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New Jersey Handgun Carry Permits: How They Work
Where the law stands (October 2026)
New Jersey's 2022 carry permit law remains in litigation. On February 11, 2026, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit heard argument in two challenges to it, Koons and Siegel. Its ruling could change the sensitive-place, liability insurance and vehicle rules.
On June 25, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Wolford v. Lopez. It struck down a Hawaii law barring permit holders from carrying on private property open to the public without the owner's express permission. New Jersey has a similar rule, which the State Police already list as not enforceable on property open to the public. The Third Circuit had not ruled as of July 2026, when the challengers filed briefs on how Wolford affects New Jersey's law.
The State Police publish Concealed Carry Facts and FAQs. This article is general information as of October 2026, not legal advice about anyone's situation.
What Bruen changed
After the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 Bruen decision struck down New York's requirement that carry applicants show a special need for self-defense, New Jersey dropped its similar "justifiable need" rule, and a December 2022 law rewrote the permit process.
Who can get a permit
No reason for carrying is required. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4, a permit may issue only if the applicant is not disqualified, has not engaged in acts or made statements suggesting a likelihood of dangerous conduct (other than lawful self-defense), is familiar with the safe handling of handguns, and has completed the required training. Disqualifications include being under 21, a conviction for any crime or a domestic violence disorderly persons offense, and certain protective orders and mental health commitments.
An applicant also needs four unrelated endorsers who have known the applicant for at least three years, and must complete an online course, in-person instruction on New Jersey's deadly-force law, and range training with a certified instructor.
Applying, fees and timing
Applications are filed with and decided by the local chief of police, or the Superintendent of State Police for nonresidents and residents of towns without a police chief. New Jersey does not recognize other states' carry permits.
The application fee is $200. Once an application is complete, the statute gives the police 90 days from filing to decide, subject to limited extensions. A permit lasts two years.
Where and how a permit holder may carry
A permit allows concealed carry only, in a holster. Carrying a handgun openly in a public place is a fourth-degree crime even with a permit. So is carrying while under the influence of alcohol, cannabis or a controlled substance, carrying more than two firearms, or displaying a handgun without justification.
N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.6 makes it a third-degree crime to carry in 25 categories of "sensitive places," including government buildings and courthouses, polling places, schools and child care centers, public parks and beaches designated as gun-free, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, airports and transit hubs, and private property without the owner's consent.
Citing 2023 court decisions, the State Police list some provisions of the 2022 law as not currently enforceable (as of December 11, 2025), including the private-property rule as applied to property open to the public, the rule that a handgun in a vehicle be unloaded and cased, and the liability insurance requirement.
Denials and carrying without a permit
A denial must give its reasons in writing, and the applicant may request a Superior Court hearing within 30 days. A permit becomes void if the holder becomes disqualified, and a Superior Court judge may revoke a permit after notice and a hearing.
Except for narrow exemptions, carrying a handgun without a New Jersey permit is a second-degree crime, and a conviction generally carries a mandatory period of parole ineligibility under the Graves Act.
What we do
We defend people charged with weapons and firearms offenses and represent parties in domestic violence restraining order hearings, where the outcome can affect a person's firearms and permits.