New Jersey requires a Permit to Carry a Handgun before you may carry a handgun in public. The permit is authorized by N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4. Carrying a...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
New Jersey requires a Permit to Carry a Handgun before you may carry a handgun in public. The permit is authorized by N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4. Carrying a handgun in New Jersey without that permit is a crime of the second degree under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b)(1), one of the most serious firearm offenses in the state, so the training and qualification steps below are a gateway you cannot skip.
After the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 Bruen decision, New Jersey enacted P.L. 2022, c. 131 (effective December 22, 2022). That law removed the old "justifiable need" standard for a carry permit and, in its place, added objective requirements including a defined training and qualification mandate. The training requirement is set out in subsection g. of N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4. Note: the existing pipeline draft attributed the training mandate to "N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.5." That is incorrect. The training requirement lives in N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(g). (Section 6 of P.L. 2022, c. 131, codified at 2C:58-4.5, addresses a separate subject.)
Under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(g)(1), the Superintendent of State Police must establish training requirements in the lawful and safe handling and storage of firearms. The statute spells out three components:
The same subsection requires that the training include a demonstration of proficiency in the use of a handgun in the manner required by the Superintendent, plus training on justification in the use of deadly force under state law, developed or approved in conjunction with the Police Training Commission.
The statute itself does not name a specific course of fire, a specific instructor certification, or a specific form. Those details are set administratively by the New Jersey State Police, and they can change. The current State Police protocol is described below, but always confirm the live version with the State Police or your instructor before you train.
The New Jersey State Police administer the statutory mandate through a defined qualification protocol. Based on the State Police materials and county and municipal application instructions, the current process works like this:
You upload the SP 182 and the instructor's certification card when you submit the online application at the State Police concealed carry portal. Failing to upload those documents will delay or cancel the application without a refund.
These steps are specific to New Jersey. A carry permit from another state, or training taken to meet another state's standard, does not satisfy them. You still complete New Jersey's CCARE qualification and submit the SP 182.
The training record you submit must be recent. New Jersey application instructions require one training record completed within the past two years, listing the instructor's name and the qualification date. This two-year window also tracks the statute: N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(d)(3) provides that classroom instruction and target training are not required again for a renewal applicant who completed the instruction and training when obtaining a permit that was issued within the previous two years.
The earlier pipeline draft stated the qualification had to be within six months of filing. That is not supported by the statute or the State Police application materials. The operative window is two years.
The statute requires that target training be administered by a "certified firearm instructor" on a State Police approved range. N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(g)(1). The statute does not, by its own text, lock in one certifying body. The specific instructor certifications the State Police accept, and the requirement that the instructor sign Form SP 182 and supply a copy of their certification, are set by the State Police protocol.
Practical points when choosing an instructor:
CCARE is the State Police qualification standard for permit applicants. It is designed to show baseline defensive handgun proficiency. The precise course details, including round count, distances, time standards, scoring, and target, are specified in the CCARE protocol document published by the State Police and can be revised. Because those specifics are administrative and subject to change, do not rely on a memorized version. Confirm the current CCARE protocol with your instructor before you train and qualify, and qualify with the handgun you intend to list on your application.
The deadly-force portion of the training matters because New Jersey self-defense law is strict. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:3-4, the use of deadly force is justified only when the actor reasonably believes it is immediately necessary to protect against death or serious bodily harm. New Jersey imposes a duty to retreat before using deadly force if the actor knows they can retreat with complete safety, with an exception for the actor's own dwelling, where there is no duty to retreat unless the actor was the initial aggressor. N.J.S.A. 2C:3-4(b)(2)(b)(i). New Jersey does not have a general stand-your-ground law. Understanding that framework, which the statutory training is required to cover, is part of carrying lawfully.
Permits expire two years from the date of issuance and may be renewed every two years under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(a). For renewal, classroom instruction and target training are not required again if you completed them when you obtained a permit issued within the previous two years. N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(d)(3). In practice, the State Police renewal process still requires you to provide a training record completed within the past two years. If your prior qualification falls outside that window, you qualify again before renewing. Renewal applications can typically be submitted up to four months before the expiration date.
The training itself is paid to your instructor and range. Separate from training, the carry permit application carries a $200 application fee under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(c). When the application goes to a municipal chief of police, $150 is retained by the municipality and $50 is forwarded to the Superintendent; the $50 portion is paid online to the State Police and the $150 portion is paid to the local police department. Instructor and range costs for the CCARE qualification are charged by the private provider and vary by location and what the course includes.
Training gets you the permit, but the permit does not let you carry everywhere. P.L. 2022, c. 131 also created an extensive list of "sensitive places" where a permit holder may not carry (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.6) and a default rule barring carry on private property unless the owner consents. Many of those provisions were challenged in Koons v. Platkin / Siegel v. Platkin in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The district court enjoined a number of them, and the matter has been before the Third Circuit on appeal, so the enforceable scope of the sensitive-places and private-property rules is actively contested. Do not assume any specific location restriction is currently in force or currently void. Check the present status of N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.6 and the related litigation, and consult a New Jersey attorney, before you rely on where you can or cannot carry.
Complete New Jersey's State Police training: the online course, in-person classroom instruction, and live-fire CCARE qualification administered by a certified instructor on an approved range. Get a signed Form SP 182 and a copy of your instructor's certification, keep the qualification within two years, and upload both documents with your online application. No other state's training counts. Renewal every two years does not require repeating classroom and target training if your prior qualification was within the previous two years, but you must still show a training record from within that window.
This page covers one part of our New Jersey concealed carry guide.
Read the complete New Jersey guideBrowse local instructors offering state-approved training in your area. Book online, complete your training, and get one step closer to your concealed carry permit.