State of New Jersey Laws for Service Stations
- The State of New Jersey forbids self-service at gas stations.gas station image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
In 1949 New Jersey passed a law in the interest of safety that made it illegal to pump your own gas at a service station. Service stations throughout the country have improved safety conditions, yet two states---New Jersey and Oregon---still require full-service gas stations. In 2006, when Governor Corzine proposed allowing self-service to reduce costs for consumers, the public backlash among New Jersey's drivers caused him to retreat. Apparently, New Jersey drivers enjoy the convenience of full-service. - Gas station attendants in New Jersey must undergo at least eight hours of on-the-job training from an experienced attendant before becoming certified to provide fuel for customers. In addition to the hands-on experience, New Jersey attendants must demonstrate a complete knowledge of prohibited activities through examination after training. State inspectors expect service station attendants to present certification upon request; failure to do so could result in fines.
- New Jersey forbids service station attendants from smoking while dispensing fuel into vehicles due to the obvious fire hazard. State law also prohibits attendants from serving vehicles with engines still running. Attendants cannot give permission to any person other than another certified attendant to dispense fuel into a vehicle.
- New Jersey requires that gasoline stations possess a remotely located circuit breaker to shut off power should an emergency arise. Penalties range in severity for failure to meet this safety requirement. The state places funds collected from safety violations into the Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Account, which it uses to promote and enforce service station safety.
