Firearm Permit process in New Jersey"

New Jersey Guns

Applying for firearm permits in New Jersey

1. Call the Firearms Permitting Department of your local police department to find out
    the day and times they are open to process permit applications. Many municipalities
    only have part time staff for this department and may not be open everyday. For
    instance in my town, the firearms permitting department is only open on Wednesday
    nights. So call first so you don't waste any time.

2. There are two types of purchase permits in New Jersey. The first is the Firearms ID
    card and the second is a Pistol Permit.   You will need to apply for both if this is your
    first time buying a firearm. The Firearms ID card is used in two ways. First it allows
    you to purchase any long gun (rifle/shotgun). Second it has an SBI number on it which
    is required for your NIC check at the time you purchase a pistol. You must have the
    FID card even if you don't plan on buying a long gun.

3. There are two forms which are required by the State of New Jersey. They are really
    easy to fill out and should take only a few minutes. The first form is the STS-33 form
    which is used for both the FID card and a pistol permit. First time applicants will
    check the FID box at the top and enter the number of pistol permits for which you wish
    to apply. There is no maximum number of permits you can apply for, so put down as
    many as you like. Just remember your pistol permit will only be good for 90 days, so
    you must be ready to buy within three months of receiving your permits. The second
    form is the mental health waiver form which allows the authorities to check and see if
    you were ever institutionalized (SP-66).   Here is the form for a permit to carry (SP-642).
    There are NO OTHER FORMS ALLOWED
    by state statutes so don't sign any.

2C:58-3(f). Purchase of firearms

"...There shall be no conditions or requirements added to the form or content of the application, or required by the licensing authority for the issuance of a permit or identification card, other than those
that are specifically set forth in this chapter. "

4. The cost for permits is regulated by state statutes therefore your municipality can only
    collect the prescribed fees. The fee for an FID card is $5. This is a one time fee
    because the FID card is good for life as long as you are not arrested or subject to any of
    the forfeiture rules.   The fee for each pistol permit is $2.

2C:58-3(f). Purchase of firearms

"...Granting of permit or identification card; fee; term; renewal; revocation. The application for the permit to purchase a handgun together with a fee of $2.00, or the application for the firearms
purchaser identification card together with a fee of $5.00"

    You will need one permit for each pistol you wish to purchase.   First time applicants will
    also need to be fingerprinted.   The costs for this is $25-$50. You only need to be
    fingerprinted once. Your municipality may tell you differently, but the statutes clearly
    state that this is not necessary. So if you go back for another permit in a year or two,
    you should not have to be fingerprinted again.

2C:58-3(e). Applications
"...provided that an applicant for a handgun purchase permit who possesses a valid firearms purchaser identification card, or who has previously obtained a handgun purchase permit from the same licensing authority for which he was previously fingerprinted,
and who provides other reasonably satisfactory proof of his
identity, need not be fingerprinted again..."

5. How long does it take to process my application? State statutes mandate that a New
Jersey applicant be processed (granted or denied) in 30 days. Thats the law.

2C:58-3(f). Purchase of firearms
"...the licensing authority who shall investigate the same and, unless good cause for the denial thereof appears, shall grant the permit or the identification card, or both, if application has been made therefor, within 30 days from the date of receipt of the application for residents of this State and within 45 days for nonresident applicants. A permit to purchase a handgun shall be valid for a period of 90 days from the date of issuance and may be renewed by the issuing authority for good cause for an additional 90 days.

   Some municipalities take months to process applications. This is an illegal process
    which as been propagated due to the lack of people challenging the system. If you don't
    want to wait months for your permit, you don't have to. Take your municipality to court
    and demand your application be processed according to State statutes. Here are some
    typical excuses given out when police departments processing times go beyond the
    STATUTORILY mandatory 30 days:
    (taken from pg. 105 of "Nappen on NJ Gun Laws"):

                        1. "Your Prints haven't come back from the FBI"
                        2. "Your references haven't replied yet"
                        3. "The investigation is still in progress"
                        4. "The chief has been out (sick, busy, etc.)
                        5. "We just don't have the manpower to devote to these things"
                        6. "We have priorities that take precedence over gun permits."
                        7. "We are working on a new form of questions"
                        8. "We just switched persons (departments, offices, record keeping
                               personnel, etc.) who handle these.
                        9. "Why does a woman (black man, senior citizen, handicapped person, nice
                               person like you, etc.) need a gun anyway?"
                       10. "We don't just give anybody gun permits"

6. Remember, there is no substitute for a qualified attorney. There are qualified
attorneys listed on the njguns.com page should you need one.

This information is provided free of charge to the public. BayTech Corp., its agencies, and employees assume no responsibility or liability to any person or entity for the use of this information. There are no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, of any kind with regard to this information, and any use of this information is made at the risk of the user.

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