A5345 requires the use of standardized merchant category codes (MCCs) for all purchases involving firearms and ammunition. Specifically, payment card networks must make the ISO-established MCC for firearms and ammunition available to merchant acquirers, and starting May 1, 2027, acquirers must assign that code to any qualified firearms merchant. The Attorney General holds exclusive enforcement authority—violators face civil penalties of $10,000 per violation.
The New Jersey State Assembly passed A5345 on March 24, 2025 by a vote of 49 to 27. We have assigned pluses to the nays because pressuring private credit-card companies to flag firearm and ammunition purchases creates a de facto registry and infringes on constitutionally protected rights, including the First, Second and Fourth Amendments. This is a significant invasion of privacy, opens the door for illegal searches, and potentially deters people from making firearm purchases.
