Let's see.... Here's how the f***show works (from someone who holds a Massachusetts Class A CCW Permit)....
First, take the state required course running between 100 and 250 dollars, which is only good for a year.
You go into your local police department or download the city/town's form from their website, or you have to make an appointment with the appointed licensing officer to obtain printed ones, which will happen at his/her convenience which is usually once a week. Keep in mind, they have been backed up on appointments for 3 - 4 months, so you might be waiting a bit. No two forms are exactly the same, as each City/Town is allowed to add whatever additional requirements they want to the basic requirements noted in State Law, which can now include medical records, letter of permission from a MA licensed mental health professional which you have to pay for a health evaluation, and anything else they deem necessary including 3-6 character references, and a credit report.. You fill the form out, get your 3 passport sized photos and then call for an appointment, which can take up to 4 months to get in to the local PD. Just make sure you have your references, your shooting test results, or whatever other ADDITIONAL requirements your City/Town Chief of Police wants. Now the fun starts.....
In certain Cities/Towns you'll be told "Don't bother, we don't issue permits", or they simply won't talk to you/return calls/etc. In others they'll take your fee and THEN tell you the same thing, and good luck ever seeing the money again. In some places you'll get your approval from the City/Town very quickly (mostly in the Central/Western part of the state). In some you'll never hear from the PD again, until you start badgering them, at which point they may send it back to the state police to add restrictions depending on what side of the bed the PD woke up on. How is this?, you ask? In Massachusetts the CITY/TOWN police chief has complete authority to select/reject these applications for ANY reason he deems fit. In addition to the standard disqualifying factors..... felony conviction, drug/alcohol conviction, order of protection, etc....
Assuming you live in a place where the Chief issues permits, you have jumped through all the hoops, and the Chief likes you, you'll get to come down to the Police Station, get fingerprinted, including a DIGITAL fingerprint which will go on your license, and the application will be sent off to the Criminal History Records Board.
The CHRB (part of the State Police) will do another background check on you.... when they find the time to do such things between coffee breaks and general incompetence. This part takes the longestYou're told this may take up to 6 weeks, but it can take considerably longer in some cases, realistically up to 3 months. If/when they get around to approving your background check, (the same one your local PD did), they'll make your license and send it off to you in the mail.
