<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 08/31/96
000 C000000 0000811921
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 JOHN HANCOCK TAX-EXEMPT SERIES FUND
001 B000000 811-5079
001 C000000 6173751702
002 A000000 101 HUNTINGTON AVENUE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02199
002 D020000 7603
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 2
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C020200 JOHN HANCOCK MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME
007 C030200 N
007 C010300 3
007 C020300 JOHN HANCOCK NEW YORK TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
007 C030300 N
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK ADVISERS, INC.
008 B00AA01 A
008 C00AA01 801-8124
008 D01AA01 BOSTON
008 D02AA01 MA
008 D03AA01 02199
008 D04AA01 7603
011 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS, INC.
011 B00AA01 8-43582
011 C01AA01 BOSTON
011 C02AA01 MA
011 C03AA01 02199
011 C04AA01 7603
012 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK INVESTOR SERVICES CORPORATION
<PAGE> PAGE 2
012 B00AA01 84-1885
012 C01AA01 BOSTON
012 C02AA01 MA
012 C03AA01 02199
013 A00AA01 PRICE WATERHOUSE, LLP
013 B01AA01 BOSTON
013 B02AA01 MA
013 B03AA01 02110
014 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
014 B00AA01 8-13995
014 A00AA02 JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS, INC.
014 B00AA02 8-43582
014 A00AA03 TUCKER ANTHONY, INC.
014 B00AA03 8-24297
014 A00AA04 SUTRO & CO., INC.
014 B00AA04 8-7981
014 A00AA05 JOHN HANCOCK MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
014 B00AA05 8-15661
014 A00AA06 FREEDOM DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
014 B00AA06 8-37458
015 A00AA01 INVESTORS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
015 B00AA01 C
015 C01AA01 BOSTON
015 C02AA01 MA
015 C03AA01 02111
015 E01AA01 X
018 00AA00 Y
019 A00AA00 Y
019 B00AA00 60
019 C00AA00 JOHNHANCOC
020 C000001 0
020 C000002 0
020 C000003 0
020 C000004 0
020 C000005 0
020 C000006 0
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 0
022 A000001 SWISS BANK CORP.
022 C000001 27463
022 D000001 0
022 A000002 LEHMAN BROS.
022 B000002 13-2726611
022 C000002 18027
022 D000002 5816
022 A000003 FIRST ALBANY CORP.
022 B000003 14-1391446
022 C000003 6109
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 D000003 14056
022 A000004 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES
022 B000004 22-2347336
022 C000004 10891
022 D000004 8472
022 A000005 WILLIAN E. SIMON & SONS
022 B000005 22-3017217
022 C000005 4053
022 D000005 5698
022 A000006 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000006 13-5108880
022 C000006 8424
022 D000006 1016
022 A000007 UBS SECURITIES
022 C000007 7607
022 D000007 0
022 A000008 SMITH BARNEY SHEARSON
022 B000008 13-1912900
022 C000008 4209
022 D000008 2927
022 A000009 ABN-ARMO
022 C000009 2937
022 D000009 3472
022 A000010 MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
022 B000010 13-2655998
022 C000010 4386
022 D000010 1975
023 C000000 117172
023 D000000 59566
024 00AA00 N
025 D00AA01 0
025 D00AA02 0
025 D00AA03 0
025 D00AA04 0
025 D00AA05 0
025 D00AA06 0
025 D00AA07 0
025 D00AA08 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
034 00AA00 N
035 00AA00 0
036 B00AA00 0
<PAGE> PAGE 4
037 00AA00 N
038 00AA00 0
039 00AA00 Y
040 00AA00 Y
041 00AA00 Y
045 00AA00 Y
046 00AA00 N
047 00AA00 Y
048 00AA00 0.000
048 A01AA00 250000
048 A02AA00 0.500
048 B01AA00 250000
048 B02AA00 0.450
048 C01AA00 500000
048 C02AA00 0.425
048 D01AA00 250000
048 D02AA00 0.400
048 E01AA00 0
048 E02AA00 0.000
048 F01AA00 0
048 F02AA00 0.000
048 G01AA00 0
048 G02AA00 0.000
048 H01AA00 0
048 H02AA00 0.000
048 I01AA00 0
048 I02AA00 0.000
048 J01AA00 0
048 J02AA00 0.000
048 K01AA00 1250000
048 K02AA00 0.300
049 00AA00 N
050 00AA00 N
051 00AA00 N
052 00AA00 N
053 A00AA00 Y
053 B00AA00 Y
053 C00AA00 N
054 A00AA00 Y
054 B00AA00 N
054 C00AA00 N
054 D00AA00 N
054 E00AA00 N
054 F00AA00 N
054 G00AA00 Y
054 H00AA00 Y
054 I00AA00 N
054 J00AA00 Y
054 K00AA00 N
054 L00AA00 N
054 M00AA00 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 5
054 N00AA00 N
054 O00AA00 N
055 A00AA00 N
055 B00AA00 N
056 00AA00 Y
057 00AA00 N
066 A00AA00 N
067 00AA00 N
068 A00AA00 N
068 B00AA00 N
069 00AA00 N
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 C000000 Y
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 Y
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 A00AA00 GULF INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B00AA00 ICI MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C00AA00 35000
081 A00AA00 Y
081 B00AA00 79
082 A00AA00 N
082 B00AA00 0
083 A00AA00 N
083 B00AA00 0
084 A00AA00 N
084 B00AA00 0
085 A00AA00 Y
085 B00AA00 N
028 A010200 932
028 A020200 167
028 A030200 0
028 A040200 813
028 B010200 654
028 B020200 189
028 B030200 0
<PAGE> PAGE 6
028 B040200 740
028 C010200 553
028 C020200 175
028 C030200 0
028 C040200 730
028 D010200 506
028 D020200 165
028 D030200 0
028 D040200 1077
028 E010200 440
028 E020200 186
028 E030200 0
028 E040200 752
028 F010200 561
028 F020200 170
028 F030200 0
028 F040200 674
028 G010200 3646
028 G020200 1052
028 G030200 0
028 G040200 4786
028 H000200 3287
029 000200 Y
030 A000200 220
030 B000200 4.50
030 C000200 0.00
031 A000200 25
031 B000200 0
032 000200 46
033 000200 149
042 A000200 0
042 B000200 0
042 C000200 100
042 D000200 0
042 E000200 0
042 F000200 0
042 G000200 0
042 H000200 0
043 000200 167
044 000200 85
058 A000200 N
059 000200 Y
060 A000200 Y
060 B000200 Y
061 000200 1000
062 A000200 Y
062 B000200 0.0
062 C000200 0.0
062 D000200 0.0
062 E000200 0.0
062 F000200 0.0
<PAGE> PAGE 7
062 G000200 0.0
062 H000200 0.0
062 I000200 0.0
062 J000200 0.0
062 K000200 0.0
062 L000200 2.1
062 M000200 0.0
062 N000200 0.0
062 O000200 97.9
062 P000200 0.0
062 Q000200 0.0
062 R000200 0.0
063 A000200 0
063 B000200 7.7
064 A000200 N
064 B000200 N
070 A010200 Y
070 A020200 Y
070 B010200 Y
070 B020200 N
070 C010200 Y
070 C020200 N
070 D010200 Y
070 D020200 N
070 E010200 Y
070 E020200 Y
070 F010200 Y
070 F020200 N
070 G010200 Y
070 G020200 Y
070 H010200 Y
070 H020200 N
070 I010200 N
070 I020200 N
070 J010200 Y
070 J020200 N
070 K010200 Y
070 K020200 N
070 L010200 N
070 L020200 N
070 M010200 N
070 M020200 N
070 N010200 Y
070 N020200 N
070 O010200 N
070 O020200 N
070 P010200 Y
070 P020200 Y
070 Q010200 N
070 Q020200 N
070 R010200 N
<PAGE> PAGE 8
070 R020200 N
071 A000200 21470
071 B000200 19863
071 C000200 55363
071 D000200 36
072 A000200 12
072 B000200 3486
072 C000200 0
072 D000200 0
072 E000200 0
072 F000200 279
072 G000200 7
072 H000200 0
072 I000200 66
072 J000200 54
072 K000200 0
072 L000200 28
072 M000200 5
072 N000200 14
072 O000200 0
072 P000200 0
072 Q000200 0
072 R000200 21
072 S000200 13
072 T000200 167
072 U000200 0
072 V000200 0
072 W000200 5
072 X000200 659
072 Y000200 268
072 Z000200 3095
072AA000200 79
072BB000200 0
072CC010200 0
072CC020200 574
072DD010200 3095
072DD020200 0
072EE000200 0
073 A010200 0.6543
073 A020200 0.0000
073 B000200 0.0000
073 C000200 0.0000
074 A000200 378
074 B000200 0
074 C000200 0
074 D000200 54016
074 E000200 0
074 F000200 0
074 G000200 0
074 H000200 0
074 I000200 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 J000200 0
074 K000200 2
074 L000200 837
074 M000200 0
074 N000200 55233
074 O000200 1
074 P000200 17
074 Q000200 0
074 R010200 0
074 R020200 0
074 R030200 0
074 R040200 46
074 S000200 0
074 T000200 55169
074 U010200 4732
074 U020200 0
074 V010200 11.66
074 V020200 0.00
074 W000200 0.0000
074 X000200 2249
074 Y000200 0
075 A000200 0
075 B000200 55976
076 000200 0.00
028 A010300 555
028 A020300 177
028 A030300 0
028 A040300 722
028 B010300 1085
028 B020300 202
028 B030300 0
028 B040300 1102
028 C010300 208
028 C020300 186
028 C030300 0
028 C040300 737
028 D010300 492
028 D020300 175
028 D030300 0
028 D040300 403
028 E010300 545
028 E020300 202
028 E030300 0
028 E040300 807
028 F010300 334
028 F020300 184
028 F030300 0
028 F040300 457
028 G010300 3219
028 G020300 1126
028 G030300 0
<PAGE> PAGE 10
028 G040300 4228
028 H000300 3090
029 000300 Y
030 A000300 223
030 B000300 4.50
030 C000300 0.00
031 A000300 26
031 B000300 0
032 000300 50
033 000300 147
042 A000300 0
042 B000300 0
042 C000300 100
042 D000300 0
042 E000300 0
042 F000300 0
042 G000300 0
042 H000300 0
043 000300 170
044 000300 74
058 A000300 N
059 000300 Y
060 A000300 N
060 B000300 N
061 000300 1000
062 A000300 Y
062 B000300 0.0
062 C000300 0.0
062 D000300 0.0
062 E000300 0.0
062 F000300 0.0
062 G000300 0.0
062 H000300 0.0
062 I000300 0.0
062 J000300 0.0
062 K000300 0.0
062 L000300 2.8
062 M000300 0.0
062 N000300 0.0
062 O000300 97.2
062 P000300 0.0
062 Q000300 0.0
062 R000300 0.0
063 A000300 0
063 B000300 8.0
064 A000300 N
064 B000300 N
070 A010300 Y
070 A020300 Y
070 B010300 Y
070 B020300 N
<PAGE> PAGE 11
070 C010300 Y
070 C020300 N
070 D010300 Y
070 D020300 N
070 E010300 Y
070 E020300 Y
070 F010300 Y
070 F020300 N
070 G010300 Y
070 G020300 N
070 H010300 Y
070 H020300 N
070 I010300 N
070 I020300 N
070 J010300 Y
070 J020300 N
070 K010300 Y
070 K020300 N
070 L010300 N
070 L020300 N
070 M010300 N
070 M020300 N
070 N010300 Y
070 N020300 N
070 O010300 N
070 O020300 N
070 P010300 Y
070 P020300 Y
070 Q010300 N
070 Q020300 N
070 R010300 N
070 R020300 N
071 A000300 42082
071 B000300 42485
071 C000300 55614
071 D000300 76
072 A000300 12
072 B000300 3519
072 C000300 0
072 D000300 0
072 E000300 0
072 F000300 283
072 G000300 7
072 H000300 0
072 I000300 58
072 J000300 56
072 K000300 0
072 L000300 28
072 M000300 5
072 N000300 6
072 O000300 0
<PAGE> PAGE 12
072 P000300 0
072 Q000300 0
072 R000300 21
072 S000300 9
072 T000300 170
072 U000300 0
072 V000300 0
072 W000300 3
072 X000300 646
072 Y000300 251
072 Z000300 3124
072AA000300 0
072BB000300 201
072CC010300 0
072CC020300 41
072DD010300 3124
072DD020300 0
072EE000300 0
073 A010300 0.6609
073 A020300 0.0000
073 B000300 0.0000
073 C000300 0.0000
074 A000300 500
074 B000300 0
074 C000300 0
074 D000300 54674
074 E000300 0
074 F000300 0
074 G000300 0
074 H000300 0
074 I000300 0
074 J000300 251
074 K000300 2
074 L000300 823
074 M000300 47
074 N000300 56297
074 O000300 0
074 P000300 22
074 Q000300 0
074 R010300 0
074 R020300 0
074 R030300 0
074 R040300 46
074 S000300 0
074 T000300 56229
074 U010300 4753
074 U020300 0
074 V010300 11.83
074 V020300 0.00
074 W000300 0.0000
074 X000300 2409
<PAGE> PAGE 13
074 Y000300 47
075 A000300 0
075 B000300 56724
076 000300 0.00
SIGNATURE SUSAN S. NEWTON
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 021
<NAME> JOHN HANCOCK MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> SEP-01-1995
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 52,629,498
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 54,016,278
<RECEIVABLES> 837,238
<ASSETS-OTHER> 379,776
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 1,386,780
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 55,233,292
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 576
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 63,954
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 64,530
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 54,394,914
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 4,731,610
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 4,627,583
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 5,145
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (618,275)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 1,386,978
<NET-ASSETS> 55,168,762
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 3,485,882
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 391,192
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 3,094,690
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 79,113
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (573,560)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 2,600,243
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 3,094,690
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 664,442
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 736,253
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 175,838
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (56,933)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 1,994
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (694,237)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 279,114
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 658,660
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 55,975,734
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.76
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.65
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.10)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.65)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 11.66
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.70
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 031
<NAME> JOHN HANCOCK NEW YORK TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> SEP-01-1995
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 52,706,595
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 54,674,401
<RECEIVABLES> 1,073,048
<ASSETS-OTHER> 549,524
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 1,967,806
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 56,296,973
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 68,222
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 68,222
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 54,779,835
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 4,753,390
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 4,694,309
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 15,420
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (572,855)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 2,006,351
<NET-ASSETS> 56,228,751
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 3,519,678
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 395,698
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 3,123,980
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (200,732)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (40,997)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 2,882,251
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 3,123,980
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 555,889
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 685,056
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 188,249
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 475,784
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 8,092
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (364,795)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 282,847
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 646,699
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 56,724,297
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.88
<PER-SHARE-NII> .66
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.05)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.66)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 11.83
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.70
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
