New Jersey school drill law

What drills does New Jersey require, and how often?

New Jersey requires every principal of a school of two or more rooms (or a one-room school above the first story) to hold at least one fire drill and one school security drill each month within school hours. The monthly duty also covers any summer months when the school is open for instructional programs. A school security drill is any exercise other than a fire drill that practices the response to an emergency such as a bomb threat, non-fire evacuation, lockdown or active shooter, and is similar in length to a fire drill. The Department of Education's current Drilling page summarizes the law the same way: one fire drill and one school security drill each month.

What does New Jersey's fire code add?

New Jersey's fire code, the 2018 International Fire Code, New Jersey Edition, with New Jersey's changes in N.J.A.C. 5:70-3.2, requires school buildings (Group E, the fire code's term for schools) to hold two drills each month, with all occupants taking part. Of those two monthly drills, one must be an emergency evacuation drill and one a lockdown drill. Under that code, the first two emergency evacuation drills of each school year must be held within 10 days of the start of classes. In the 2023 rule proposal (PRN 2023-051), N.J.A.C. 5:70-3.1(a) reads that the Commissioner adopts the 2018 International Fire Code by reference as the State Fire Prevention Code, subject to New Jersey's changes in N.J.A.C. 5:70-3.2.

What about school bus drills?

Each school must hold school bus emergency exit drills on school property at least twice each school year for all students transported to and from school, including instruction on using seatbelts. All other students must get school bus evacuation instruction at least once each school year. School bus drivers and bus aides must take part in the bus emergency exit drills.

What counts as a drill?

An actual school security emergency during the month, with activities equivalent to a drill, counts as that month's school security drill. Where a school building has fire escapes, some or all students must use them in every fire drill. All students and staff must fully take part in each drill to the greatest extent practicable.

Do police take part?

A law enforcement officer must be present at at least one school security drill each school year, to recommend improvements to the drill procedures. A school district may let emergency personnel use its buildings and grounds for security drills scheduled outside school hours, when students are not present.

What limits apply to security drills?

When a school district holds a security drill with students present, it must make sure the drill:

• ends with clear, age-appropriate messaging to students and staff that it was a drill and there is no current danger
• does not expose students to content or imaging that is not developmentally or age-appropriate
• is paired with trauma-informed approaches to students' questions or concerns
• does not use fake blood, real or prop firearms, or simulated gunshots, explosions or other sounds or visuals that may cause panic
• does not require a student to role-play as a victim, though it may include first aid training
• is accessible to students with disabilities and mental health conditions, with all needed accommodations

Districts, receiving schools and nonpublic schools must keep each student's mobility, sensory, medical, communication, emotional and other needs during a drill or real emergency in the student record.

Do parents have to be told?

A school district must give parents written notice after a school security drill, no later than the end of that school day.

Do drills have to be logged or reported?

A school district must track drill data each year, as the Commissioner of Education requires, and report it to the commissioner. The Department of Education says districts must send a statement of assurance that security drills were completed to their County Office of Education by June 30 each school year. It says nonpublic schools send the same statement each year to their county prosecutor's office by June 30. The state's district performance review (NJQSAC, effective July 1, 2025) scores a district on submitting, by June 30 each year, a security drill statement of assurance that accurately shows the monthly security drills were held. The Department's undated School Security Drill Guide, still linked from its Drilling page, says every school, public and nonpublic, must complete the Department's Security Drill Record Form. A school district must review and update its security drill procedures on the same cycle as its school safety and security plan review.

What staff training is required?

Districts, receiving schools and nonpublic schools must train all full-time employees on school safety and security, including school security drills. That training must use the state's drill guide and training materials. The Commissioner of Education must develop and send every district, receiving school and nonpublic school a building security drill guide and training materials on evacuation and lockdown, and update them at regular intervals.

What has changed recently?

P.L.2023, c.212, which amended the drill law, was approved January 8, 2024, and takes effect in the first full school year after enactment. Before that amendment, an actual fire or school security emergency could count as a drill; the current text speaks only of an actual school security emergency counting as a school security drill. The security drill limits and parent notice rule come from P.L.2021, c.365, approved January 10, 2022. S2525, introduced in the 2026–2027 session, would require the Police Training Commission's school emergency response course to include lockdown drill observations. Its only recorded action is introduction and referral to the Senate Education Committee on January 13, 2026; as of October 27, 2026 it is pending in committee. Its Assembly twin, A244, is likewise pending in the Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee since January 13, 2026. S505, also introduced in the 2026–2027 session, would have the Attorney General give public and nonpublic school students and staff yearly training on school emergencies. S505 and its Assembly twin, A239, were each introduced and referred to committee on January 13, 2026, with no further action; as of October 27, 2026 both are pending in committee. AR100, a non-binding Assembly resolution urging schools to let parents observe a school security drill each year, was referred to the Assembly Education Committee on January 13, 2026 and is pending there as of October 27, 2026. S2108 (2024–2025), which would have amended the drill statute's section on exterior door locking, died in committee when that session ended.