Application Instructions for Firearms Permits and Registrations

Application Instructions for Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) Permits

***FIREARMS CARRY PERMIT UPDATE - 9/15/23***

The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (NJ OAG) has announced the new Civilian Carry Assessment and Range Evaluation (CCARE) protocol. This live-range training replaces the Permit to Carry Safe Handling and Proficiency Qualification protocol (HQC2- modified) issued on July 21, 2023, and is the required range component pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(g).

All certified firearms instructors in NJ shall now instruct on the CCARE protocol.

As for individuals who completed firearms training prior to July 1, 2023, and whose permit to carry does not expire until after December 22, 2023, they must requalify on the CCARE protocol, or the HQC2-modified protocol issued on July 21, 2023. An individual who completed a course of fire prior to the issuance of the CCARE Protocol is deemed to have satisfied N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4(g)(2) if and only if the prior course included each of the following:

• A minimum of 50 scored rounds per participant.
• Minimum passage score of 80% using an FBI type Q target.
• At least 10 rounds must be from the 15, 10, 7, 5, and 3 yard lines each, or if fewer rounds were fired from those distances, the remaining rounds must have been fired from greater distances.
• The participant must demonstrate safe holstering and unholstering during the shooting course, which must include safely drawing the weapon from a secured holster before firing at each of the required distances and reholstering after completing the round.
• The participant must demonstrate proficient and safe reloading during the shooting course.

No substantially similar courses completed after the CCARE Protocol is issued will be accepted.

Further, given that the HQC2 interim training was issued on July 21, and the CCARE protocol was implemented on September 15, 2023, law enforcement shall provide individuals who need to requalify until December 31, 2023, to complete the requisite training to comply with the law. Failure to requalify under N.J.S.A. 2C:58- 4(g) by December 31, 2023, will render the applicable individual’s permit-to-carry invalid. Instructors should also inform their applicants to send a copy of their completed certification to the police agency with which the application was filed to be included in the agency’s file.

The following documents have been posted to the Franklin Borough Police Department website:

• NJ OAG Memo regarding the Civilian Carry Assessment and Range Evaluation (CCARE) Protocol
• Department of Law and Public Safety - Use of Force Interim Training for Private Citizen Concealed Carry
• Civilian Carry Assessment and Range Evaluation (CCARE) Protocol
• New Jersey Permit to Carry Safe Handling and Proficiency in the Use of Handguns Certification

Questions and additional information regarding these processes may be obtained by
calling the Franklin Borough Police Department Records Section at (973) 827-
9635 or by emailing firearms@franklinpd.org.