Last Updated: June 21, 2023
These FAQs are directed specifically to people that have a New Jersey Permit To Carry A Handgun (PCH). The answers to these FAQs may or may not apply to people that only have a New Jersey Firearms Purchaser’s Identification Card (also referred to as FPIC or FID). The information below is NOT legal advice. As litigation is ongoing, we will do our best to update this page ASAP. However, it is possible that the FAQ answers below may become invalidated due to court rulings before we have an opportunity to update them.
The information below is offered as a courtesy to other New Jersey PCH holders. None of the information below is legal advice and we are not lawyers. We always recommend you contact your own lawyer for legal advice. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice.
We closely monitor gun legislation and related court cases. You can expect this page to be updated between 1 and 48 hours after any relevant bill is signed into law or court case ruled on.
New Jersey Sensitive Places - Where You Can Carry
As of May 16, 2023, New Jersey is prohibited from enforcing so-called “sensitive places” laws as shown below. Judge Bumb has issued a Preliminary Injunction in the now-consolidated Siegel v. Platkin and Koons v. Reynolds cases. These cases were filed within minutes of Governor Murphy signing the so-called Carry Killer bill into law.
Our analysis of Judge Bumb’s 235 page opinion in the NJ Carry Killer lawsuit.
All locations listed below are permissible for carry as per Judge Bumb’s court order issued on May 16, 2023. However, this case is moving rapidly and it is your responsibility to stay aware of relevant court rulings as they happen.
Important Update – As of June 20, 2023, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has issued a partial stay which negates parts of Judge Bumb’s preliminary injunction issued on May 16, 2023. We provide the list of places you can carry below as a courtesy. It is not legal advice.
Court order from the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
| Place | Statute | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Excludes playgrounds. | ||
| Cannot consume intoxicants while carrying. | ||
| This term is overly broad. Attorney consultation is recommended. | ||
N.J.A.C. 13:69D–1.13 | Most, if not all, NJ casinos have declared their property off-limits under private property owner rights to do so. | |
| Airports for curbside dropoff/pickup only | 2C:58-4.6(7)(a)(20) | Curbside dropoff/pickup is permitted. Entry to the terminal is not permitted. |
| The entire section is not enjoined. Only medical offices and ambulatory care facilities are enjoined. | ||
| Filming locations | 2C:58-4.6(7)(a)(23) | |
| Private property held open to the public | 2C:58-4.6(7)(a)(24) | Currently, for private residences, you must ask for permission. |
| Vehicle | 2C:58-4.6(7)(b)(1) | |
| Churches | N/A | Churches were never part of the Carry Killer bill in New Jersey as they were in New York. Churches fall under the "private property" statute, 2C:58-4.6(7)(a)(24). However, due to what's happened with New York's CCIA, and the confusion that has resulted in NJ, we are clarifying here. |
| Excludes playgrounds. |
We do our best to answer the most commonly asked questions regarding concealed carry in the Garden State on this page. If you have a question that we do not answer here, please use the form below to submit it to us. If possible and appropriate, we will add your question and the corresponding answer to this page.
To simplify:
- In a holster that covers the trigger guard.
- It must be concealed. Open carry is no longer legal.
- You may carry a maximum of 2 handguns at a time
2C:58-4(a) – Scope and duration of authority. Any person who holds a valid permit to carry a handgun issued pursuant to this section shall be authorized to carry a handgun in a holster concealed on their person in all parts of this State, except as prohibited by subsection e. of N.J.S.2C:39-5 and section 7 of P.L.2022, c.131 (C.2C:58-4.6). One permit shall be sufficient for all handguns owned by the holder thereof, but the permit shall apply only to a handgun carried by the actual and legal holder of the permit and, except as otherwise provided in subsection b. of section 6 of P.L.2022, c.131 (C.2C:58-4.5), shall not be construed to authorize a holder to carry a handgun openly, provided that a brief, incidental exposure of a handgun while transferring it to or from a holster or due to the shifting of the person’s body position or clothing shall be deemed a de minimis infraction within the contemplation of N.J.S.2C:2-11.
2C:58-4(h) – For purposes of this section, “holster” means a device or sheath that securely retains a handgun which, at a minimum, conceals and protects the main body of the firearm, maintains the firearm in a consistent and accessible position, and renders the trigger covered and inaccessible while the handgun is fully seated in the holster.
2C:58-4.5(6)(b) – [it shall be a crime of the fourth degree for any person in a public place] to carry a handgun openly, whether or not in possession of a valid and lawfully issued permit to carry under N.J.S.2C:58-4
2C:58-4.4(5)(a)(4) – [The holder of a permit to carry a handgun issued pursuant to N.J.S.2C:58-4 shall not] carry more than two firearms under the permittee’s control at one time;
There is no requirement for a holster to have a “retention strap”. This provision did not survive and was not part of the version of the A4769/S3214 Carry Killer bill that was signed into law.
No. As of December 22, 2022, when the A4769/S3214 Carry Killer bill was signed into law, it became illegal to openly carry a firearm, regardless of whether or not you have a permit to carry a handgun.
2C:58-4.5(6)(b) – [it shall be a crime of the fourth degree for any person in a public place] to carry a handgun openly, whether or not in possession of a valid and lawfully issued permit to carry under N.J.S.2C:58-4
No. It is legal to possess hollow point ammunition in one’s home or at the range but it is not permitted as ammunition for carry. There are, however, bullets available that are similar to hollow points but have a filled cavity such as Hornady Critical Defense / Critical Duty, Cor-Bon PowRball / Glaser Safety Slug and Nosler Inc. Defense ammunition.
From the New Jersey State Police Firearms FAQ page, question #13:
I’m not a police officer, are hollow points legal for me to possess?
Yes. They are legal for purchase and possess in your home or on land owned by you. They are legal to possess and use at a gun range. They are also legal to possess while traveling to and from such places. Ammunition lacking a hollow cavity at the tip, such as those with a polymer filling, are not considered to be hollow point ammunition. An example of this can be seen with the Hornady Critical Defense / Critical Duty, Cor-Bon PowRball / Glaser Safety Slug and Nosler Inc. Defense ammunition.
https://nj.gov/njsp/firearms/firearms-faqs.shtml
This question has more than one right answer.
No. If your Permit to Carry a Handgun (PCH) was issued by a Judge and the PCH came with a court order stating that you may only carry the guns you qualified with, you must still abide by that court order. Neither the passage of A4769/S3214 Carry Killer bill into law nor the TRO issued in any case, so far, vacate the court order.
Yes. However, it is not advisable. If your PCH was not issued with a court order stating that you may only carry the guns you qualified with, you are legally permitted to carry any handgun you own. As discussed in Gun for Hire Podcast Episode #609, if you are involved in a shooting with a gun you did not qualify with, the lawyers will use this against you. Police officers are required to qualify annually with the firearms they carry for duty. On this basis, while not legally required, it makes sense to do a little CYA and qualify with whatever gun you plan to carry.
2C:58-4(a) – Scope and duration of authority. Any person who holds a valid permit to carry a handgun issued pursuant to this section shall be authorized to carry a handgun in a holster concealed on their person in all parts of this State, except as prohibited by subsection e. of N.J.S.2C:39-5 and section 7 of P.L.2022, c.131 (C.2C:58-4.6). One permit shall be sufficient for all handguns owned by the holder thereof, but the permit shall apply only to a handgun carried by the actual and legal holder of the permit and, except as otherwise provided in subsection b. of section 6 of P.L.2022, c.131 (C.2C:58-4.5), shall not be construed to authorize a holder to carry a handgun openly, provided that a brief, incidental exposure of a handgun while transferring it to or from a holster or due to the shifting of the person’s body position or clothing shall be deemed a de minimis infraction within the contemplation of N.J.S.2C:2-11.
Yes. If your Permit to Carry a Handgun (PCH) was issued by a Judge and the PCH came with a court order stating that you must carry the court order with you whenever you are carrying your firearm, you must still abide by that court order. Any other provisions in the court order must be followed as well. For example, if the judge specified that you may only carry the guns you qualified with, this must be followed. Neither the passage of A4769/S3214 Carry Killer bill into law nor the TRO issued in any case, so far, vacate the court order.
You have the right to request that the judge vacate the court order. Get in touch with the authority that issued your permit for instructions on this process.
The insurance requirement has been blocked by the Preliminary Injunction issued by Judge Bumb on May 16, 2023. The stay pending appeal, issued by the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on June 20, 2023 did NOT reinstate the insurance requirement. Insurance is still NOT required.
2C:58-4.3(4)(a) – Every private citizen who carries a handgun in public in this State shall maintain liability insurance coverage insuring against loss resulting from liability imposed by law for bodily injury, death, and property damage sustained by any person arising out of the ownership, maintenance, operation or use of a firearm carried in public wherein such coverage shall be at least in an amount or limit of $300,000, exclusive of interest and costs, on account of injury to or death of more than one person and for damage to property, in any one incident.
2C:58-4.3(4)(b) – Proof of liability insurance, as required pursuant to subsection a. of this section, shall be produced by the person carrying a handgun in public, within a reasonable amount of time following any injury, death, or property damage alleged to have been caused by the person carrying the handgun in public. This requirement shall be satisfied by delivering a full and complete copy of the applicable policy or policies of insurance that meet the standards established by subsection a. of this section and that were in force at the time of the injury, death, or property damage.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, disclosure of policy information under this section shall not constitute an admission that the alleged injury, death, or property damage is subject to the policy.
Information concerning the insurance policy shall not be admissible as evidence at trial by reason of disclosure pursuant to this subsection. The disclosure shall be confidential and available only to the injured person, representative of the decedent, or owner of damaged property and the attorney representing the injured person, representative of the decedent, or owner of damaged property and personnel in the office of the attorney.
2C:58-4.3(4)(c) – A violation of this section shall be a crime of the fourth degree and shall constitute full and sufficient grounds for revocation of a permit to carry a handgun issued pursuant to N.J.S.2C:58-4.
Until July 1, 2023, you do not have a “duty to inform” a law enforcement officer that you are armed or transporting handgun(s) during the course of an official law enforcement contact. On and after July 1, 2023, you will be required by law to inform a law enforcement officer, during the course of an official law enforcement contact, that you are armed and/or transporting handgun(s).
This statute appears to only apply to handguns as it is written. Additionally, the way it is written, it sounds as though it applies to handguns not just being carried by the person but also handguns being transported, as defined by New Jersey law. However, if you are unsure, please seek clarification from an attorney.
2C:58-4.4(5)(b) – The holder of a permit to carry a handgun issued pursuant to N.J.S.2C:58-4, if stopped or detained by a law enforcement officer while carrying a handgun in public or traveling with a handgun in a motor vehicle, shall:
2C:58-4.4(5)(b)(1) – immediately disclose to the law enforcement officer that they are carrying a handgun or that a handgun is stored in the vehicle; and
2C:58-4.4(5)(b)(2) – display the permit to carry a handgun issued pursuant to N.J.S.2C:58-4.
Legality aside, this is not a smart idea. If you are involved in a shooting, you will almost certainly be subjected to a blood test. If you have alcohol in your system, it will likely be used against you in a court of law.
Before A4769/S3214 Carry Killer bill was signed in to law, there were no statutes in New Jersey law regarding carrying a firearm and consuming or being under the influence of alcoholic beverages. As per the bill that was signed into law, on and after July 1, 2023, it will be illegal to consume alcoholic beverages or be under the influence of alcohol while carrying a handgun.
2C:58-4.4(5)(a)(1) – [The holder of a permit to carry a handgun issued pursuant to N.J.S.2C:58-4 shall not] use or consume alcohol, a cannabis item, or a controlled substance while carrying a handgun;
2C:58-4.4(5)(a)(2) – [The holder of a permit to carry a handgun issued pursuant to N.J.S.2C:58-4 shall not] be under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or a controlled substance while carrying a handgun;