Pre-trip check · PA → NJ
Driving from Pennsylvania to New Jersey?
The law changes the moment you cross the line — what's legal to carry, light, or do in Pennsylvania can be a violation in New Jersey. Every status below is live from LawLert's database, dated, and linked to its official source.
Laws change at the state line.The free LawLert iPhone app alerts you when you cross into a state where a law you track differs: firearms, cannabis, alcohol, fireworks and 9 more. No account.Get the appWhat changes for you (8)
New Jersey bans magazines that hold more than 10 rounds — it is illegal to possess or sell one.
Full New Jersey rule · Official source · verified May 31, 2026
New Jersey allows only sparklers and non-aerial novelties to be sold; aerials and firecrackers aren't sold at retail, and that is actively enforced.
Full New Jersey rule · Official source · verified Jun 5, 2026
New Jersey's red-light camera pilot expired in December 2014 and was not renewed, and speed cameras were never authorized, so both types of camera enforcement are now prohibited statewide.
Full New Jersey rule · Official source · verified Aug 2, 2026
Possessing a switchblade, gravity or ballistic knife (or dagger, dirk, stiletto) 'without any explainable lawful purpose' is a fourth-degree crime; self-defense is not a lawful purpose (N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3(e)).
Full New Jersey rule · Official source · verified Jul 7, 2026
Any fire in or adjacent to forest with wildfire potential is prohibited without a permit from the NJ Forest Fire Service. A written permit is required in municipalities with firewardens. Burning rubbish, leaves, garbage…
Full New Jersey rule · Official source · verified Jun 18, 2026
Graduated, topping out at 10.75% (on income over $1,000,000) — the 4th-highest top rate in the nation.
Full New Jersey rule · Official source · verified May 31, 2026
New Jersey sets no statewide last call — each municipality sets bar hours by ordinance. 2 a.m. is most common, but some towns close at midnight and a few run later.
Full New Jersey rule · Official source · verified Jun 7, 2026
In New Jersey, adults 21 and older may possess up to 6 ounces, or the equivalent, and more than 6 ounces is a crime.
Full New Jersey rule · Official source · verified May 31, 2026
Same status
Matching status ≠ identical law — details, limits and penalties can still differ.
Carrying with a permit? Whether Pennsylvania permits are honored in New Jersey is its own map — check New Jersey concealed-carry reciprocity. And federal land (national parks, forests) plays by federal rules in both states — see the federal-land guide.
Also from Pennsylvania: PA → DE · PA → MD · PA → NY · PA → OH · PA → WV · reverse (NJ → PA)
Pennsylvania to New Jersey: common questions
- Do the laws change when you drive from Pennsylvania to New Jersey?
- Yes — 8 of the 13 categories LawLert tracks have a different status in New Jersey than in Pennsylvania: firearms, fireworks, driving, knives, burn bans, taxes, alcohol, cannabis. Each is listed on this page with its current status, the official source it came from, and the date it was last verified.
- What are the firearms laws in New Jersey if I'm coming from Pennsylvania?
- New Jersey: Restricted — New Jersey bans magazines that hold more than 10 rounds — it is illegal to possess or sell one. In Pennsylvania the same category is Permitted.
- What are the fireworks laws in New Jersey if I'm coming from Pennsylvania?
- New Jersey: Restricted — New Jersey allows only sparklers and non-aerial novelties to be sold; aerials and firecrackers aren't sold at retail, and that is actively enforced. In Pennsylvania the same category is Permitted.
- What are the driving laws in New Jersey if I'm coming from Pennsylvania?
- New Jersey: Restricted — New Jersey's red-light camera pilot expired in December 2014 and was not renewed, and speed cameras were never authorized, so both types of camera enforcement are now prohibited statewide. In Pennsylvania the same category is Conditional.
- Is my Pennsylvania concealed carry permit honored in New Jersey?
- Permit reciprocity is decided separately from the firearms status shown on this page, so it is not answered here. LawLert publishes New Jersey's recognition list, with the statute or agency page behind it, at lawlertapp.com/firearms/NJ/reciprocity. Permitless carry, where a state allows it, is a different question again — it does not make an out-of-state permit valid.
- How current is this Pennsylvania to New Jersey comparison?
- Every rule on this page stores the date it was last checked against its source; the oldest on this comparison is 2026-05-31. Every rule LawLert publishes carries a source URL, and every correction it has made is public at lawlertapp.com/how-we-verify. Laws change — confirm anything consequential against the linked source.