Effective February 1, 2023, new residents to the state of New Jersey must register their handguns within 60 days of moving to the state and establishing residency.
Signed into law on July 5, 2022, A1179/S1204, requires new residents to obtain a NJ Firearms Identification Card and register their handguns, even if the firearm(s) were legally acquired in another state. Non-compliance carries a civil penalty of $250 for the first offense and a disorderly persons offense for a second or subsequent offense.
Prior to this law taking effect, firearm registration was voluntary, not obligatory. It appears that, as of this writing, the New Jersey State Police may not be fully caught up on the new law. According to the Firearms FAQ section of the New Jersey State Police website, firearms registration is still voluntary, with no distinction called out for handguns.
Compliance with the new law requires applying for a Firearms Purchaser Identification Card (see our FPIC FAQ) within the resident’s local municipality, or a State Police station if they don’t have a local law enforcement agency.
Registration requires providing the following information to the law enforcement agency in which the person resides:
- Name
- Address
- Make
- Model
- Serial number
As we reported recently, New Jersey also just passed a handgun ammunition registry requirement, making the state one of the most restrictive in the union for legal firearms owners attempting to exercise their Constitutional rights.
On a brighter note, residents moving to New Jersey will be happy to know that the State is now (begrudgingly) issuing Permits to Carry a Handgun. See our guide here on how to obtain a PTC.
