Buy a Gun Online in New Jersey: FFL Transfer Rules
Buying a firearm online and taking delivery in New Jersey works differently from most states. You pay online, and the firearm ships to a New Jersey licensed dealer you choose. The dealer completes the state checks before the firearm is released to you. This guide explains each step using the New Jersey rules on file as of September 2026.
How ordering online and shipping to a local dealer works
Place your order here and pay online. The firearm ships to a New Jersey licensed dealer you select, not to your home. Before you order, contact the dealer and ask what they need from you. The dealer checks your Firearms Purchaser Identification Card (FPIC) or handgun purchase permit, confirms the item is legal in New Jersey, and runs the State Police background check before release. You complete the dealer's required paperwork as part of the transfer.
What the New Jersey rules say
Permits come before any dealer transfer. New Jersey requires a permit before any dealer transfer. For rifles and shotguns you need an FPIC, which is available at age 18. The initial card costs $50 plus fingerprinting.
Each handgun needs its own Permit to Purchase a Handgun, which is available at age 21. The permit costs $25 and is valid for 90 days and may be renewed for good cause. Both the FPIC and the handgun permit are filed online through the NJSP Firearms Application and Registration System, to your local police department.
You may buy one handgun per 30 days unless you hold an exemption. The permit office is your municipal police department, or the NJSP station, that serves your county.
Carry permits. New Jersey issues a Permit to Carry a Handgun. You apply online through the State Police portal. The municipal police chief where you live processes the application, or the NJSP Firearms Investigation Unit does if the State Police cover your town. Applicants need four references, CCARE range qualification with a certified instructor, and a list of every handgun they will carry. The application fee is $200 plus background and fingerprint fees, and permits run two years. Carry is barred in many sensitive places under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.6, parts of which are still in court. Hollow point ammunition may not be carried in public.
Ammunition. New Jersey dealers require an FPIC, a handgun purchase permit or a carry permit to sell handgun ammunition, or ammunition usable in both handguns and long guns.
Catalog limits. Not every item in the catalog can be transferred to New Jersey residents. Rifles that meet the state's assault firearm definition and magazines over 10 rounds cannot be transferred to New Jersey residents. Confirm with your New Jersey dealer before you order.
Public ranges and hunting areas in New Jersey
These are the public ranges and hunting areas covered by NJ Fish & Wildlife.
- Black River in Chester. An NJDEP Fish & Wildlife range on a Wildlife Management Area. Long guns only.
- Assunpink in Upper Freehold. An NJDEP Fish & Wildlife range on a Wildlife Management Area. Long guns only.
- South Jersey marshes. Waterfowl hunting, which needs a shotgun plugged to three shells, non-toxic shot, a New Jersey hunting license, the state waterfowl stamp and a federal duck stamp.
- Deer and black bear. Deer hunting is shotgun, muzzleloader and bow only. Black bear season runs in Zones 1-5 in October and December.
These ranges are run by NJDEP Fish & Wildlife on Wildlife Management Areas. At least one person in the shooting party needs a valid New Jersey hunting license for the gear in use, and handguns are not allowed on any of them. Source: NJDEP Fish & Wildlife WMA shooting range list, 2026-27 Hunting Digest, September 2026.
Hunting rules for New Jersey
Centerfire and rimfire rifles are not legal for deer anywhere in New Jersey. Shotguns must be 10 to 20 gauge and hold no more than three shells, and they fire slugs or buckshot from #4 to #000. Muzzleloading rifles must be .44 caliber or larger and use black powder or a substitute. The 2026 Six-Day Firearm season runs December 7-12. Permit Shotgun and Permit Muzzleloader seasons are set by Deer Management Zone, and the full regulations are in the 2026-27 Hunting Digest. New Jersey has no open feral hog hunting season.
Frequently asked questions
Can a resident order a firearm online?
Yes. You pay online and the firearm ships to a New Jersey licensed dealer you choose. The dealer checks your FPIC or handgun purchase permit, confirms the item is legal in New Jersey, and runs the State Police background check before release.
What permit do I need to buy a handgun?
You need an FPIC plus a Permit to Purchase a Handgun for each handgun, filed online through the NJSP Firearms Application and Registration System to the police department that covers your address. Each permit costs $25 and is valid for 90 days.
Does everything in the catalog ship to New Jersey?
No. The catalog is a national distributor list, and some items, such as rifles that meet New Jersey's assault firearm definition and magazines over 10 rounds, cannot be transferred to New Jersey residents. Confirm with your New Jersey dealer before you order.
Can I buy handgun ammunition in New Jersey without a permit?
No. New Jersey dealers require an FPIC, a handgun purchase permit or a carry permit to sell handgun ammunition or ammunition usable in both handguns and long guns.
Can I hunt deer with a rifle in New Jersey?
No. Centerfire and rimfire rifles are not legal for deer anywhere in New Jersey. Use a 10 to 20 gauge shotgun with slugs or legal buckshot, a muzzleloader, or a bow, and check your Deer Management Zone in the current digest.
Laws change; confirm current rules with the state agencies named above.
Official sources
Rules and forms come from these agencies. Check them for the current version before you order; last reviewed October 2026.
- New Jersey State Police
- New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
- ATF, Firearms (federal)
- FBI NICS background checks (federal)
General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.
