Secure Storage in New Jersey
Gun owners in New Jersey must store guns securely in their homes and vehicles to prevent unauthorized access and theft.
Gun owners in New Jersey may be subject to criminal penalties if a child under age 16 gains access to an improperly stored loaded firearm in the following circumstances:
- They should reasonably know that a child under age 16 is likely to gain access to firearms at a location they control, and
- They fail to store a loaded firearm at such a location either in a securely locked box or container, in a location that is reasonably understood to be secure, or secured with a trigger lock.
In addition, if a gun owner is leaving a handgun in a parked car, the handgun must be unloaded and either:
- Contained in a closed and securely fastened case or gunbox and not visible from outside of the car, or
- Locked in the trunk or storage area of the car.
To avoid potential criminal liability under state law, gun owners should store loaded firearms in a securely locked box or container, securely locked with a trigger lock, or in a secure location to prevent children under 16 from gaining unauthorized access to them.
Keeping Your Homes and Vehicles Safe with Secure Storage
If you’ve made the decision to bring a gun into your home, it’s important to know how responsible gun owners work to keep their families safe by mitigating the inherent risks associated with firearm ownership. Every responsible gun owner securely stores their guns so that they are inaccessible to children and other people who are at risk of harming themselves or others. Here’s why:
- More than 700 children die by gun suicide each year, most often using guns belonging to a family member.
- Nearly 360 children under the age of 18 unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else each year.
- At least one-third of youth gun suicides and unintentional deaths could be prevented with increased secure storage.
- More than 200,000 guns are stolen from individuals every year—a significant portion of those are stolen from cars.
Safety is always an adult responsibility. Kids will be kids, so it’s always an adult’s responsibility to keep children safe. Always assume that curious or impulsive kids may find and touch an unsecured gun, even if they’ve been told not to. If a child handles a gun, a bad decision can quickly become a fatal one. Be SMART adults protect kids by making sure all guns are stored securely, which means they are inaccessible to kids, and by making sure children are never in the presence of unsecured guns.
The information provided here is not legal advice and should not be understood as such. Consult with an attorney if you have questions about how this law applies to your specific circumstances.