly I will notify my current licensing authority (Chief of Police) as well as FRB, as required by MA law. Meaning - I will notify them that as of a specific date, I will no longer be living in my current address and as a matter of fact will no longer be living in Massachusetts at all as I am moving out of state.

This is what the law says:



The state that I am moving "into" does not require a licesne to own firearms. You need a license to carry, but not to own. Basically, the requirement under MA M.G.L is referred to your license, not any firearms you own, so even if I do notify my new CoP "hey, I have a MA LTC and I moving to your town", I am sure his/her response will be along the line of "Who the hell cares and why are you wasting my time?".
Technically, the CoP of the jurisdiction that I will be moving to does not give a rat's ass about me and/or what I own or don't own.
In addition, the CoP of the jurisdiction that I will be moving to is not even a licensing authority that issues license to carry, it is a totall different authority within that state.

So why the hell am I obligated to notify anyone in the state of MASSACHUSETTS where I am moving to and/or my new address? It is none of their damn business. I will notify them that "I'm OUT" of course. But please educate me on why am I required to provide my new address. Notice how vauge the law is, it does not talk about moving out of state, only "moving" in general.
"Who, in their right mind, would ever leave the oasis that is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts?" - MA lege, probably
 
there really is no reason to give them your new address unless you think you may some day want a non-res LTC or you suffer brain damage and move back to MA. Other than that, I would just tell them I'm moving to XXX State.
 
It was probably intended to apply to intrastate changes of address.
The wording of the law does look like it is intended for someone who wishes to maintain his/her LTC since "Failure to so notify shall be cause for revocation or suspension of such card.” Moving out of state already invalidates a MA Resident LTC, so there would be nothing to revoke or suspend. I would just notify my licensing authority and the criminal history systems board once I had established residency out of state and ask them what they would like me to do with my (now useless) LTC card.

ETA You probably do want to give some notification about your move just in case you want to get a Non-resident LTC in the future. You previous Resident LTC will satisfy your firearms safety training course requirement as long as you held it on or after June 1, 1998.
 
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It was probably intended to apply to intrastate changes of address.
It certainly was/is. They can't require you to do anything once you are past their borders, no matter how much they wish it is different.

I'm pretty pretty sure it was one of @Len-2A Training's posts in the other threads saying that... If you tell them you are leaving they will cancel your LTC. However if you just let it expire then you still technically have an expired LTC in MA. The only way you loose it is if it is revoked, suspended or you tell them to take it away. Just like if you moved and never had your DL suspended or revoked, etc... and just let it expire.

The only reason this matters is because, if for some reason down the line you find yourself in MA with a gun on you, then you are technically "carrying with an expired LTC" and not carrying "without a license". While that may sound like splitting hairs, it makes a huge difference as far as possible penalties goes. I just let mine expire when I moved.

Obligatory IANAL and things may have been changed since I moved over 7 yrs. ago.
 
Lol move and stop caring. I’d only ever submit that if i had immediate plans to get a nonres, otherwise it’s none of their business.
 
Blah.
Where you're goin, the Sheriffs dept might handle all of that stuff.
Check the state and local websites and bylaws of wherever you're goin.
I called Local Autority X in S.E. Tenn and the answer was. "O.K." then he chuckled and asked if i was "Moving down to buy the fun stuff?"

Notice it says 30 days after the fact. If they need to know you're moving out, they don't need your new out of state address.
Be sure to enclose a scan or photocopy of your balls with "Suck it" written on it somewhere.
The balls thing might get you on some sex offender registry so do that at your own risk.

Keep an eye out for the Exit Tax.
 
If worried, handle it as a cancellation by mailing the LTC to the licensing officer with a note that you want it cancelled/expired and say nothing more. The wording of the Mass statute assumes you are staying within the confines of the Commonwealth and want to retain your LTC. Don't over-think this.
 
The wording of the law does look like it is intended for someone who wishes to maintain his/her LTC since "Failure to so notify shall be cause for revocation or suspension of such card.” Moving out of state already invalidates a MA Resident LTC, so there would be nothing to revoke or suspend. I would just notify my licensing authority and the criminal history systems board once I had established residency out of state and ask them what they would like me to do with my (now useless) LTC card.

ETA You probably do want to give some notification about your move just in case you want to get a Non-resident LTC in the future. You previous Resident LTC will satisfy your firearms safety training course requirement as long as you held it on or after June 1, 1998.
As @Rob Boudrie has said several times, there's nothing in the law that says moving out of state invalidates your LTC.

Write the two letters to MA, don't worry about informing your new location. Go about your life.
 
When I leave this wonderful state we all know as MA I will notify them that I’m leaving. Not turning in my license. The notification won’t be by certified mail costing more needless expenses.
I will do so because who knows what hurdles we may need to jump thru moving forward but I also maintain my non resident stuff even though they are constitutional carry now.
 
Which direction are you heading, North or South? And dont forget to leave some super rare Mass approved plastic Sporks behind for the rest of the inmates.
 
If worried, handle it as a cancellation by mailing the LTC to the licensing officer with a note that you want it cancelled/expired and say nothing more. The wording of the Mass statute assumes you are staying within the confines of the Commonwealth and want to retain your LTC. Don't over-think this.
NEVER turn in your LTC when moving. It is proof-positive for your "get out of jail free" status if ever caught in MA with a spent shell casing or gun. And yes, MA DAs will try to prosecute you for possession without a license, so the burden is on you/your attorney to nullify the charges.

When moving out of state, notify the Issuing Authority who issued your LTC and FRB by Certified Mail (only per MGL), not where you moved to. Anyone in LE can find your current address by a simple computer query, so trying to hide it is useless. I'd let them know where you moved to, as it is of no risk to you once you are no longer a resident. If you are a MSP BFS/LEOSA instructor, MA requires that you maintain a NR LTC if you want to certify people who may need a NR LTC.
 
Which direction are you heading, North or South? And dont forget to leave some super rare Mass approved plastic Sporks behind for the rest of the inmates.

Moving to South Carolina.

NEVER turn in your LTC when moving. It is proof-positive for your "get out of jail free" status if ever caught in MA with a spent shell casing or gun. And yes, MA DAs will try to prosecute you for possession without a license, so the burden is on you/your attorney to nullify the charges.

When moving out of state, notify the Issuing Authority who issued your LTC and FRB by Certified Mail (only per MGL), not where you moved to. Anyone in LE can find your current address by a simple computer query, so trying to hide it is useless. I'd let them know where you moved to, as it is of no risk to you once you are no longer a resident. If you are a MSP BFS/LEOSA instructor, MA requires that you maintain a NR LTC if you want to certify people who may need a NR LTC.

I am not an instructor of any sort so no worries here. I will certainly notify them that I moved but will not provide my new address. It's a principal issue.
 
The wording of the law does look like it is intended for someone who wishes to maintain his/her LTC since "Failure to so notify shall be cause for revocation or suspension of such card.” Moving out of state already invalidates a MA Resident LTC, so there would be nothing to revoke or suspend. I would just notify my licensing authority and the criminal history systems board once I had established residency out of state and ask them what they would like me to do with my (now useless) LTC card.

ETA You probably do want to give some notification about your move just in case you want to get a Non-resident LTC in the future. You previous Resident LTC will satisfy your firearms safety training course requirement as long as you held it on or after June 1, 1998.
Please provide a cite for this - either a court decision; CMR or MGL.

The following don't count:
- It seems to reason that....
- A cop/gunshop owner/local shooter told me
- I'd like to see you be the test case
- I know I am right

This is a common assumption but not backed up by law. I welcome actual evidence to the contrary. Proof by assertion does not count.
 
Please provide a cite for this - either a court decision; CMR or MGL.

The following don't count:
- It seems to reason that....
- A cop/gunshop owner/local shooter told me
- I'd like to see you be the test case
- I know I am right

This is a common assumption but not backed up by law. I welcome actual evidence to the contrary. Proof by assertion does not count.
The former MSP Lt. in charge of licensing instructors/gun shops/etc. told me that many chiefs/LOs are too lazy to administratively cancel LTCs for those that notify that they moved out of state. So it seems that FRB does not do this without a request from your LO.

I will shortly call Michaela about a related issue. After my final move out of MA, I will be filing for a NR LTC so I can continue to teach BFS/LEOSA/etc. Since you can't have 2 active LTCs at the same time, I will ask her if I have to make a special request of my MA chief to expire my Resident LTC so that she can process my NR LTC application. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure that my MA chief won't bother to do anything with the notification.
 
Lol. IDGAF what "authoritah" somebody may have IN MA. I no longer reside IN MA. I have zero plans to ever step foot IN MA again. I am no longer subject to MA lawrs. Maura can take a flying f*** at a rolling doughnut.
 
Please provide a cite for this - either a court decision; CMR or MGL.

The following don't count:
- It seems to reason that....
- A cop/gunshop owner/local shooter told me
- I'd like to see you be the test case
- I know I am right

This is a common assumption but not backed up by law. I welcome actual evidence to the contrary. Proof by assertion does not count.

I've also run into the contrary as well. One guy I know that just moved out told me he talked to his LO about this, and his LO said "it's not expired until its actually expired".

This nostrum of "automagic" license cancellation on moving out is strictly EOPS FIAT regardless of what anyone else thinks.
 
The former MSP Lt. in charge of licensing instructors/gun shops/etc. told me that many chiefs/LOs are too lazy to administratively cancel LTCs for those that notify that they moved out of state. So it seems that FRB does not do this without a request from your LO.

I moved from MA to CT and was a good boy and sent all my letters. A couple years later I moved back to MA and when I tried to apply for a new LTC, it turned out that my old one was still valid. I'm 99% sure that my certified letters were filed in the trash bin. Unless you plan on coming back or getting a non-resident LTC, screw them. Just leave, don't come back and your LTC will expire when it expires.
 
It certainly was/is. They can't require you to do anything once you are past their borders, no matter how much they wish it is different.

I'm pretty pretty sure it was one of @Len-2A Training's posts in the other threads saying that... If you tell them you are leaving they will cancel your LTC. However if you just let it expire then you still technically have an expired LTC in MA. The only way you loose it is if it is revoked, suspended or you tell them to take it away. Just like if you moved and never had your DL suspended or revoked, etc... and just let it expire.

The only reason this matters is because, if for some reason down the line you find yourself in MA with a gun on you, then you are technically "carrying with an expired LTC" and not carrying "without a license". While that may sound like splitting hairs, it makes a huge difference as far as possible penalties goes. I just let mine expire when I moved.

Obligatory IANAL and things may have been changed since I moved over 7 yrs. ago.
Not necessarily. It's up to the issuing authority whether they "cancel" your LTC. When I left MA for NH, Westford did not "cancel" my LTC. I found out because I then applied for an LTC in Chelmsford as a business owner. FLRB told me to contact Westford to "expire it out" so that they could approve and issue my LTC through Chelmsford.
 
I've also run into the contrary as well. One guy I know that just moved out told me he talked to his LO about this, and his LO said "it's not expired until its actually expired".

This nostrum of "automagic" license cancellation on moving out is strictly EOPS FIAT regardless of what anyone else thinks.
Did EOPS ever say that or post it somewhere?

It is also doubtful it would ever result in a charge because even if it was automatically revoked, revocation for failure to file change of address is the ONLY form of revocation that does not provide the protection of the civil charge of carrying on an expired license (assuming no renewal denied since expiration, not a PP)
 
Did EOPS ever say that or post it somewhere?

It is also doubtful it would ever result in a charge because even if it was automatically revoked, revocation for failure to file change of address is the ONLY form of revocation that does not provide the protection of the civil charge of carrying on an expired license (assuming no renewal denied since expiration, not a PP)

No, but it is awfully strange that the last half dozen or so people I have run into that moved out, not a single one of them said their LTC was invalidated by either EOPS or their issuing
authority. (IOW, license still passes validation on the portal) And if you're sending out the letters, CJIS/EOPS/etc get one too. Someone there obviously feels they do not have the power to cancel the license and only the issuing authority does.
 
When I leave this wonderful state we all know as MA I will notify them that I’m leaving. Not turning in my license. The notification won’t be by certified mail costing more needless expenses.
I will do so because who knows what hurdles we may need to jump thru moving forward but I also maintain my non resident stuff even though they are constitutional carry now.
Let's see ...

You will do so, because you don't know what hurdles you will have to jump through moving forward.

So, instead of doing it the right way via certified mail, you will do it the wrong way, meaning they can deny they ever received anything.

Smart move to save a buck. :rolleyes:
 
Let's see ...

You will do so, because you don't know what hurdles you will have to jump through moving forward.

So, instead of doing it the right way via certified mail, you will do it the wrong way, meaning they can deny they ever received anything.

Smart move to save a buck. :rolleyes:

In principle yes, in reality, None of this malthusian drill actually matters....


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvIrdg-epwA
 
The only time I've ever seen it matter is when somebody is moving /inside/ Massachusetts. People have actually gotten into mild shit with that.
 
Please provide a cite for this - either a court decision; CMR or MGL.

The following don't count:
- It seems to reason that....
- A cop/gunshop owner/local shooter told me
- I'd like to see you be the test case
- I know I am right

This is a common assumption but not backed up by law. I welcome actual evidence to the contrary. Proof by assertion does not count.
You are correct, I was just assuming. I had an original post where I said that I didn’t think there was anything in MA law requiring you to report moving out of state, but I ditched it when I didn’t have time to actually confirm it. Made the mistake of assuming that M.G.L. was reasonable. Problem is it seems way too hard to confirm that something isn’t in our convoluted laws. You can never be sure you haven’t missed some case law or some strange corner of M.G.L. Next time I’ll just keep my mouth shut unless I have specifically researched it.
 
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