There are no statutory exceptions or exemptions for household members or family members. New Jersey residents may not share or permit possession even if the purpose is self-defense, safety instruction, maintenance, or moving the gun from one location of the home to another. In effect, New Jersey law makes the idea of a family house gun, even for the protection of any family member, unlawful under any circumstance. If you are not at a shooting range or hunting, you have no legal basis for sharing possession of your gun at any time.
There are, however, two circumstances where you may transfer your firearm, albeit temporarily, to a qualified person in your actual presence and under your supervision. If you are the legal owner of a firearm that is temporarily transferred, you must remain in the actual presence or the vicinity of the transferee during the entire time that the firearm is in that person’s possession. The two limited exceptions are as follows: (1) allowing someone to possess and shoot your gun at a range; and (2) while hunting no more than eight (8) hours during a twenty-four (24) hour period.
