State law restricts gun-trafficking by limiting the number of handguns that can be purchased at one time. No more than one handgun may be purchased by a person within a 30-day period. This restriction on bulk-buying of handguns helps prevent gun traffickers from buying large quantities of handguns and reselling them on the streets to criminals.

New Jersey - State law restricts the sale of a list of semiautomatic assault weapons and their copies and uses a 1-feature test for determining other assault weapons. People who owned such assault weapons prior to the ban are required to obtain a special license and are restricted from selling or giving the weapons to anyone else in the state.

No state requirement that gun dealers or manufacturers provide police with sample bullets/cartridges or digital images of bullets/cartridges prior to the sale of a handgun, ballistic fingerprinting, which would assist police in tracing bullets at crime scenes to the guns that fired them.

State law allows police chiefs and state sheriffs to prohibit people from carrying concealed weapons (CCW) in public. Police chiefs and state sheriffs may issue" permits that allow people to carry concealed weapons if police believe it is in the interest of public safety. Anyone so approved by local law enforcement must undergo safety training in the legal and safe use of the weapon.

State law holds gun owners responsible if they leave a gun easily accessible to a child under 16 years old and the child uses the gun to injure or threaten someone.

State law requires every handgun to be sold with a police-approved child-safety lock to make it easier for gun owners to lock up their weapons. But the law does NOT require gun owners to actually use the safety locks to secure their weapons - the law only says they must be sold with guns. And the law does not require child-safety locks to be sold with rifles or shotguns. New Jersey law also provides that within three years of the state Attorney General determining that a "childproof" handgun is on sale in the state, all handguns sold in New Jersey must be childproofed. Childproof handguns have built-in, automatic locking systems that prevent unauthorized use of the weapon. Also see: Safety Standards and Child Access Prevention.

New Jersey - State law mandates that when the technology becomes more widely available or when another state passes the same law, that all new handguns are to be sold with ‘personalized’ handgun technology that would only allow the authorized user to operate the firearm.

New Jersey - The state requires all firearm dealers to obtain a state license to sell firearms. State law mandates licensed firearm dealers to record and retain all sales records on premises. The dealer is required to report those sales records to the state and the state must retain those records in a database. Law enforcement officials are permitted to conduct random inspections to compare a dealer's inventory with the dealer's sales records in order to identify any off-the-books transactions or other discrepancies. State law mandates that a firearm dealer take steps to ensure his/her inventory is protected and secured. (Examples: Locked inventory, product placement requirements, employee screening, install alarm systems, etc.) Licensed dealers must report to law enforcement any firearm that is stolen from their inventory.

State law allows cities and local governments to take legal action to hold gun manufacturers accountable if they act irresponsibly in the way they design, market or distribute weapons. Gun manufacturers can be held legally accountable, just like the makers of every other product.

State law requires people buying guns at gun shows to undergo the same criminal background check as is required for sales that occur at federally-licensed gun stores (all gun buyers in the state must have a police-issued permit). State law requires a background check for every handgun permit issued and each handgun permit is only good for the purchase of one handgun. Permits to purchase long guns are valid indefinitely and don't require the individual to undergo a new background check prior to each new sale.

New Jersey - There is no state law forcing employers or businesses to allow guns on their privately held property.

New Jersey - There is no state law forcing colleges/universities to allow guns on campus.

New Jersey - State law restricts the sale of large capacity, rapid-fire ammunition magazines in excess of 15 rounds. This restriction applies to all firearms.

State law makes it illegal to sell handguns to juveniles under the age of 21 by unlicensed sellers. Under federal law, only federally licensed dealers are prohibited from selling or delivering handguns or ammunition for handguns to any person under the age of 21. A strong state law is needed to stop unlicensed persons from selling handguns to those under the age of 21.

State law requires handgun buyers to obtain a license from law enforcement prior to purchasing a handgun and long gun buyers must have a firearms identification card. The license only involves background checks and fingerprinting, no safety training is required. The license is also generally required for anyone who wishes to be "loaned" a handgun outside of the presence of the owner. The license is valid for up to 90 days, and may be renewed for an additional 90 days. The fees are $49 for fingerprinting, $2 for a handgun permit and $5 for an identification card. The permit is normally processed in less than one month, or less than six months if additional research is needed. While only handguns require a handgun permit, a firearms identification card is required to receive a long gun and that card is valid until/unless revoked.

New Jersey state law does not prevent local cities, towns, villages and boroughs from regulating firearms. New Jersey courts have held that local laws must not conflict with state laws.

New Jersey - There is no state law requiring new semi-automatic handguns be fitted with microstamping technology, which would engrave on each fired bullet casing microscopic identifying markings that are specific to that firearm alone. This technology would provide law enforcement with another investigative tool to better solve gun crimes and apprehend armed criminals.

State law authorizes law enforcement to keep a record of every handgun sold or transferred in the state. In addition, police keep records of persons applying for a firearms identification card to purchase a rifle or shotgun, but the police do not know whether these individuals actually purchase a rifle or shotgun. The handgun sale records are maintained by police for use in gun tracing and related criminal investigations. But the state does not automatically compare past gun sale records with recent criminal activity to identify and disarm felons and others who bought guns legally, but later committed a crime or otherwise became ineligible to keep possession of their firearms.

State law only requires registration of assault weapons. No state requirement that gun owners register other firearms though it is illegal to obtain a firearm without a state license. Police do not known how many guns are in the state or where they are. The lack of registration makes it difficult for police to trace guns used in crime, identify illegal gun traffickers or hold gun owners accountable for the illegal use of their weapons. Although the state does keep a record on handgun transfers, there is no state system to automatically identify and disarm felons and other prohibited people who bought guns legally in the past, but later committed a crime or otherwise became ineligible to keep possession of their firearms.

New Jersey - State law requires all firearm owners to report lost/stolen firearms to law enforcement. This requirement helps to keep illegal guns off the streets by removing the excuse used by gun traffickers that "lose" their firearms.

State law requires all firearms to be sold with a state-approved locking device. But there is no state requirement that handguns meet basic safety standards, or be equipped with a loaded-chamber indicator or a magazine safety disconnect to prevent unintentional shootings. No requirement that handguns have a more advanced, built-in "personalized" lock that would prevent unauthorized use of the weapon. State law provides independent authority for the State Attorney General to establish gun safety standards, but the Attorney General has not done so.

No state restriction on the sale of Saturday night specials or "junk" handguns. No requirement that handguns meet any safety tests such as a drop-safety test or a firing-performance test. No restriction on the sale of snub-nosed handguns that are very small and easy to conceal.

New Jersey - The state does not allow the use of deadly force as a first resort in public.

New Jersey - State law requires universal background checks on handguns only. People buying or obtaining ownership of all firearms must obtain a permit from law enforcement, and each permit requires a criminal background check. Handgun buyers are permitted to buy only one handgun per permit, thus are subject to a background check for all handgun sales. Buyers of rifles and shotguns may purchase an unlimited number of those weapons and don't have to get a background check before each transaction. A purchase permit or ID card is required for all firearm purchases in the state, including those at gun shows or through Internet or newspaper ads.

State law requires handgun buyers to first obtain a permit to purchase from law enforcement. Law enforcement normally processes the application in less than 30-days. This period is used by law enforcement to run a criminal background check to make sure the handgun buyer is not prohibited from acquiring firearms.