WORCESTER, Mass. — New requirements are now in place for most Massachusetts residents seeking to obtain a firearms permit. The updated law includes live-fire training, a written exam, and expanded education on firearms law, safe storage, and disengagement tactics. Kirk Evans, president of U.S. LawShield, said the changes promote uniformity across the state.

"Every individual police department of every municipality issues these permits," he said. "In the old days, it would vary on what was required, what type of class. The class could’ve been a few minutes long or two days long, and every municipality and police department had different applications."

Evans said as of Tuesday, live-fire training guidelines had not been released by the state.