Massachusetts · Hunter safety · 2026 Edition
Massachusetts Hunter Safety Course 2026: Cost & Online Options
By state law, all first-time hunters age 18 or older must complete a Basic Hunter Education course before purchasing a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license.
Massachusetts is one of the few states in this project with no birth-year hunter-ed cutoff at all — the exemption instead hinges on license history: anyone who held a hunting or sporting license anywhere before January 1, 2007 skips the course entirely, no proof required. Both course formats are free and run through MassWildlife directly rather than a paid third-party vendor, and neither certifies fully online — even the Blended format's self-paced study guide still ends in a mandatory in-person Field Day, so there's no online-providers table on this page. About 130 courses run statewide January through October/November; enrollment for each one typically opens 6-8 weeks ahead, so a course that shows waitlisted or full now may open new seats later in the season.
01 — Who needs it
By state law, all first-time hunters age 18 or older must complete a Basic Hunter Education course before purchasing a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license.
Anyone who held a hunting or sporting license (from Massachusetts or any other jurisdiction) before January 1, 2007 is exempt and doesn't need to show course proof. Minors under 18 are not required to complete the course to hunt at all, but it's a prerequisite for the youth turkey hunt and youth pheasant hunt programs, and it's what lets 15-17-year-olds hunt without direct adult supervision.
02 — Course options
| Course | Format | Who | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-Person (Traditional) course | In person | Open to all; most students 12+ (materials are written at a 6th-grade reading level), under-18s need parental permission | Free | Multiple in-person sessions, roughly 15 hours total — Fully instructor-led, entirely in-person, minimal homework. |
| Blended: online study guide + Field Day | Online + field day | Open to all; most students 12+, under-18s need parental permission | Free | Self-paced online study guide (16 chapters + 16 quizzes) at huntercourse.com, then one 8-hour in-person Field Day — Same final exam and certificate as the in-person course — MassWildlife runs no path that certifies without an in-person day. |
04 — Your certificate, and other states
A government-issued Basic Hunter Education certificate of completion from any U.S. state, Canada, or Mexico satisfies Massachusetts's requirement — no separate MA-specific exam is needed.
Bowhunter Education is not mandatory in Massachusetts, and completing it alone doesn't satisfy the license requirement — Basic Hunter Education is what's required regardless of weapon. A Massachusetts Bowhunter Education certificate is still worth having if you plan to hunt in another state that does mandate it, since MA's certificate is recognized elsewhere.
05 — Where to register
Courses are booked through Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Find and register for a Massachusetts course →
Got your certificate? Next step: Massachusetts hunting license costs and permits →
Everything else we track for the state: Massachusetts hunting seasons →
Looking for somewhere to hunt? Massachusetts public hunting land — WMAs by county & access rules →
FAQ
Can I take the Massachusetts hunter safety course online?
Massachusetts does not offer a route that certifies entirely online — see the course formats above for what MassWildlife does accept. By state law, all first-time hunters age 18 or older must complete a Basic Hunter Education course before purchasing a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license.
Verified · Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife · Last verified 2026-08-13
Publisher's note. Requirements and course fees read from MassWildlife, retrieved 2026-08-13. Review due 2027-08-01. Course providers set their own prices and change them without notice — confirm before you pay.