MA
Massachusetts — Body Armor Regulation Profile
Statutes, eligibility requirements, shipping rules, and the dealer and agency directory for this jurisdiction.
Primary Statute
M.G.L. c. 269 §10D
Strategic Context
- Gpo Sweet Spots
- MA 351-municipality fragmentation = hundreds of small PDs
- sheriff corrections departments (14 counties)
- biotech + pharma corporate security Kendall Square
- financial services corporate security Boston
- elite private university PDs (Harvard + MIT + BU + NE + BC + Tufts)
- Natick + Hanscom + Lincoln Lab + Draper + MITRE federal R&D contractor ecosystem
- Unique To MA Categories
- Natick_Soldier_Systems_Center_US_Army_armor_RD_primary_site
- RTX_HQ_Waltham_one_of_largest_US_defense_primes
- MIT_Lincoln_Laboratory_FFRDC
- Draper_Lab_MITRE_FFRDC_concentration
- Boston_biotech_pharma_Kendall_Square_corridor
- Harvard_MIT_private_university_PDs
- Boston_oldest_municipal_PD_1838
- Boston_Marathon_annual_elevated_security
- Port_of_New_Bedford_largest_dollar_value_fishing_port_US
- Hanscom_AFB_AF_Life_Cycle_Management_Center
- USCG_District_1_Boston
- USCG_Academy_New_London_CT_adjacent
- Onboarding Friction Notes
- MA is enhanced_penalty tier (felony during crime); enhancement informational only; MA Special State Officer licensing + armed-security registration serves as profession verification proxy
- Partnership Opportunities
- MA OSD COMMBUYS state contract
- MCOPA endorsement (key given municipal-PD dominance)
- MHEC higher-ed cooperative
- Natick Soldier Systems Center intelligence-partnership (armor-industry content core audience)
- RTX + MIT Lincoln Lab + Draper + MITRE defense R&D contractor channel
- Boston biotech/pharma corporate security channel
- MBTA Transit Police direct
- Massport Police direct
- Aggregated Demand Estimate
- 95000+ tactical-armor-eligible buyers in MA
- Phase 2 Threshold Met By Ma Alone
true
- Strategic Armor Intelligence Importance
- Natick Soldier Systems Center is arguably the single most important ArmorOS-adjacent federal facility in the US — where federal armor requirements are defined, R&D conducted, and field testing performed. ArmorOS intelligence products referencing Natick R&D + SPS/VTP/IHPS/MSV programs will carry high credibility. Establishing relationships with Natick-adjacent contractors is a strategic imperative.
Detailed intelligence
Laws
Reviewed 2026-04-14Public
Laws
Laws — Massachusetts
Restriction tier: enhanced_penalty
Federal baseline
- 18 USC §931 — violent felons prohibited.
State statutes
M.G.L. c. 269, §10D — Possession of Body Armor During Commission of a Felony
- Codification: Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 269 §10D
- Summary: A person who commits or attempts to commit a felony while wearing body armor is guilty of a separate felony, punishable by imprisonment for 2½ to 5 years (state prison) or up to 2½ years in house of correction.
- Source: M.G.L. c. 269 §10D
Civilian purchase
- Adults 18+ may purchase online or in-person.
- No dealer license required.
- Federal §931 applies.
Local ordinances
Boston and some other MA municipalities have strong gun-control postures; no current armor-specific municipal ordinances identified. Monitor.
Recent changes (past 3 years)
None material to armor-specific sales.
Pending / proposed legislation
Monitor MA legislature for possible expansion of armor restrictions.
ArmorOS compliance handling
- Civilians permitted 18+
- Federal §931 screening
- Standard flow
Regulations
Reviewed 2026-04-14Public
Regulations
Regulations — [STATE]
State agency administrative rules
[Any state-level agency rules implementing armor-related statutes — often from State Police, Dept. of Public Safety, or Department of State.]
Enforcement posture
[How rigorously the state enforces armor statutes, any notable enforcement actions.]
Sources
[AG opinions, state police guidance, state AG website links.]
Purchase channels
Reviewed 2026-04-15Free account
Purchase channels
Dealer licensing
Reviewed 2026-04-14Free account
Dealer licensing
Suppliers in state
Reviewed 2026-04-14Free account
Suppliers in state
Tactical buyers
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
Tactical buyers
Law-enforcement breakdown
Per-agency detail — name-level coverage of municipal PDs, sheriffs, state police, corrections, National Guard, federal-in-state, transit/port, and university/campus police. Verified-industry subscribers only.
Major municipal PDs
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
Major municipal PDs
County sheriffs
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
County sheriffs
State police / highway patrol
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
State police / highway patrol
Corrections
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
Corrections
National Guard
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
National Guard
Federal agencies in-state
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
Federal agencies in-state
Transit & port authorities
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
Transit & port authorities
University & campus police
Reviewed 2026-04-15Verified Industry
University & campus police
Authorized Dealers (1)
Law Enforcement Agencies (36)
MA Army + Air National Guard
national_guard
Massachusetts Department of Correction
state_corrections
Massachusetts State Police
state_police
Boston Police Department
municipal_pd
Suffolk County Sheriff's Department (Boston)
county_sheriff_corrections
Middlesex County Sheriff's Office
county_sheriff_corrections
Essex County Sheriff's Department
county_sheriff_corrections
Worcester County Sheriff's Office
county_sheriff_corrections
Springfield Police Department
municipal_pd
Norfolk County Sheriff's Office
county_sheriff_corrections
Plymouth County Sheriff's Department
county_sheriff_corrections
Worcester Police Department
municipal_pd