Resources: New Jersey Firearms Law and Permit to Carry

The resources below are starting points for New Jersey firearms law, the Permit to Carry a Handgun (PTC) application, training and qualification, purchase permits, and the current status of the sensitive-place restrictions. New Jersey is a licensed, very restrictive carry state. It is not a permitless or constitutional-carry state. A Permit to Carry a Handgun under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4 is required to carry a handgun in public, and unlawful possession of a handgun without that permit is a crime of the second degree under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b) that is subject to the Graves Act mandatory minimum.

Several of the carry restrictions enacted after the Supreme Court's 2022 Bruen decision were challenged in federal court, and the Third Circuit ruled on them in September 2025. Verify any contact information, fee, form number, or enforcement status before relying on it. New Jersey updates its forms, and the State may seek further review of the carry law, so confirm the current status before you rely on any single provision.

State agencies

• New Jersey State Police, Firearms Investigation Unit (FIU). Primary firearms regulator. Maintains the State Police firearms application portal where applications begin. Verify the current FIU mailing address and phone number on the NJSP firearms page (njsp.org) before sending anything.
• New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Issues directives that bind county prosecutors and local police, including post-Bruen carry guidance. Confirm the current operative directive on njoag.gov, because guidance has been revised as litigation has progressed.
• Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). Issues guidance affecting alcohol-serving establishments, which N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.6 lists among the places where carry is prohibited. The Third Circuit upheld the bar and restaurant category in September 2025, so treat it as in effect, but confirm current ABC notices.
• Department of Health. Mental health records are part of the background investigation for a Permit to Carry and for purchase permits. A consent form authorizes that search.
• Chief police officer or New Jersey State Police. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(d), the chief police officer of your municipality issues the Permit to Carry (the Superintendent of State Police issues it for residents of a municipality without a full-time police force, and for nonresidents). Post-Chapter 131, the Superior Court no longer issues the permit; it is only the forum for an appeal if the permit is denied.

Forms (issued by NJSP)

Form numbers change. Confirm the current version through the NJSP firearms portal before submitting.

Print double-sided if you are submitting in person.

Online portals

• NJSP firearms application portal (FARS). The State Police online portal where residents initiate FPID, handgun purchase permit, and Permit to Carry applications. Find the current link from the NJSP firearms page rather than bookmarking an old URL.
• Permit to Carry data dashboard. Public reporting on Permit to Carry applications and approvals, hosted by the Office of the Attorney General at njoag.gov.
• IdentoGO New Jersey. Vendor for fingerprinting under contract with NJSP (identogo.com). Confirm the current service code and your local originating agency identifier (ORI) with the agency handling your application.

Statutes (primary reference)

These are the chapters that govern New Jersey firearms law.

• N.J.S.A. Title 2C, Chapter 39 - firearms and weapons offenses, including prohibited weapons and unlawful possession.
• N.J.S.A. Title 2C, Chapter 58 - firearms licensing (FPID, handgun purchase permit, Permit to Carry, training, sensitive places, storage, and the Extreme Risk Protective Order Act).
• N.J.S.A. Title 2C, Chapter 3 - justification defenses, including use of force in self-protection and defense of others.
• N.J.S.A. Title 2C, Chapter 25 - Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, which intersects with firearms surrender.

Read the statutes through the New Jersey Legislature website (njleg.state.nj.us). FindLaw (codes.findlaw.com/nj) mirrors Title 2C and is useful for quick reference, but verify the current text against the Legislature's version.

Court resources

• Superior Court county locator (njcourts.gov). Find the county Superior Court for Permit to Carry denial appeals and Extreme Risk Protective Order filings.
• Administrative Office of the Courts. Public information on firearms procedures and protective-order filings.

Training and qualification

New Jersey requires training and a live-fire qualification as part of the Permit to Carry process under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(g). The statute calls for in-person classroom instruction, instruction on justification and use of force developed with the Police Training Commission, and target training at a State Police-approved range that includes a demonstration of proficiency. A renewal applicant who completed the required instruction with a prior permit is treated differently for the classroom component, so confirm the current renewal rules.

• NJSP-approved ranges and instructors. The qualification must be done at a range on the State Police approved list. Confirm an instructor's approval and that the range allows the drawing and live-fire course of fire the qualification requires before you pay.
• NRA-certified instructors (nrainstructors.org). Useful for locating instructors, but NRA certification alone does not satisfy the New Jersey approval requirement. Confirm New Jersey approval separately.

Legal assistance

• New Jersey State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service (njsba.com). Referrals to firearms-law attorneys.
• Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs (anjrpc.org). Civil-rights advocacy, member services, and attorney referral resources.
• New Jersey Second Amendment Society (NJ2AS). State advocacy organization with legal-defense resources for members.
• Public defenders. Available if you are charged with a firearms offense and qualify financially.

Civil rights and litigation tracking

The 2022 carry law (P.L. 2022, c. 131, from A4769, effective December 22, 2022) removed the old justifiable-need standard, added the application requirements, and created the sensitive-place list at N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.6 plus a default no-carry on private property unless the owner consents or posts permission. On September 10, 2025, the Third Circuit decided the challenge to that law (Koons v. Platkin, No. 23-1900). The court upheld most of the sensitive-place categories as likely constitutional and currently enforceable, including parks and beaches, entertainment, sports, and arena venues, healthcare and medical facilities, libraries and museums, public gatherings that require a permit, and bars and restaurants serving alcohol. A permit holder may not carry in those places, and a violation is a crime of the third degree. The court struck down three things as likely unconstitutional and not currently enforced: the private-property default that treated property held open to the public as off-limits unless the owner affirmatively consented (subsection a(24)), the restriction on carrying in a private vehicle (subsection b), and youth sports events (subsection a(11)). So a permit holder may carry in their own private vehicle, and may carry on private property open to the public unless the owner affirmatively prohibits it. This is a preliminary-injunction posture and the State may seek further review, so confirm the current status before relying on any single provision.

• Koons v. Platkin (3d Cir. No. 23-1900, decided September 10, 2025). The lead challenge to the Chapter 131 sensitive-place restrictions and the private-property default. The case was originally captioned Koons v. Reynolds. The Third Circuit upheld most of the sensitive-place categories and struck the private-property default, the private-vehicle restriction, and youth sports events. Track the docket for any further review.
• Siegel v. Platkin. Related federal litigation decided together with Koons in the consolidated Chapter 131 challenge.
• Firearms Policy Coalition (firearmspolicy.org) and Second Amendment Foundation (saf.org). Organizations involved in the New Jersey challenges; useful for tracking filings and decisions.

Local police departments

Every New Jersey municipality with a police department processes Permit to Carry and purchase-permit applications for its residents. Contact your local police department's records or detective bureau for:

• Appointment scheduling.
• The local originating agency identifier (ORI) for IdentoGO.
• The fee amount and accepted payment method. The Permit to Carry application fee is set by statute at $200, with $150 retained by the municipality and $50 forwarded to the Superintendent (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(c)).
• Any municipality-specific documentation requirements.

For municipalities without a local police department, residents apply through the nearest New Jersey State Police station.

County prosecutor's offices

Each of New Jersey's 21 counties has a county prosecutor responsible for firearms prosecutions, Graves Act sentencing and waiver decisions (N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6(c)), and extreme-risk petitions filed by law enforcement. Contact information is available through the Office of the Attorney General.

Federal resources

• ATF Newark Field Office (atf.gov). Federal firearms enforcement in New Jersey.
• National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Background-check infrastructure used in permit issuance.
• LEOSA. Active law enforcement officers carry under 18 U.S.C. 926B and qualified retired officers under 18 U.S.C. 926C. These are federal authorities, not New Jersey permits, and carry their own conditions and limits. Retired officers should confirm the annual qualification requirements.

Self-defense legal coverage

Permit holders often consider commercial self-defense legal coverage. Providers that operate in New Jersey include the U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA), the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network, CCW Safe, and Second Call Defense. Coverage terms vary. Confirm that the product covers New Jersey law specifically, because some providers limit coverage in restrictive-carry states. Independent New Jersey counsel is the most reliable backstop. Remember that New Jersey imposes a duty to retreat before using deadly force outside your own dwelling and has no stand-your-ground law (N.J.S.A. 2C:3-4).

Magazine, ammunition, and accessory compliance

New Jersey limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds (N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1y and 2C:39-3j) and restricts certain hollow-point ammunition (N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3f). Before buying a magazine, ammunition type, or accessory:

• NJSP Firearms Investigation Unit. Will give informal guidance by phone.
• New Jersey-focused dealers. Familiar with what is lawful for civilian sale in the state.
• New Jersey firearms attorneys. For a written opinion on a borderline item.

Hunting and target shooting

• New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (dep.nj.gov/njfw). Hunting licenses, season dates, and designated hunting areas.
• Wildlife management areas. State-managed properties open for hunting with the appropriate licenses.
• Range directories. ANJRPC maintains a list of member clubs and commercial ranges.

Reporting concerns

• Lost or stolen firearm. A firearm owner who discovers a loss or theft must report it within 36 hours to the local chief law enforcement officer, or to the Superintendent of State Police if the municipality has no local force (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-19). A violation carries a civil penalty.
• Safe storage and minors. Storing a loaded firearm where a minor is likely to gain access is a disorderly persons offense unless the firearm is in a locked box or container or otherwise secured (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-15). Retail dealers must deliver a written warning about access by minors at the point of sale (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-16).
• Extreme risk. Family or household members and law enforcement may petition the Superior Court for an Extreme Risk Protective Order under the Extreme Risk Protective Order Act of 2018 (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-20 through 2C:58-32). For an immediate emergency, call 911.

Where to start

Key statutes for quick reference

• N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3 - prohibited weapons and devices, including hollow-point ammunition limits and the 10-round magazine limit.
• N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5 - unlawful possession of weapons; handgun possession without a permit is a crime of the second degree (subsection b).
• N.J.S.A. 2C:39-6 - exemptions from the possession and permit offenses.
• N.J.S.A. 2C:58-3 - Firearms Purchaser Identification Card and handgun purchase permits.
• N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4 - Permit to Carry a Handgun, including the application fee, four reputable endorsers, and the training and qualification requirement in subsection g.
• N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.5 - requirements and restrictions on the lawful carrying of a handgun in public.
• N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.6 - places where carrying is prohibited (sensitive places) and the private-property default; the Third Circuit upheld most categories in September 2025 but struck the private-property default, the private-vehicle restriction, and youth sports events.
• N.J.S.A. 2C:58-12 - registration of assault firearms.
• N.J.S.A. 2C:58-15 - access by a minor to a loaded firearm (safe storage).
• N.J.S.A. 2C:58-19 - reporting a lost or stolen firearm within 36 hours.
• N.J.S.A. 2C:58-20 through 2C:58-32 - Extreme Risk Protective Order Act of 2018.
• N.J.S.A. 2C:3-4 - use of force in self-protection; duty to retreat outside the dwelling, no stand-your-ground.
• N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6(c) - Graves Act mandatory minimum sentences for firearms offenses.
• 18 U.S.C. 922 - federal prohibited persons and unlawful acts.
• 18 U.S.C. 926A - interstate transport protection (FOPA).
• 18 U.S.C. 926B and 926C - LEOSA carry for active and qualified retired law enforcement officers.
• 49 U.S.C. 46505 - federal prohibition on carrying a weapon into an airport secured area or onto an aircraft.
• 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53 - National Firearms Act.

Bottom line

Start with the NJSP firearms portal and your local police department. Use the State Police forms, complete the required training and range qualification with a New Jersey-approved instructor, and budget for the $200 statutory application fee. For legal questions, retain a New Jersey firearms attorney rather than a generalist. The Third Circuit upheld most of the 2022 sensitive-place restrictions in N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.6 in September 2025, while striking the private-property default, private-vehicle carry, and youth sports events, and the State may seek further review, so confirm the current enforceable status before you carry anywhere on the sensitive-place list. Organizations such as ANJRPC, FPC, and SAF track the New Jersey cases as they move through the courts.