Getting your New Jersey carry permit, explained clearly.
A plain-English walkthrough of the whole process — and certified instructors near you for the range qualification the state requires. Free to use.
Where are you in the process?
Pick the one that sounds like you. Every path starts with reading, not buying.
How the New Jersey permit process works
Five steps. Most people finish in 60 to 90 days. Each step links to its own guide.
Confirm you're eligible
Basic requirements: 21 or older, no disqualifying record, and legally allowed to own a handgun. Almost everyone who applies qualifies — the denial rate is 0.46%.
Take the course and qualify at the range
The CCARE qualification with a certified instructor. This is the part we help with directly — instructors run beginner sessions, and plenty of people in the class have never fired a handgun.
Line up your endorsers and documents
You'll need people who can vouch for you, plus proof of identity and residence. Get this together before you start the application — it's the most common reason people stall.
Apply through the state portal and get fingerprinted
You submit online, then your local police department or the State Police handles the review. Fingerprinting is scheduled separately at an approved vendor.
Collect your permit — then diary the renewal
Permits run two years. You'll requalify at the range each time, so put a reminder in your calendar the day you get it — or let us send you one 90 days out.
Valid 2 yearsHow renewal works →
Verified instructors
We confirm every certification with the issuing authority before a listing goes live, and re-check it each year. No stock photos, no unverified listings.
We're verifying our founding instructors now
Rather than pad this page with stock listings, we're confirming each instructor's CCARE certification before publishing them. Enter your ZIP above to see who's active near you, or browse by county below.
Classes by county
All 21 counties, each with local permit numbers and police-department contacts. 110,797 applications statewide since 2019.
We'll remind you before your permit expires
New Jersey permits last two years and you have to requalify each time. Give us your expiry date and we'll email you ahead of it, with instructors near you. No account.