Reports & Permits

Firearms Purchases

In order to obtain a firearm, you must meet eligibility requirements and comply with the statutes which govern firearms purchases in the State of New Jersey.

All firearms applications for residents of Randolph are handled through the police department’s Records Bureau. If you need guidance with the application process or have questions, please call 973.989.7030.

Firearms Application Process and Requirements

The process begins with making application for a Firearms Purchaser Identification Card and along the way, requires you to submit to a background investigation by both state and federal agencies, supply references, be fingerprinted, and consent to a mental health records check.

There are two types of purchase permits in New Jersey—the Firearms Purchaser Identification Card and the Permit to Purchase a Handgun. If this is your first time buying a firearm, you will need to apply for both but this is accomplished using the same application form (Form STS-33).

Applicants should anticipate the process taking approximately twelve to fourteen weeks. Incomplete or missing information may delay the process, as will the failure of your references to respond in a timely manner.

Links to the requisite application forms are available at the bottom of this page.

If you are obtaining a Firearms Purchaser Identification
Card for the first time, you must submit the following:

Form STS-33 in duplicate: This is the dual application form for the Firearms Purchaser Identification Card and the Permit to Purchase a Handgun. This extensive questionnaire-type form is where you will provide the names and addresses of two reputable persons with whom you are presently acquainted but not related to.; If you plan to purchase a handgun, you must also enter the number of permits for which you are applying. Pistol permits are initially valid for ninety days and may be renewed for an additional ninety days.
Form SP-66 in duplicate: This is the Consent for Mental Health Records Search which allows authorities to look into whether you were ever institutionalized.
$60.25 money order: This fee is required for fingerprint processing by the New Jersey State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Payment must be in the form of a money order and made payable to the Division of State Police S.B.I.
$5.00 fee for the Firearms ID card: This is payable to the Township of Randolph and may be either a check or money order. This is a one-time fee because the ID card is good for as long as you remain eligible to own a firearm in the State of New Jersey.
$2.00 for each handgun permit: You will need one permit for each handgun you wish to purchase. This is payable to the Township of Randolph by check or money order.; Note: You cannot combine fees in one payment. Payment to the township must be separate from payment to the state.

You will be fingerprinted by the police department upon submission of the completed applications and fees.

If you already possess a Firearms ID Card and/or a Permit
to Purchase a Handgun, you must submit the following:

Form STS-33 in duplicate: Check the box at the top of the form to indicate that you are applying to purchase a handgun and enter the number of permits you are seeking. Pistol permits are initially valid for ninety days and may be renewed for an additional ninety days.
Form SP-66 in duplicate: This is the Consent for Mental Health Records Search which allows authorities to check and see if you were ever institutionalized.
$18.00 money order (conditional): In lieu of being fingerprinted, you may be required to submit a Request for Criminal History Record Information (Form SBI 212A). This will be determined by the length of time between applications. If required to remit this fee, your payment must be in the form of a money order and made payable to the Division of State Police S.B.I.
$2.00 for each handgun permit: You will need one permit for each handgun you wish to purchase. This is payable to the Township of Randolph by check or money order.; Note: You cannot combine fees in one payment. Payment to the township must be separate from payment to the state.

If you are seeking a Permit to Carry a Handgun:

A permit to carry is required for any handgun—concealed or not—and it must be renewed every 2 years. Only one permit needs to be obtained for all such handguns.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the Firearms Purchaser Identification Card and Permit to Purchase a Handgun, you must also:

supply proof of your familiarity with handguns
include endorsements from three individuals attesting to your good moral character and ability to exercise self-control
have a “justifiable need to carry a handgun”
provide a description and serial number for every handgun you intend to carry

Issuance of this permit is almost completely discretionary and New Jersey has a policy of strictly limiting permits to “persons specifically employed in security work…and to others who can establish an urgent necessity for carrying guns for self-protection.”

Application Forms

To view these forms, you will need the freely available Adobe Reader software installed on your computer, version 4 or higher.

These are “fillable forms” and may be filled out on your computer. Please note that a fillable form isn’t the same as electronic filing and it is not possible to electronically submit a form—you must print it out after entering the information.

Note: Form SBI 212A (Request for Criminal History Record Information) must be submitted to the State Police using the original yellow form. For this reason, we are unable to make it available for download.