What Are the Assault Weapon Laws in New Jersey?
Woody's answers are based on published federal and state law. Not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney for your specific situation.
New Jersey has strict assault weapon laws that ban many semiautomatic firearms by name and feature. The state prohibits specific named firearms plus rifles and pistols with certain combinations of features like folding stocks, flash hiders, and threaded barrels.
What This Means for You
New Jersey's assault weapon ban directly impacts what you can legally build, buy, or possess in the state. The law uses both a named firearms list and feature-based criteria that can make otherwise legal firearms prohibited. Understanding these restrictions is essential before starting any build project or firearm purchase in New Jersey.
The Detail
New Jersey's assault weapon laws operate on two main principles: a list of specifically banned firearms by name and model, plus feature-based restrictions that apply to semiautomatic rifles and pistols. The named firearms list includes many popular platforms, so you need to verify that your intended firearm isn't specifically prohibited regardless of its features.
For rifles, the feature test typically focuses on combinations of characteristics rather than single features. Common prohibited features include folding or telescoping stocks, pistol grips that protrude conspicuously beneath the action, bayonet mounts, flash suppressors or threaded barrels designed to accommodate them, and grenade launchers. The key detail is that these restrictions often apply when multiple features are present together.
Pistol restrictions follow a similar pattern, looking at features like threaded barrels, shrouds that encircle the barrel, magazines that attach outside the pistol grip, and weights over certain thresholds. The state also has magazine capacity restrictions that limit standard capacity magazines.
New Jersey requires compliance verification before possession, meaning you need to ensure your firearm configuration meets state requirements before completing any transfer or build. The state does not grandfather many configurations, so firearms that were legal elsewhere may not be legal to bring into New Jersey.
Build Impact
These laws significantly restrict build options in New Jersey, often requiring modified configurations like pinned stocks or compliance modifications to otherwise standard designs. You should verify specific compliance requirements with New Jersey State Police or qualified legal counsel before proceeding with any build project.