New Jersey maintains one of the most restrictive lists of prohibited weapons, firearms, magazines, ammunition, and accessories in the country. The core...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
New Jersey maintains one of the most restrictive lists of prohibited weapons, firearms, magazines, ammunition, and accessories in the country. The core prohibitions sit in N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3 (prohibited weapons and devices), N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5 (unlawful possession of weapons), and the definitions at N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1. A permit to carry a handgun does not change what you are allowed to own. If you cannot point to a specific statutory exemption (most live in N.J.S.A. 2C:39-6), assume the item is prohibited and verify before you possess it.
Penalty grades referenced below carry these ranges under New Jersey's sentencing statutes: a disorderly persons offense is punishable by up to 6 months, a fourth-degree crime by up to 18 months, a third-degree crime by 3 to 5 years, a second-degree crime by 5 to 10 years, and a first-degree crime by 10 to 20 years.
New Jersey bans possession of an "assault firearm." Possession is a crime of the second degree under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5f, except where the firearm is licensed under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-5, registered under section 11 of P.L.1990, c.32 (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-12), or rendered inoperable under section 12 of P.L.1990, c.32 (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-13).
The definition at N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1w is what controls, and New Jersey does NOT use the "two or more features" test found in some other jurisdictions. A firearm is an assault firearm if it falls into any of these categories:
Owners who registered an assault firearm during the registration window that followed P.L.1990, c.32 are covered by the exception above. That window is closed for new registrations.
A "large capacity ammunition magazine" is defined in N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1y as a box, drum, tube, or other container capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition fed continuously and directly into a semi-automatic firearm. The 10-round ceiling was set by P.L.2018, c.39, which lowered the prior 15-round limit.
Knowing possession is a crime of the fourth degree under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3j, unless the person has registered an assault firearm under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-12 and maintains and uses the magazine in competitive shooting matches sanctioned by the Director of Civilian Marksmanship, or has registered a firearm with a fixed magazine capacity or a detachable magazine capable of holding up to 15 rounds under section 7 of P.L.2018, c.39 (N.J.S.A. 2C:39-20). Key points:
Two separate ammunition prohibitions live in N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3f, both crimes of the fourth degree:
The exceptions for hollow-point ammunition are narrow, and they sit in the statute itself. N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3f(1) does not reach a law enforcement officer or a person engaged in activities under subsection f. of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-6, which is the hunting, fishing, target practice, and travel-to-and-from-the-range exemption. Travel under that exemption must follow N.J.S.A. 2C:39-6g: unloaded and contained in a closed and fastened case, gunbox, securely tied package, or locked in the trunk, with only reasonably necessary deviations. Separately, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3g(2)(a) provides that the hollow-point prohibition does not prevent a person from keeping such ammunition at the person's dwelling, premises, or other land owned or possessed by the person, or from carrying it from the place of purchase to that dwelling or land. There is no exception written for a permit to carry as such, so holding a carry permit does not by itself place hollow points inside an exemption.
Federal law separately restricts the manufacture and importation of armor-piercing ammunition under 18 U.S.C. 922(a)(7).
Knowing possession of a firearm silencer is a crime of the fourth degree under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3c. A suppressor that is lawfully registered under the federal National Firearms Act and carries an ATF tax stamp is still a fourth-degree crime to possess in New Jersey. Federal registration does not preempt the state ban. A narrow exception exists for a person specifically identified in a special deer management permit issued by the Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Knowing possession of a machine gun, or any instrument or device adaptable for use as a machine gun, without being licensed under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-5, is a crime of the second degree under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5a. New Jersey's definition of "machine gun" (2C:39-1i) also includes any firearm with a trigger crank attached.
Knowing possession of a firearm that has been defaced is a crime of the fourth degree under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3d, except for an antique firearm or antique handgun. "Deface" is defined in N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1b to include removing, covering, altering, or destroying the serial number or other identifying marks. If you acquire a firearm and discover a defaced serial number, do not keep, transfer, or store it; contact law enforcement.
Knowing possession of a bump stock or a trigger crank, as defined in N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1ee and 2C:39-1ff, is a crime of the third degree under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3l, regardless of whether the person possesses a firearm.
N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3h makes knowing possession of a stun gun a crime of the fourth degree, and that text is still on the books. The only carve-out written into the section itself is at N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3g(1)(d), for a law enforcement officer whom the Attorney General exempts from that subsection.
Do not read the statute alone here. The New Jersey State Police answer the question directly: "A Memorandum from the State of New Jersey Office of Attorney General reviewed the findings of a Supreme Court decision and a Consent Order signed into effect by the State of New Jersey, states that Stun Guns in New Jersey are legal for sale and possession under certain conditions. This memo was dated October 20, 2017 and has restrictions listed in the memo." That answer was last reviewed by the State Police on December 17, 2025. Read the Attorney General memo for the conditions it sets before you buy or carry one, and confirm the current position with a New Jersey attorney.
Knowing possession of a gravity knife, switchblade knife, dagger, dirk, stiletto, billy, blackjack, metal knuckle, sandclub, slingshot, cestus or similar studded leather band, or ballistic knife, without any explainable lawful purpose, is a crime of the fourth degree under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3e. A "gravity knife" and a "switchblade knife" are defined in N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1h and 2C:39-1p. Ordinary folding pocket knives are generally lawful, but the listed items are prohibited even for claimed self-defense use.
New Jersey does not generally ban civilian possession of body armor. N.J.S.A. 2C:39-13 makes it a crime to use or wear a "body vest" (bullet-resistant body armor) while committing, attempting, or fleeing from murder, manslaughter, robbery, sexual assault, burglary, kidnapping, criminal escape, or assault under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b. Using a body vest during a first-degree crime is a second-degree offense; otherwise it is a third-degree offense.
Purchasing in New Jersey requires state credentials separate from any carry permit:
Both an FPID and a first handgun purchase permit require the applicant to have satisfactorily completed an approved firearms safety course within the four years before the application. That course is required only once, under P.L.2022, c.58. People who held an FPID or purchase permit before that law took effect are not required to complete it.
A permit to carry a handgun does not substitute for an FPID or a handgun purchase permit at the point of sale. Private handgun transfers must generally run through a licensed retail dealer who completes a National Instant Criminal Background Check, with narrow exceptions for immediate family, law enforcement officers, and licensed curio and relic collectors.
| Offense | Grade | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Unlawful possession of a handgun without a permit to carry | Second degree (Graves Act mandatory minimum) | 2C:39-5b |
| Unlawful possession of a rifle or shotgun without an FPID | Third degree | 2C:39-5c |
| Unlawful possession of a machine gun | Second degree | 2C:39-5a |
| Possession of an assault firearm | Second degree | 2C:39-5f |
| Possession of a large capacity ammunition magazine | Fourth degree | 2C:39-3j |
| Possession of hollow-nose or armor-piercing ammunition outside the exceptions | Fourth degree | 2C:39-3f |
| Possession of a silencer | Fourth degree | 2C:39-3c |
| Possession of a destructive device | Third degree | 2C:39-3a |
| Possession of a sawed-off shotgun or short-barreled rifle | Third degree | 2C:39-3b (defined at 2C:39-1o) |
| Possession of a defaced firearm | Fourth degree | 2C:39-3d |
| Possession of a covert or undetectable firearm | Third degree | 2C:39-3m |
| Possession of an unserialized firearm | Third degree | 2C:39-3n |
| Possession of a bump stock or trigger crank | Third degree | 2C:39-3l |
| Possession of a stun gun | Fourth degree as written, but see the State Police answer above: an Attorney General memorandum of October 20, 2017 treats stun guns as legal for sale and possession under stated conditions | 2C:39-3h |
| Possession of a switchblade, gravity knife, brass knuckles, etc. | Fourth degree | 2C:39-3e |
| Use of a body vest during an enumerated crime | Third degree (second degree if underlying crime is first degree) | 2C:39-13 |
New Jersey bans a long list of firearms, magazines, accessories, and edged weapons, and several possession offenses (machine guns, assault firearms, handguns without a permit) are second-degree crimes that carry serious prison exposure, including Graves Act mandatory minimums for unlawful handgun possession. The statutory definitions, not the firearm's appearance, decide whether an item is prohibited. If you cannot identify a specific New Jersey exemption, treat the item as banned, and confirm the scope of any exemption before relying on it.
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.