Resident permit · MI → NJ
Is a Michigan Resident Permit Valid in New Jersey?
No. In New Jersey your Michigan Concealed Pistol License (CPL) counts for nothing, and the state has no permitless carry for visitors. You would need a New Jersey permit, which it does issue to non-residents, to carry there.
Why
- New Jersey does not recognize any out-of-state carry permit.
NJSP FAQ (last reviewed 12/17/2025): 'No. New Jersey does not have reciprocity with any other state. You must obtain a New Jersey Concealed Carry Permit if you wish to carry a handgun in New Jersey.'
The permit (Michigan)
- Permit
- Michigan Concealed Pistol License (CPL)
- Issued by
- County clerk
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
The destination (New Jersey)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- Yes — proactive
- Magazine limit
- 10 rounds
Carry rules in New Jersey
Crossing into New Jersey swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.
- New Jersey imposes a duty to inform: you must tell an officer you are carrying. If stopped or detained while carrying in public or traveling with a handgun in a vehicle, the permit holder must immediately disclose that they are carrying (or that a handgun is stored in the vehicle) and display the permit; violating the disclosure duty is a fourth-degree crime (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.4(b)).
- New Jersey limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- New Jersey is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit New Jersey recognizes.
- The statutory ban on functional (loaded, readily accessible) handguns in vehicles for permit holders (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.6(b)(1)) is enjoined by federal court order and listed by NJSP as not enforceable as of 12/11/2025 — vehicle-carry rules remain in active litigation; the duty to disclose a handgun in the vehicle still applies.
Off-limits places in New Jersey
New Jersey bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Courthouses, courtrooms and government administration buildings (incl. police stations)
- Schools, colleges, universities, school buses and child care facilities
Michigan vs New Jersey: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Michigan into New Jersey changes 3 rules: magazine limit (None → 10 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (All (resident permits only) → None); open carry (Yes, no permit → No).
| Rule | Michigan | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | No |
| Duty to inform police | Yes | Yes |
| Magazine limit | None | 10 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All (resident permits only) | None |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | No |
Going the other way, a New Jersey resident permit in Michigan: recognized — carry with your permit.
Driving on from New Jersey
How a Michigan resident permit fares in the states bordering New Jersey:
- Delaware — Recognized — carry with your permit
- New York — Not recognized
- Pennsylvania — Recognized — carry with your permit
Frequently asked questions
- Does New Jersey honor a Michigan non-resident permit?
- Michigan does not issue non-resident carry permits (michigan residents only: applicant must have resided in Michigan for at least 6 months (waivable for emergency licenses and for new residents who hold a valid CPL from another state); active-duty military with Michigan as home of record, or permanently stationed in Michigan, count as residents), so the question does not arise.
- Can a New Jersey resident permit holder carry in Michigan?
- Recognized — carry with your permit. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Michigan's law, not New Jersey's.
- Where does New Jersey publish its official reciprocity list?
- New Jersey publishes its recognition policy on an official state page, linked in the sources on this page. That page is the authority — check it shortly before travel, because recognition lists change without much notice.
Official sources
- New Jersey State Police — Concealed Carry Facts and FAQ's (reciprocity, duty to disclose, magazine limit, sensitive places) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NJSP — N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.6 Places where carrying a firearm is prohibited (current as of 12-11-25) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NJSP — Concealed Carry Permit Instructions for Out-of-State Residents (03/03/2026) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NJ OAG — N.J.A.C. Title 13 Chapter 54 (Firearms and Weapons; 13:54-2.3 carry-permit criteria; under-21 handgun disability) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NJ Attorney General Directive 2022-07 — carrying of firearms in public after Bruen — accessed 2026-08-08
- NJSP — Concealed Carry Permits (how to apply, forms, CCARE) — accessed 2026-09-27
- NJSP — Concealed Carry Permit Instructions for N.J. Residents & Dual Residents (03/03/2026) — accessed 2026-09-27
- New Jersey P.L.2022, c.131 (permit to carry; $200 application fee) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Michigan State Police — Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- Michigan State Police — Concealed Pistol License Requirements — accessed 2026-08-08
- Michigan State Police — Prohibited Premises (MCL 28.425o) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCL 750.231a — exceptions incl. license issued by state of residence; vehicle transport — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCL 28.425f — duty to disclose to peace officer — accessed 2026-08-08
- Michigan State Police — Concealed Pistol Application and Instructions — accessed 2026-09-27
- MCL 28.425j — Pistol training or safety program requirements — accessed 2026-09-27
- MCL 28.425l — License validity, duration and renewal — accessed 2026-09-27
- MCL 750.234f — Possession of firearm by person under 18 — accessed 2026-09-27
- Michigan Attorney General — Informational letter to Rep. Chatfield on open carry of firearms (Feb. 1, 2018) — accessed 2026-09-27