Reviewed against official sources · August 9, 2026
Permit to carry
Apply for a New Jersey permit to carry a handgun
New Jersey accepts carry-permit applications through a separate electronic portal. Training, references, fees, renewal timing, and location restrictions all require careful attention.
- Preparation
- Training required
- Status
- Litigation active
- Next review
Process
What this path involves
Complete the current qualification
NJSP’s March 3, 2026 instructions require the Civilian Carry Assessment and Range Evaluation (CCARE), proof of familiarity with safe handling and use-of-force rules, the SP-182 form, and the instructor’s certification.
Prepare references and documents
Current NJSP instructions require four reputable references who are not related by blood or law and who have known the applicant for at least three years, plus a passport-style photograph and the requested identification details.
Apply through the carry portal
Use the separate NJSP concealed-carry portal and select the police department or NJSP station that serves your residence. Follow that agency’s payment instructions.
Confirm the current fee split
As of August 9, 2026, NJSP lists $226 for an applicant who was previously fingerprinted: $200 in statutory fees, an $18 background-check fee, and an $8 portal service fee. Municipal applicants pay $76 online and $150 to the local police department; NJSP-served applicants pay the full amount online.
Important details
Know before you continue
Renew every two years
The NJSP portal and current instructions say carry permits are renewed every two years and a renewal application may be submitted up to four months before expiration.
Sensitive-place rules remain in litigation
P.L. 2022, c.131 created a sensitive-places list. NJSP’s current instructions point to a December 11, 2025 status sheet and state that litigation is ongoing and some provisions are enjoined and not enforceable. On December 11, 2025, the Third Circuit granted rehearing en banc and vacated its prior panel opinion. Recheck the NJSP sheet and court status before carrying.
A permit does not authorize carry everywhere
Even after issuance, statutory location restrictions and property rules apply. The NJSP status sheet is a starting point, not a substitute for checking the current law and orders for a specific destination.
Common questions
Quick answers
Can one qualification cover a renewal?
Current NJSP instructions say the training may apply to an initial permit and one immediately consecutive renewal when there is no lapse, subject to the stated timing rules.
Does New Jersey recognize another state’s carry permit?
No. NJSP states that New Jersey does not recognize carry permits issued by other states.