The Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) has updated its Web site to include the child support certification to make the process easier and more efficient for users.

Under State law, every New Jersey agency responsible for issuing certain licenses is required to obtain an applicant’s social security number and certification regarding the status of the applicant’s child support obligations. Sporting and recreational licenses, which include hunting and fishing licenses, are specifically included in the law. Applicants who fail to meet certain child support obligations are denied a license.

In response to concerns raised by sportsmen and women about the confidentiality of paper certification forms submitted when purchasing a license, the Division is now providing an online certification process. This site, developed with the office of the Attorney General, the Administrative offices of the Courts and the State Information Technology office, allows license applicants to certify electronically their child support status.

Applicants who satisfy the conditions of the law using this online service will be able to print out a paper certification valid for the calendar year that can be shown to a license agent as proof that the applicant is eligible to purchase a license. License applicants who do not complete an online certification will be required to complete a paper certification each time they purchase a license or permit.

Anyone who wants to purchase a license for someone else, such as for a gift, will still be able to do so by presenting that persons certification to the license agent at the time of purchase. The requirement to show a previous year’s license or hunter education certificate still applies for hunting license buyers.