N.J. Stat. tit. 23, ch. 7

N.J. Stat. tit. 23, ch. 7
in effect

N.J. Stat. § 23:7-1 Trespassing prohibited; posting notice; private notice; penalties

23:7-1. A person who trespasses on the lands of another for the purpose of hunting, fishing, trapping, or taking wildlife, or attempting to hunt, fish, trap, or take wildlife, after notice bearing the name of the owner, occupant, or lessee thereof, forbidding the trespass, has been conspicuously posted by the owner, occupant, or lessee with intervisible signs displayed not fewer than ten to a mile along the exterior boundaries and at all roads, trails and rights-of-way entering such land, or after having been forbidden so to trespass by the owner, occupant, or lessee, shall be liable to a civil penalty of not less than $100.00 nor more than $200.00 for the first offense, and not less than $200.00 nor more than $500.00 and the suspension of all license certificates required, and all privileges, to take or possess wildlife for a period of five years, in addition to any applicable penalty prescribed pursuant to R.S.23:3-22, for each subsequent offense. A license certificate or privilege suspended pursuant to this section shall not be reinstated until the holder thereof has first completed, to the satisfaction of the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife, the approved remedial sportsmen education program established and conducted by the division pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1990, c.29 (C.23:3-22.3). Amended 1948,c.229,s.1; 1990,c.29,s.3.

N.J. Stat. § 23:7-1.1 Littering prohibited; penalty

A person entering the lands of another for the purpose of hunting, fishing, trapping, or taking wildlife, or attempting to hunt, fish, trap, or take wildlife, who litters, dumps, or discards refuse of any kind shall be liable to a civil penalty of not less than $25.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense. L.1990,c.29,s.4.

N.J. Stat. § 23:7-1.2 Archaeological findings in wildlife management area protected.

4. a. (1) Except as may be provided pursuant to subsection c. of this section, no person may alter, deface, destroy, disturb, or remove any archaeological findings in any wildlife management area administered by the Department of Environmental Protection, without the written permission of the department. As used in this section, "archaeological findings" shall include, but need not be limited to, relics, objects, fossils, or artifacts of an historical, prehistorical, geological, paleontological, archaeological or anthropological nature. (2) No person may sell, transfer, exchange, transport, purchase, receive or offer to sell, transfer, exchange, transport, purchase or receive any such archaeological findings originating in a wildlife management area without the written permission of the Department of Environmental Protection. b. A person who knowingly violates, or who solicits or employs any other person to violate, the provisions of subsection a. of this section shall be subject to the following penalties: a fine of not less than $750 nor more than $1,500 for the first offense; a fine of not less than $1,500 nor more than $3,000 for the second offense; and a fine of not less than $3,000 nor more than $5,000 for any subsequent offense. Penalties assessed pursuant to this subsection shall be collected in a civil action by a summary proceeding. Any vessel, vehicle or equipment used in the commission of the violation shall be subject to confiscation and forfeiture to the State, if warranted, as determined by the courts. Further, restitution and damages may be ordered to compensate the State for the cost of remediating any violation of this section and for the value of any lost, damaged, or destroyed archaeological findings. All fines, restitution payments, and damages collected shall be remitted to the Department of Environmental Protection to be used for the preservation, remediation or protection of State archaeological sites. Any archaeological findings obtained as a result of a violation of this section shall be subject to confiscation, forfeiture, and return to the State and, upon recovery, shall be deposited with the New Jersey State Museum. c. The Department of Environmental Protection shall provide for exceptions to the prohibitions set forth in subsection a. of this section for archaeological findings of de minimis value innocently discovered in any wildlife management area. d. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, examination or retrieval of artifacts, or scientific research, conducted by a State department, agency, commission, authority or corporation otherwise required or permitted by federal or State law are exempt from the provisions of this section. L.2004,c.170,s.4.

N.J. Stat. § 23:7-2 Arrest of offender; trial; failure to show permit

23:7-2. A person violating the provisions of R.S.23:7-1 may be arrested without warrant by the owner, occupant, lessee, or any police officer and taken for trial before any Superior Court or municipal court which shall have jurisdiction to try such offender. In a prosecution in a court of competent jurisdiction for violation hereof, the failure of the defendant to produce written permission to hunt, fish, trap, or take wildlife, as the case may be, on the lands on which he is charged with trespassing, signed by the owner, occupant, or lessee thereof shall be prima facie proof that he was forbidden so to trespass. Amended 1953,c.23,s.4; 1990,c.29,s.5; 1991,c.91,s.281.

N.J. Stat. § 23:7-3 Causing injury to property while hunting or fishing; penalties

23:7-3. A person who, while hunting, fishing, trapping, or taking wildlife, causes or assists in causing damage or injury to real or personal property of another, including pet animals, shall be liable to a civil penalty not to exceed $2,000.00, which sum shall be paid to the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife for deposit in the hunters' and anglers' license fund established pursuant to R.S. 23:3-11, and (1) for a first offense, suspension of all license certificates required, and all privileges, to take or possess wildlife for a period of five years, or (2) for a second offense, permanent revocation of all such license certificates and privileges. A court may also order the violator to pay restitution to the victim for any such damage or injury caused. A license certificate or privilege suspended pursuant to this section shall not be reinstated until the holder thereof has first completed, to the satisfaction of the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife, the approved remedial sportsmen education program established and conducted by the division pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1990, c.29 (C.23:3-22.3). Amended 1947, c.303; 1948, c.229, s.2; 1990,c.29,s.6.

N.J. Stat. § 23:7-5 § 23:7-5

All moneys recovered as fines for any violation of this article shall be paid to the board for the uses and purposes of such board.

N.J. Stat. § 23:7-6 § 23:7-6

It shall be unlawful for any person to place notices or signs forbidding hunting, fishing or trapping on any property in this state unless he be the owner or lessee of such property.

N.J. Stat. § 23:7-7 § 23:7-7

All owners or lessees posting property must erect signs or notices containing the printed name or written signature of the owner or lessee in order to constitute legal notices.

N.J. Stat. § 23:7-8 § 23:7-8

Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall be liable to a penalty of twenty dollars for each sign or notice.

N.J. Stat. § 23:7-9 Actions forbidden on property under State control; penalty.

1. a. With respect to or on property under the control of the Division of Fish and Wildlife, no person may: (1) remove or disturb any vegetation, soil, water, minerals, or other property of the State; (2) litter, dump, or discard refuse of any kind; (3) cause injury or damage to any equipment, structure, building, or other property; or (4) use such property contrary to rules or regulations established by the division. b. (1) If a person violates any provision of subsection a. of this section, the division may institute a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction for injunctive relief to prohibit and prevent the violation and the court may proceed in a summary manner. (2) (a) A person who violates any provision of subsection a. of this section shall be liable to a civil penalty of not less than $50 nor more than $1,500, plus restitution if applicable, for each offense, to be collected in a civil action by a summary proceeding under the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.) or in any case before a court of competent jurisdiction wherein injunctive relief has been requested, except that any violation involving a vehicle or off-road vehicle shall be subject to the provisions of sections 33 and 34 of P.L.2009, c.275 (C.39:3C-33 and C.39:3C-34) and any fees or fines collected thereunder shall be subject to the provisions of R.S.23:10-3. The Superior Court and municipal courts shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine violations of subsection a. of this section. If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day during which it continues shall constitute an additional, separate, and distinct offense. If the violation results in pecuniary gain to the violator, or the violator willfully or wantonly causes injury or damage to property, including but not limited to natural resources, the violator shall be liable to an additional civil penalty equal to three times the value of the pecuniary gain or injury or damage to property. As used in this subparagraph, "vehicle" and "off-road vehicle" shall have the meanings prescribed for those respective terms in section 32 of P.L.2009, c.275 (C.39:3C-32). (b) In addition, for each subsequent violation, all license certificates required, and all privileges, to take or possess wildlife shall be suspended for a period of five years. A license certificate or privilege suspended pursuant to this subparagraph shall not be reinstated until the holder thereof has first completed, to the satisfaction of the Division of Fish and Wildlife, the approved remedial sportsmen education program established and conducted by the division pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1990, c.29 (C.23:3-22.3). (3) Penalties assessed pursuant to this subsection shall be in addition to any other civil or criminal penalties that may be applicable pursuant to law. L.1954, c.38, s.1; (title amended 1956, c.30, s.1; 1964, c.79, s.1) amended 1956, c.30, s.2; 1964, c.79, s.2; 1970, c.317; 1990, c.29, s.7; 2005, c.330, s.2; 2009, c.275, s.37.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026

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