New Jersey Statutes 2C:58-6.1. Possession of firearms by minors; exceptions
Attorney's Note
Under the New Jersey Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| crime of the fourth degree | up to 18 months | up to $10,000 |
Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 2C:58-6.1
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
b. No person under the age of 18 years shall possess, carry, fire or use a firearm except as provided under paragraphs (1), (2), (3) and (4) of this subsection; and, unless authorized in connection with the performance of official duties under the provisions of N.J.S.2C:39-6, no person under the age of 21 years shall possess, carry, fire or use a handgun except under the following circumstances:
(1) In the actual presence or under the direct supervision of his father, mother or guardian, or some other person who holds a permit to carry a handgun or a firearms purchaser identification card, as the case may be; or
(2) For the purpose of military drill under the auspices of a legally recognized military organization and under competent supervision; or
(3) For the purpose of competition, target practice, instruction, and training in and upon a firing range approved by the governing body of the municipality in which the range is located or the National Rifle Association and which is under competent supervision at the time of such supervision or target practice or instruction and training at any location; or
(4) For the purpose of hunting during the regularly designated hunting season, provided that he possesses a valid hunting license and has successfully completed a hunter’s safety course taught by a qualified instructor or conservation police officer and possesses a certificate indicating the successful completion of such a course.
c. A person who violates this section shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. For purposes of this section the fact that the act would not constitute a crime if committed by an adult shall not be deemed to prohibit or require waiver of family court jurisdiction pursuant to N.J.S. 2C:4-11 or to preclude a finding of delinquency under the “New Jersey Code of Juvenile Justice,” P.L.1982, c.77 (C. 2A:4A-20 et seq.), P.L.1982, c.79 (C. 2A:4A-60 et seq.), P.L.1982, c.80 (C. 2A:4A-76 et seq.) and P.L.1982, c.81 (C. 2A:4A-70 et seq.).
L.1979, c.179, s.14; amended 1980, c.52; 2000, c.145, s.3; 2013, c.108, s.2; 2019, c.407, s.3.