State Legality MatrixSuppressorsNew Jersey

Are Suppressors Legal in New Jersey?

Statute-cited, last verified 2026-07-10 · State detail verified 2026-07-31

Status
Banned
Verified
2026-07-10

Banned

No. Knowingly possessing a firearm silencer is a crime of the fourth degree.

Controlling law: N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-3(c)

Contested entry

Litigation Status and Details

Exempts armed forces and National Guard members and duly authorized on-duty law enforcement, plus a narrow special deer-management permit exception. Manufacture, transport, and sale are separately barred by N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-9.

The statute in practice

New Jersey Law in Detail

New Jersey section 2C:39-3(c) addresses knowing possession of a firearm silencer, while section 2C:39-9 separately covers manufacture, transport, shipment, sale, and disposition. The exceptions are narrow and role-specific, so a federal registration document is not itself a general New Jersey exception.

Sources

Federal law

Federal baseline

Suppressors are federally legal to own under the NFA. As of January 1, 2026 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 2025) zeroed the federal making and transfer tax on suppressors, formerly $200. Form 4 or Form 1, fingerprints, the NICS background check, and NFA registration are all still required; ATF eForm approvals currently run days to a couple of weeks.

Scope: Firearm suppressors (silencers) as defined by the NFA. Federal NFA compliance (Form 4 or Form 1, fingerprints, NICS, registration) is required everywhere they are legal.

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Are suppressors legal in New Jersey?

No. Knowingly possessing a firearm silencer is a crime of the fourth degree. Controlling law: N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-3(c).

What law covers suppressors in New Jersey?

The controlling law is N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-3(c). Knowingly possessing a firearm silencer is a crime of the fourth degree.

Are suppressors legal under federal law?

Suppressors are federally legal to own under the NFA. As of January 1, 2026 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 2025) zeroed the federal making and transfer tax on suppressors, formerly $200. Form 4 or Form 1, fingerprints, the NICS background check, and NFA registration are all still required; ATF eForm approvals currently run days to a couple of weeks.

What New Jersey Residents Can Still Buy

Full 50-State Map

More New Jersey Gun Laws

Suppressors Laws by State