NJ Handgun Carry Permit Application Experience

[124gr9mm 859]

It's been 30 days since I submitted my paperwork, so i followed up today.

There's one person in the department who handles all permit applications and I was told there were at least 20 in front of mine...so no update.

At least they verified that it was there!

[RadioGunner 218]

Anyone from Essex County? That county has been notably silent.

[Jim Jones 108]

Update on Beachwood NJ.  My cousin dropped his application off 32 days ago. He called the PD today and was told “Beachwood detectives are still looking all the applications over and no application has been sent to superior court yet”.  They are totally dragging their feet! Since the new Chief came in that towns had gone in the dumps from a 2A standpoint.

[CJack 138]

3 hours ago, RadioGunner said:

RPO can apply for permits online now. Is this new? If so, probably FARS for carry is not far off. 

Its been there for a while. And yes, its not that difficult to get the rest of the PTC process in there, but this is NJ we are talking about.  Also RPO went to NJSP and then to Court.  For the regular Joe Shmo, they need to figure out a way to open that up for local PDs and then County Superior Courts, and the little paws of county prosecutor offices that injected into the process.

 

[HuntingPaper 62]

1 hour ago, RadioGunner said:

Anyone from Essex County? That county has been notably silent.

I’m from Essex and I applied on 07/05 the PD told me on 08/05 that my application was already at the County courthouse. I’m waiting not so patiently, I will update when there’s news. 

[Bushmaster1313 61]

Local PD’s have 60 days under statute to approve or disapprove. 

If disapproved by the local PD the applicant has 30 days to appeal in writing, with a specific procedure as to who must be notified. 
 

If no action taken in 60 days the application is deemed approved by the local PD and it must be presented to the Superior Court. I do not know how an applicant of a deemed approved application is supposed to present it to the Superior Court of the local PD does not do it. 
 

Local PD’s that are not dragging their feet are approving within the 60 days and sending the approved applications to the Superior Court for review and final approval. Getting stacks of approved applications from multiple Local PDs is a major logistical hurdle for a Judge and their staff even if they are trying to do the right thing. 
 

if the Judge has a question about whether to give final approval to an approved application they are supposed to hold a hearing within 30 days and render a final decision within 14 days thereafter. 
 

Here is my personal timeline

JUL 22. Application filed with local PD

JUL 25. Fingerprints taken in Pennsylvania

AUG 13 local PD sent me email asking for email addresses of my three references. 
 

AUG 13 I sent email to local PD with the email addresses of my three references. 
 

AUG 15 local PD sent email questions to my three references

AUG 16 my three references responded. 

AUG 19 I receive email from local PD saying the Chief approved my application and it was being sent to the Superior Court. 

AUG 22 is date I assume my local PD approved application was received by Superior Court

AUG 29  I will give my local PD approved application a week to be kicked around the Superior Court. Then I will call the Superior Court and politely and respectfully ask if it is possible for me to  confirm that the Superior Court received my local PD approved carry permit application   

SEP 22 is the calculated 30 day deadline for the Superior Court to act on my application or hold a hearing  

 

[RadioGunner 218]

My money order has been cashed. This could possibly mean it’s at the court and permit is incoming.

[CapGuns&SnapsKid 33]

All this courts and prosecutors have me thinking. I was denied over 20yrs ago (the public safety line they abused) by my dept and never appealed. Years later I retained a lawyer and did an expungement and reapplied where EVERYTIME I fill out the ST-033 I have to answer YES to Question 27. I was approved an FID and have applied for multiple pistol permits with approvals thru the years. I read on NJgunreddit some gentleman was like me and they denied him and now the prosecutors want to go after his FID and have his weapons taken away. Anybody hear this?! My lawyer is Jef Henninger and I have him on speed dial, but I would think they would want to challenge anyone who has any type of blemish on their apps. hope this don't turn into another $$$$$$$$ trap. 

[Cheflife15 455]

Did anyone photo copy their app or did you write out 3 separate ones?

[oneshot 45]

1 minute ago, Cheflife15 said:

Did anyone photo copy their app or did you write out 3 separate ones?

Pretty sure it has to be all originals, no copies

[Mr.Stu 1,918]

13 minutes ago, Cheflife15 said:

Did anyone photo copy their app or did you write out 3 separate ones?

It has to be 3 separate ones signed with wet ink by all 3 references, you and your notary.

[RadioGunner 218]

18 minutes ago, Cheflife15 said:

Did anyone photo copy their app or did you write out 3 separate ones?

Fillable PDF, I printed 3 copies and my refs signed all 3 and all 3 were notarized. The signatures must be live ink and the app must be notarized for all 3.

[Tyty 2]

25 minutes ago, RadioGunner said:

My money order has been cashed. This could possibly mean it’s at the court and permit is incoming.

Mine too as of yesterday! Applied 7/14 at NJSP. Hopefully we are up next. 

[exfed2002 4]

13 hours ago, CJack said:

  Also RPO went to NJSP and then to Court. 

 

RPO is totally different from the regular permit process and it is handled within the NJSP.  It is also an ID card, not a permit to carry, even though it has that on its face. 

The current permit system looks like it did 50 years ago, before a lot of new developments came about and volumes of applications were much smaller.

[RadioGunner 218]

19 minutes ago, Tyty said:

Mine too as of yesterday! Applied 7/14 at NJSP. Hopefully we are up next. 

Which county? 

[Tyty 2]

13 minutes ago, RadioGunner said:

Which county? 

NJSP Washington. I'm an out of state resident 

[JackDaWack 2,895]

I was just printed today, I will update when all the paperwork is dropped off and start my timeline for sussex county, probably sometime next week when I can get my last reference to sign off and pickup a certified check. 

[SJ Guns 36]

2 hours ago, RadioGunner said:

Fillable PDF, I printed 3 copies and my refs signed all 3 and all 3 were notarized. The signatures must be live ink and the app must be notarized for all 3.

I copied the form after my references signed. The only wet signature on all 3 forms was mine - which was notarized x3.

[ToddD 59]

 

Update from admin in the Burlington county fb group : pasting pertinent info from there …

“I then called the Burlington County court and spoke with someone in the criminal division.  Once the police are done with their part, they send it via mail to the prosecutors office.  They do whatever it is they do and if they have no objections forward it to the judge.  The judge hearing these cases in Terrence R. Cook who is the presiding judge for the criminal division.  If it is NOT rejected, he is not requiring a hearing (in person or via zoom) and is signing and mailing them back to the police department.  
He wouldn't/couldn't answer when I asked if they were/have been been issued thus far.”

 

Burlington county Fb group for those interested:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/286849840306649/?ref=share

 

[ToddD 59]

So it appears there won’t be hearings for  Burlington County, which is nice if accurate. 

[Ficus 36]

Just got in touch with deptford pd and was told via email “The court is backlogged into December u won’t here anything anytime soon”  

I’m kind of aggravated.

Edited August 23, 2022 by Ficus
Proof of email

[124gr9mm 859]

1 minute ago, Ficus said:

Just got in touch with deptford pd and was told via email “The court is backlogged into December u won’t here anything anytime soon”  

I’m kind of aggravated.

You may want to forward that to the ANJRPC folks.

Hard to believe they put something like that in an e-mail...

2 hours ago, SJ Guns said:

I copied the form after my references signed. The only wet signature on all 3 forms was mine - which was notarized x3.

The instructions are pretty specific about that point so it will be interesting to see if they challenge you on it.

[Ficus 36]

7 minutes ago, 124gr9mm said:

You may want to forward that to the ANJRPC folks.

Hard to believe they put something like that in an e-mail...

The instructions are pretty specific about that point so it will be interesting to see if they challenge you on it.

I responded and asked if it was approved by him and sent to the courts. I was planning on it after his response and then call to the judge.

[CJack 138]

32 minutes ago, Ficus said:

I responded and asked if it was approved by him and sent to the courts. I was planning on it after his response and then call to the judge.

Tell him YOU will worry about the courts and you need the application to be approved and sent to court within reasonable time (which btw, we all know is 60 days).  If you are close to 50 days in with PD, quote the actual law to them and ask them to process it and send it over to Court. 

PDs should know that we are all grown men and women and not some stupid a** who feed information off of social media.

 

[Gabesdad 24]

On 7/9/2022 at 9:32 AM, maintenanceguy said:

Here is what officially qualifies as evidence of familiarity with firearms:

According to the Firearm Applicant Investigation Guidebook by the NJSP that is used by all local PDs and NJSP when issuing FIDs, P2P,s and Carry Permits...

"The applicant must produce evidence he or she is thoroughly familiar with the safe handling and use of handguns. This may be evidenced in one of several ways:
a. Completion of a firearms training course substantially equivalent to the firearms training approved by the Police Training Commission as described by N.J.S. 2C: 39-6.j;
b. Submission of an applicant's most recent handgun qualification scores utilizing the handgun(s) he or she intends to carry as evidenced by test firings administered by a certified firearms instructor of a police academy, a certified firearms instructor of the National Rifle Association, or any other recognized certified firearms instructor;
c. Completion of a course or test in the safe handling of a handgun administered by a certified firearms instructor of a police academy, a certified firearms instructor of the National Rifle Association, or any other recognized certified firearms instructor; or
d. Passage of any test in this State’s laws governing the use of force administered by a certified instructor of a police academy, a certified instructor of the National Rifle Association, or any other recognized certified instructor

According to NJ Administrative Code (NJAC) 13:45-2.4

(b) Each applicant shall demonstrate a thorough familiarity with the safe handling and use of handguns by indicating in the space provided therefor on the application form, and on any sworn attachments thereto, any relevant information. Thorough familiarity with the safe handling and use of handguns shall be evidenced by:
1. Completion of a firearms training course substantially equivalent to the firearms training approved by the Police Training Commission as described by N.J.S.A. 2C:39-6j;
2. Submission of an applicant's most recent handgun qualification scores utilizing the handgun(s) he or she intends to carry as evidenced by test firings administered by a certified firearms instructor of a police academy, a certified firearms instructor of the National Rifle Association, or any other recognized certified firearms instructor; or
3. Passage of any test in this State's laws governing the use of force administered by a certified instructor of a police academy, a certified instructor of the National Rifle Association, or any other recognized certified instructor.

(c) The information in (b) above shall be accompanied and validated by certifications of the appropriate instructor(s).

 

Items (b) and (2) don't explain what the course of fire is. It seems that most are doing some abbreviated/modified version of the RPO qualification found on page 79 of the "Semi-Annual Firearms Qualification and Requalification Standards for New Jersey Law Enforcement.".  But the law and the guidance doesn't require that. It doesn't say what CoF is good enough at at all.

But it does require "Submission of an applicant's most recent handgun qualification scores".  Since NRA Basic Pistol does not require a specific score and scores are not recorded, it seems that would not qualify.  But if they are following their own rules, almost anything else does.

I submitted my papers in Bergen County. Per the police I was able to submit Army Honorable Discharge papers as eligible credentials.  They wanted that or class. YMMV. 

[marlintag 223]

18 hours ago, Bushmaster1313 said:

Local PD’s have 60 days under statute to approve or disapprove. 

If disapproved by the local PD the applicant has 30 days to appeal in writing, with a specific procedure as to who must be notified. 
 

If no action taken in 60 days the application is deemed approved by the local PD and it must be presented to the Superior Court. I do not know how an applicant of a deemed approved application is supposed to present it to the Superior Court of the local PD does not do it. 
 

Local PD’s that are not dragging their feet are approving within the 60 days and sending the approved applications to the Superior Court for review and final approval. Getting stacks of approved applications from multiple Local PDs is a major logistical hurdle for a Judge and their staff even if they are trying to do the right thing. 
 

if the Judge has a question about whether to give final approval to an approved application they are supposed to hold a hearing within 30 days and render a final decision within 14 days thereafter. 
 

Here is my personal timeline

JUL 22. Application filed with local PD

JUL 25. Fingerprints taken in Pennsylvania

AUG 13 local PD sent me email asking for email addresses of my three references. 
 

AUG 13 I sent email to local PD with the email addresses of my three references. 
 

AUG 15 local PD sent email questions to my three references

AUG 16 my three references responded. 

AUG 19 I receive email from local PD saying the Chief approved my application and it was being sent to the Superior Court. 

AUG 22 is date I assume my local PD approved application was received by Superior Court

AUG 29  I will give my local PD approved application a week to be kicked around the Superior Court. Then I will call the Superior Court and politely and respectfully ask if it is possible for me to  confirm that the Superior Court received my local PD approved carry permit application   

SEP 22 is the calculated 30 day deadline for the Superior Court to act on my application or hold a hearing  

 

I am in a similar situation and almost identical timeline. 

July 13th - Application dropped off at local PD and accepted

July 22nd - Fingerprinted in NJ

July 28th - All references completed

Aug 16th - Notified by PD that application was approved by a chief and forwarded to superior court. Judge will be on vacation until the end of the month and to be patient as there are a lot of applications. 

The statute for the Superior Court is 30 days total for approved or rejected applications. I too will be taking action if there is no hearing or determination at the 30 day deadline. FYI this is Middlesex County.

 

 

[Cheflife15 455]

1 hour ago, marlintag said:

I am in a similar situation and almost identical timeline. 

July 13th - Application dropped off at local PD and accepted

July 22nd - Fingerprinted in NJ

July 28th - All references completed

Aug 16th - Notified by PD that application was approved by a chief and forwarded to superior court. Judge will be on vacation until the end of the month and to be patient as there are a lot of applications. 

The statute for the Superior Court is 30 days total for approved or rejected applications. I too will be taking action if there is no hearing or determination at the 30 day deadline. FYI this is Middlesex County.

 

 

I'll be qualifying tomorrow and trying to hand in my papers by next week. I have a feeling piscataway will make it hard to even drop the paperwork off. 

[marlintag 223]

31 minutes ago, Cheflife15 said:

I'll be qualifying tomorrow and trying to hand in my papers by next week. I have a feeling piscataway will make it hard to even drop the paperwork off. 

As long as you call your PD to make an appointment to drop off your paperwork they cannot refuse!

4 hours ago, Ficus said:

Just got in touch with deptford pd and was told via email “The court is backlogged into December u won’t here anything anytime soon”  

I’m kind of aggravated.

December! That's a bunch of baloney! They are playing games with you.

[Tyty 2]

So what's our best understanding right now as to the money order being cashed? Is that a final step? I believe I read that in some post here that the permit came a few days later for someone but not sure.

[Brandyep 2]

Seems The 3 written reference forms my local pd received back was not enough so they are calling everyone’s references to ask them to verify everything they filled out and is true. They also asked if the applicant has ever done drugs , crime or has a drinking problem amongst other questions including the circumstances of our relationships. I guess they are looking for inconsistencies between what they filled out and what they say on the phone  

Seems like an extensive screening process also.

1. Screened for accuracy before it hits the detectives.2 weeks 

2. Screened by the detectives for criminal , mental health etc 4-6 weeks 

3. screened by the chief for accuracy and approval  ?

4. if approved by the chief it goes to the court where they are much more stringent  (pd’s word) ?

Does anyone know if it Is possible the local pd can run credit ?