In layman’s terms: Butler, New Jersey, is the sixth town to pass a resolution to refund the $150 municipal portion of the state fee for concealed carry permits.
On the evening of Monday, August 18, the Borough of Butler, New Jersey, became the sixth town in the state to pass a measure that will refund the municipal portion of the fee related to applying for a concealed carry permit, saving residents $150 every two years.
Butler Mayor Ryan Martinez supported the measure, known as Resolution 2025-120, which passed by a vote of 4-0. Specifically, the measure will “refund [the] municipal portion of handgun carry permit fees upon submission of receipt.” The resolution is effective immediately and is retroactive to January 1, 2025.
“As a Second Amendment advocate, I feel strongly about protecting the rights of responsible gun owners. I am proud of Butler for taking this important step,” Mayor Martinez told News2A in a private message.
Also in attendance was Second Amendment advocate Daniel Francisco, mayor of Englishtown, which was the first municipality to pass such a measure in June.
According to the State’s Permit to Carry dashboard, Butler has issued 90 approved carry permits out of a population of 8,047.
The statutory fee to apply for a concealed carry permit in New Jersey has been $200 since the state’s so-called “carry killer” bill was signed into law in December of 2022. $50 of that fee was designated to go to the New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Office. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit struck down the $50 portion of the fee as a “tax on a right.”
Each town that votes to rebate the $150 portion of the fee makes the permit application free.
Want FREE New Jersey Permits to Carry a Handgun in Your Town?
If you would like to approach your town to introduce the idea, or if the town has expressed interest, the exact resolution language and briefing kit can be found here.
