By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Berkeley Township, N.J.—also known as Bayville—has become the 23rd municipality in the Garden State to rebate a portion of the state’s carry permit fee back to gun owners.
The vote happened earlier this week, according to News2A. The town council voted to refund $100 of the $150 fee to residents who provide proof of payment to the Berkeley Township police or finance department.
The rebate project is the work of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action and the New Jersey Firearm Owners Syndicate. The project started last year.
The permit fee rebate project is a first-of-its-kind effort, and is significant right now as momentum is growing nationally for the full restoration of the Second Amendment as a first-class right and a cornerstone of the constitution as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary on July 4.
“We are both delighted and proud of the progress our effort has achieved,” said CCRKBA Executive Director Andrew Gottlieb. “Working with our partners and the various participating municipalities has been an incredibly rewarding experience, demonstrating how cooperation and common sense produce a benefit for the public.
“What may have seemed like an impossible task this time last year has become a success story which still has many chapters waiting to be written,” he continued. “It reminds us all that good people can come together to do the right thing, and the Citizens Committee is proud to be part of this remarkable project.
“We’re particularly inspired by the comments of Berkeley Township Mayor John Bacchione,” Gottlieb stated, “who recognizes the steep permit fee as a deterrent towards people wanting to exercise their rights. We also recognize the effort by state Senator Carmen Amato, Jr. to help make this happen.”
The project launched in June 2025 when Monmouth became the first municipality to offer the rebate. News2A has a full list of the participating communities.
