Since the historic ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022, overturning New York state’s strict gun control laws that had been in place for over a century, the number of gun permit applications in New York City and New Jersey has surged.
On June 23, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in the case of “New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen,” declaring that New York’s 1911 law restricting the public carrying of firearms violated the right to bear arms protected by the Second Amendment of the Constitution, rendering it invalid. Although New York swiftly enacted the “Concealed Carry Improvement Act” to continue strict gun control, the requirements for applying for a gun permit were relaxed as a result.
According to a report by the Gothamist news website, based on the latest data from the New York City Police Department, from 2022 until early March of this year, the department received over 11,000 concealed gun permit applications, with over 1,800 applications in just the first two months of this year; in comparison, the department received only 315 applications throughout 2021. However, the department declined to disclose the approval rate of these applications. In New Jersey, between 2022 and June 30, 2024, approximately 41,000 new concealed gun permit applications were received, along with several hundred renewal applications, with nearly 12,500 new applications just in the first six months of this year; in 2021, the state had only 274 new applications and 381 renewal applications. New Jersey has an approval rate of over 99%, with most rejections being due to a history of domestic violence.
Lateif Dickerson, head coach of the New Jersey Firearms Academy, which offers shooting courses and assists in permit applications in Jersey City, told Gothamist that the surge in gun permit applications is not necessarily because people are more concerned about their safety than before, but rather because it is now easier to apply. Many people are seeking permits without intending to own a firearm.