2A Coalition Targets New Jersey’s Excessive Permitting Fees

In the wake of Englishtown Borough’s historic move to return $150 of New Jersey’s $200 concealed carry price tag to every resident who’s applied for a concealed carry permit, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, the New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate, and the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action are teaming up to build on that success. 

The groups have now banded together to push other municipalities in the state to follow Englishtown’s lead and refund the portion of the permit fees that is given to local governments. 

The issue at hand is permits to carry are $200 in N.J. But, of that fee, $150 goes to the local municipality. There’s nothing barring jurisdictions from refunding applicants the municipality’s portion of the fee. A negligible amount of these funds go into the administration of issuing the permits. This shows the fee is strictly punitive in nature.

“A lot of revolutionary ideas get drawn on cocktail napkins, but it wasn’t until after we saw how successful this project was in Englishtown that we knew we were onto something big,” Alan Gottlieb, the chairman of CCRKBA said. “Partnering with NRA-ILA and NJFOS is a no-brainer. We’re working to get these unconstitutional fees refunded back to as many applicants as possible. These fees are exorbitant and fly in the face of Bruen.”

“We’re proud to stand with NJFOS and CCRKBA in urging municipalities to significantly reduce the financial burden placed on New Jerseyans seeking to exercise their constitutional rights,” said NRA-ILA Executive Director, John Commerford. “No one should be priced out of their right to self-defense. Eliminating these unjust costs is a common-sense step toward ensuring equal access to a fundamental freedom.”

“Our coalition here reflects how serious and important this issue is,” Joe LoPorto, the director of legal operations of NJFOS said. “Putting core constitutional rights behind prohibitively high fees is a regrettable and discriminatory strategy that states like New Jersey have employed in the wake of Bruen. This strategy harms the poor and the vulnerable. But communities across the State can now fix Trenton’s bad policies and help restore some semblance of equal protection under the law.”

Since Englishtown Mayor Daniel Francisco introduced the ordinance refunding $150 of the $200 fee to residents, Franklin Township has followed suit and adopted similar language. Efforts are underway in several other Garden State communities, and with these Second Amendment organizations now getting behind the idea, I expect that we’ll soon have even more good news to report. 

Gun owners and Second Amendment advocates need to champion this as well, even if they live in deep blue parts of the state. No one should have to pay hundreds of dollars to exercise a fundamental civil right, and if municipalities like Englishtown and Franklin can forgo the $150 for each permit allotted to them by lawmakers in Trenton, there”s no reason (other than sheer animosity towards our Second Amendment rights) why Jersey City, Newark, Camden, and Trenton itself can’t follow suit. 

Editor’s Note: In full disclosure, both myself and Bearing Arms contributor John Petrolino serve as unpaid board members of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.