Firearms Purchasing Permits & ID Cards

Applications for Firearms Carry Permits are only accepted in person in paper form click link below:

***New Jersey Permit to Carry Handgun Instructions & Application***

The State of New Jersey has instituted a new online firearms application and registration system (F.A.R.S.).  Now, when applying for a firearms purchase permit and/or firearms ID card, the entire application is online. 

***STEPS FOR APPLICATION***

  1. Read this entire webpage.

  2. Review the entire application process, outlined HERE.

  3. Have these required items ready when applying:

    • Valid New Jersey driver’s license number.

    • Social Security Number (S.S.N.)

    • State Bureau of Investigation (S.B.I.) number. (If you do not have this, you will assigned a number as part of this application)

    • Valid email address(s) for yourself and your references

    • Paramus Police O.R.I. number:  NJ0024600

  4. Go HERE to start your application

  5. Go HERE to pay the required local fees to Paramus Police.

  6. Monitor your email for status changes and for alerts that we need additional information.

  7. If approved, you will be notified thru email from the State Police of NJ.  Please check your SPAM folder as well.

For all applications submitted after 4/1/2021, the applicant will be able to download and print the Electronic Firearms Purchaser Identification Card (E-FID) from their approval email. E-FID applicant will NOT appear at their Issuing Police Departments to retrieve any firearms licensing documents. 

How do E-Permits work? 

It’s simple. When your applicants apply in FARS for Pistol Permits, and they are approved, the FARS System creates a pistol permit that is maintained in the FARS System. A link to execute the permit will be provided to the applicant as well as Licensed Firearms Dealers in the State of New Jersey. Permits can be executed by Licensed Gun Dealers or private transfers where a NICS check is exempt.  

E – Permits will be valid for 180 days unless there is good cause to not extend the permit past the 90 day mark. 

E – Permits may be deactivated / reactivated at any time (ERPO / TRO / Court Order / NICS Denial etc.)  

How do E- Multi-Handgun Exemptions (MHE) work? 

Instead of your applicants completing a paper form, the MHE will be completed at the time the FARS application is submitted by the applicant. The Seller will receive a certification email and the NJSP Firearms Investigation Unit will have a MHE file in FARS to approve STATEWIDE MHE submissions. No more mail and no more going back and forth with the applicant and NJSP Firearms Investigation Unit regarding MHE approvals/denials. You will see that the MHE was approved/denied by NJSP FIU in the FARS milestone in the application.  The MHE will also have to be accepted by the firearms dealer that was chosen by the applicant to execute the MHE.  

  1. If you receive a notification that you have been denied, a letter of denial will be sent to the address you listed on your application. This letter will explain the steps you will need to take for an appeal. You can contact our BCI Bureau- ID personnel to inquire (201-262-3400 Ext: 1130 ).  Appeals for a denial are heard in Bergen County Superior Court. 201-221-0700

Applicants: Please make sure of the accuracy and completeness of any information you enter on the application.  Only “Official Names” can be used.  You cannot utilize simplified versions such as “Joe” for “Joseph”.  References are contacted by email so be sure the email addresses you enter are accurate, including your own, as this is the email address you will receive your confirmation number and status updates through.  Applicants will have an opportunity to review all the entered information before clicking “submit”.  After clicking “submit”, you will receive a confirmation number which is unique to each application.  Please record this number or print the page.  The confirmation number is how we track each application so we can answer any questions you may have.  If applying for both a Firearms ID Card and Pistol Purchase Permit(s), please do so together on one application.  If you submit several subsequent applications, each receives a different confirmation number and we cannot combine them.  

Fee(s): In order to process the application, we must receive the permit and/or Firearms ID Card card fees prior to proceeding with the application as per New Jersey Administrative Code N.J.A.C. 13:54.  The fees have remained the same ($2.00 per pistol purchase permit and $5.00 for a Firearms I.D. Card).  If we do not receive payment of local fees ($2 per permit, $5 for Firearms ID card) within 30 days, we will consider your application session abandoned and withdraw your application from the system. You can pay online (see above), pay in-person, or mail payment in the form of personal check or money order. The confirmation number you received from the FARS online application should appear on any checks or money orders we receive in connection with your application. 

The $21.00 fee paid to the State of New Jersey, does not include our local fees. These are two separate transactions.

The local fees are collected by Records Bureau personnel at Police Headquarters or online (a link to pay the required local fees online is located under the steps for application). These fees are non-refundable. 

Fingerprints: If you have been fingerprinted in the past for firearms and have a New Jersey State Bureau of Investigation (S.B.I.) number, you will no longer need to be fingerprinted every two (2) years.  You just need to enter your S.B.I. number in the appropriate field.  Your S.B.I. number appears on your current Firearms I.D. Card.

If this is your first time applying and/or you have no S.B.I. number, you will need to make an appointment with “Identigo” to be fingerprinted.  The new online system, (F.A.R.S.), will auto-fill a form for you to take with you to get fingerprinted.  The information on where to go is on the form. You will need a printer. 


When approved, you will receive an email notification to the email address you indicated on your application. 


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Records Bureau Hours:   201-262-3400 Ext. 1190


Monday          8 am – 4 pm

Tuesday         8 am – 4 pm

Wednesday   8 am – 4 pm

 Thursday       8 am – 4 pm

 Friday             8 am – 4 pm

EMAIL:    Firearminvestigation@paramuspolice.org

You may withdraw your application at any time by calling or emailing us. Any fees previously collected are non-refundable. 

If, after 90 days, there is no activity with your application (failed to be fingerprinted, no reference returns, supporting documentation/information not provided, etc.) we will withdraw your application from the system. Again, if we do not receive payment of local fees ($2 per permit, $5 for Firearms ID card) within 30 days, we will consider your application session abandoned and withdraw your application from the system. You can pay online (see above), pay in-person, or mail payment in the form of personal check or money order.

Once withdrawn, you will need to begin an entirely new F.A.R.S. application should you wish to reapply later.