Reviewed against official sources · August 9, 2026
First purchaser ID
Apply for your first New Jersey firearms purchaser ID
New Jersey uses FARS for an initial Firearms Purchaser Identification Card. You can request handgun purchase permits in the same application.
- Preparation
- About 15 minutes
- Status
- Current guidance
- Next review
Process
What this path involves
Confirm the issuing agency
Use the ORI for the police department that serves your legal residence. FARS warns that an application sent to the wrong agency must be withdrawn and resubmitted, and fees are not refunded.
Prepare the application details
Have a passport-style photograph, identification and address history, employment details, and two reputable non-relative references. If you lived outside New Jersey during the last ten years, expect the SP-066 mental-health records consent step.
Complete FARS and the training module
Initial applicants complete the required firearm-safety and safe-storage training in FARS. Save the confirmation number and follow the separate instructions from the issuing agency.
Finish fingerprints and local payment
First-time applicants are directed to schedule fingerprints. Current NJSP instructions say an application may be canceled if fingerprints are not completed within 90 days; local payment and scheduling steps vary by issuing agency.
Important details
Know before you continue
Download the E-FID promptly
Approval is delivered by email as an electronic FID, not the former yellow paper card. NJSP says the download link is available for one year. Download it, verify the details, and keep a secure backup.
Warn your references before applying
FARS emails each reference a questionnaire. NJSP says references should be reputable people who are not related to you, and the application cannot be completed without timely responses.
Know which expiration rule applies
FID cards issued on or after October 25, 2022 include a photograph and expire after ten years. NJSP says cards issued before that date remain valid for the holder’s lifetime unless otherwise invalidated.
Common questions
Quick answers
Can I request handgun purchase permits at the same time?
Yes. FARS supports an initial purchaser-ID application and handgun purchase permits in the same submission.
What if I lived outside New Jersey during the last ten years?
NJSP requires a consent form for mental-health records from the other state or states. Current instructions identify the SP-066 process but do not publish the 30-day withdrawal deadline described in some secondary summaries; follow the issuing agency’s instructions.