N.J. Stat. tit. 56, ch. 2

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 56:2-1 § 56:2-1

Any association, lodge, order, fraternal society, beneficial association, or fraternal and beneficial society or association, historical, military or veterans' organization, labor union, foundation, federation, or any other society, organization or association, degree, branch, subordinate lodge, or auxiliary thereof, whether incorporated or unincorporated, the principles and activities of which are not repugnant to the constitution and laws of the United States or this state, may register in the office of the secretary of state of this state, a facsimile, duplicate, or description of its name, badge, motto, button, decoration, membership card, charm, emblem, rosette, or other insignia, and may, by reregistration, alter or cancel the same.

N.J. Stat. § 56:2-2 Application for registration, alteration or cancellation; blanks; object and effect of registration

Application for a registration, alteration or cancellation authorized by section 56:2-1 of this title shall be made by the chief officer or officers of the association or organization mentioned in said section 56:2-1, upon blanks to be furnished by the secretary of state. Any registration had under authority of this chapter shall be for the use, benefit, and on behalf of all associations, degrees, branches, subordinate lodges, and auxiliaries of such association or organization, or any other society, organization, or association, degree, branch, subordinate lodge, or auxiliary thereof, and the individual members and those thereafter becoming members thereof, throughout this state.

N.J. Stat. § 56:2-3 § 56:2-3

When a name, badge, motto, button, decoration, membership card, charm, emblem, rosette, or other insignia has been registered in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, no registration or alteration in registration of a name, badge, motto, button, decoration, membership card, charm, emblem, rosette, or other insignia, imitating, or so nearly resembling as to be calculated to be deceptive of, a name, badge, motto, button, decoration, membership card, charm, emblem, rosette, or other insignia already registered, shall be accepted, unless the same was adopted and has been in actual use by any regularly organized association or organization mentioned in section 56:2-1 of this title, for at least three months prior to June twenty-first, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-three.

N.J. Stat. § 56:2-4 § 56:2-4

Upon granting registration as provided in this chapter, the secretary of state shall issue his certificate to the applicant for registration, setting forth the fact of such registration.

N.J. Stat. § 56:2-5 § 56:2-5

Any person who, without the permission or authority of any association or organization mentioned in section 56:2-1 of this title, makes, forges, counterfeits or causes to be made, forged, or counterfeited, or who, without such permission or authority, utters, distributes or causes to be uttered or distributed, knowing the same to be false, forged or counterfeited, any duly registered badge, motto, button, decoration, membership card, charm, emblem, rosette, or other insignia of any such association or organization, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars, and in default of payment of such fine, shall be committed to jail for not to exceed sixty days.

N.J. Stat. § 56:2-6 § 56:2-6

Any person who willfully wears, exhibits, displays or uses, for any purpose, the badge, motto, button, decoration, membership card, charm, emblem, rosette, or other insignia of any association or organization mentioned in section 56:2-1 of this title, duly registered as provided in this chapter, or any imitation thereof, shall, unless he is entitled to use and wear the same under the constitution, by-laws, rules, or regulations of any such association or organization, be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars, and, in default of payment of such fine, shall be committed to jail for not to exceed sixty days.

N.J. Stat. § 56:2-7 § 56:2-7

The provisions of sections 56:2-5 and 56:2-6 of this title shall not apply to the wearing, exhibiting, displaying or using, for any purpose, of the badge, motto, button, decoration, membership card, charm, emblem, rosette or other insignia of any association or organization which has, prior to June twenty-first, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-three, duly copyrighted the same under the laws of the United States, and the wearing, exhibiting, displaying or using thereof has been authorized or privileged thereunder by the constitution, by-laws, rules or regulations of the copyrighting association or organization.

N.J. Stat. § 56:2-8 § 56:2-8

The secretary of state shall keep a properly indexed record of the registration authorized by this chapter, which shall also show any altered or canceled registration.

N.J. Stat. § 56:2-9 § 56:2-9

The fees of the secretary of state for registration, alteration, cancellation and searches made and certificates issued by him, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, shall be the same as provided by law for similar services. All fees collected under authority of this chapter shall be paid by the secretary of state into the state treasury.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026