Trenton, NJ – If you’re a gun owner in New Jersey, you might want to stock up on ammunition now—Governor Phil Murphy’s latest budget proposal is taking aim at your wallet once again. Tucked into his $58.1 billion spending plan for fiscal year 2026, unveiled last month, is a nearly $8 million revenue grab through increased firearm fees and new excise taxes on both guns and ammo. Details are still hazy, but if history is any guide, the hikes could hit hard.
Murphy’s no stranger to pushing these measures. In past years, he’s tried—and failed—to jack up fees like the firearms purchaser identification card from $5 to $100 and the handgun carry permit from $50 to $400, while also floating a 2.5% tax on firearm sales and a 10% tax on ammunition. His 2019 pitch, which included a $3.2 million ammo tax haul, got shot down by lawmakers, but he’s back at it, banking on $7.8 million this time around. The administration’s keeping mum on specifics for now, but the intent is clear: make owning and using a gun more expensive.
Gun rights advocates are already loading their counterarguments. “This is Murphy’s same old playbook—tax law-abiding citizens out of their Second Amendment rights,” said Scott Bach, executive director of the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs. “A $100 ID card or a 10% ammo tax isn’t chump change for a single mom in Newark who just wants to protect her family.” Posts on X echo the sentiment, with users urging folks to “buy now” before prices climb.
The backdrop? New Jersey’s already got some of the nation’s toughest gun laws, and Murphy’s doubled down since taking office in 2018—think “red flag” laws, ghost gun bans, and a “name and shame” campaign targeting out-of-state gun sources. Critics say this latest move isn’t about safety; it’s about revenue and control. “Criminals don’t pay these taxes—they don’t even buy legal ammo,” Bach added. “This just punishes the people following the rules.”
With the budget due by June 30, the fight’s just beginning. Murphy’s team says the cash will bolster state trooper operations, but opponents argue it’s a regressive hit on lower-income folks—especially in a state where median household income hovers around $90,000, yet costs keep rising. Last year’s budget saw alcohol and online gambling taxes go up; now ammo’s in the crosshairs. Stockpiling might not be a bad idea—because if Murphy gets his way, that next box of rounds could cost you more than you bargained for.
