How to apply for a New Jersey permit to carry
Since the Supreme Court's Bruen decision, New Jersey issues carry permits on a "shall-issue" basis: meet the objective requirements and you qualify. The process is entirely online through the State Police FARS system, but it has several moving parts. Here's the whole thing, in order.
On this page
1. Are you eligible?
Before you spend a dollar, make sure you meet New Jersey's baseline requirements. You generally must be:
- At least 21 years old;
- A New Jersey resident or dual resident (non-residents can apply directly to the State Police under the same standards);
- Free of disqualifying criminal convictions, certain domestic-violence findings, and disqualifying mental-health history;
- Not subject to a court order that would bar firearm possession.
New Jersey no longer requires you to show a "justifiable need" to carry — that discretionary standard was removed after Bruen. What replaced it is a detailed set of objective requirements and a long list of places you still can't carry.
2. Get fingerprinted & establish your SBI number
The carry application requires an SBI (State Bureau of Identification) number, which you only receive after being fingerprinted for firearms purposes in New Jersey. If you've never applied for a Firearms Purchaser ID Card or handgun permit here:
- File an Initial Firearms Purchaser ID application in FARS;
- Schedule fingerprinting through IdentoGO and attend your appointment;
- Your SBI number is generated and appears on your firearms records.
If you've already been fingerprinted for firearms in NJ, you can reuse your existing SBI number and skip straight to the carry application.
3. Complete approved training & qualification
New Jersey requires a state-recognized training course covering safe handling, the state's use-of-force rules, and a live-fire qualification. Keep the certificate and your instructor's details — your qualification must be current (completed within the last two years) when you apply, and you'll re-qualify at renewal.
4. Line up four references
The carry application asks for four reputable references who are not related to you, each with a valid email address. The FARS system emails them a short questionnaire directly, so give them a heads-up and double-check every email before you submit — a wrong address stalls the whole application.
5. Apply online through FARS
Carry applications are filed in the New Jersey State Police Concealed Carry portal (part of FARS). During the application you'll:
- Select the police department that covers your residence — applying to the wrong agency voids the application and your fee;
- Upload a passport-style photo, your training record, and any required consent forms (for example, a mental-health records consent if you've lived out of state recently);
- Enter your SBI number and your four references;
- Pay the fees and submit.
6. What it costs
The permit fee is set by statute — commonly about $200 total, typically $50 to the State through FARS and $150 to your municipality. On top of that, budget for a first-time IdentoGO fingerprinting fee and the cost of your training course, which is priced by the range or instructor.
A note on money that's in motion: the fee structure and a former liability-insurance requirement have been challenged in court, and a number of towns now rebate the municipal portion of the fee. Confirm the current amount with your police department.
7. After you apply
Once submitted, your references receive their questionnaires and a background investigation runs through state and federal systems. New Jersey law directs your chief of police (or the State Police for non-residents and unincorporated areas) to approve or deny within 60 days of a completed application. Realistically, counting fingerprinting, training, and reference turnaround, most applicants are looking at two to four months end to end — and it varies by department.
You'll get automated email updates throughout, so watch your inbox (and spam folder).
8. Once you're approved
Your permit is issued electronically and is valid for two years. Before you carry, remember New Jersey's core rules:
- Concealed only — open carry is a crime, even with a permit;
- Duty to inform — you must tell an officer you're carrying if stopped;
- No reciprocity — NJ doesn't honor other states' permits, and other states may not honor NJ's;
- Sensitive places — a permit doesn't override the long list of locations where carry is still banned.
That last one trips up the most people. See where you can't carry in New Jersey →