Secure Storage
Laws in New Jersey

Gun owners in New Jersey are required to store their loaded firearm(s) in their homes and other locations under their control securely to keep children under the age of 16 from accessing them.

Secure storage in New Jersey means that a gun is:

• Stored in a securely locked box or container;
• Stored in a location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure; or
• Secured with a trigger lock.

New Jersey’s child access prevention law applies to handguns in parked vehicles. If a gun owner is leaving their handgun in a parked vehicle:

• The handgun must be unloaded; and
  • Contained in a closed and securely fastened case, gunbox, or locked trunk/storage area; and
  • Not visible from outside of the car.

Gun owners in New Jersey may be subject to criminal penalties if:

• They know or reasonably should know that a child under age 16 is likely to gain access to loaded firearms at a location they control; they do not secure the loaded firearm in a locked container, a secure location, or with a trigger lock; and a child does gain access to a loaded firearm; or
• They leave a handgun in a parked vehicle without ensuring that the handgun is unloaded, closed in a secure case/locked trunk/with a trigger lock, and not visible from outside of the vehicle.