Do you have to hand out Halloween candy in NJ? Your questions answered

Twenty-five years ago, Halloween at our house was a two-person job. My wife stayed home and worked the door. I walked the kids down the street.

The houses are pretty far apart where I live, so it was never a long night. It just felt long to the kids. Their little legs took three steps for every one of mine, and I kept stopping to talk to the neighbors.

They just wanted to go. Those conversations were short, but way too long for them.

They always came home with full bags. And yes, my wife and I “checked” the candy. While we were chewing it.

These days, the doorbell barely rings. Maybe the little kids across the street and around the corner. Last year, I don’t think we had more than five.

We’re ready anyway, with a tray of full-size candy bars. Usually Hershey bars. The leftovers go to a higher purpose: s’mores.

Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, with Mischief Night on Friday. So I looked up the questions that start arguments in New Jersey every October.

SEE ALSO: Remember when neighbors made you stay until they guessed your costume?  

Children in Halloween costumes trick-or-treating at a front door

Do I have to hand out candy?

No. Nothing says you have to open the door.

The unwritten rule still works. Porch light on means come on up. Porch light off means not tonight.

Most of us still play along. Sixty-one percent of Americans plan to hand out candy this year, and candy spending is expected to hit $4.1 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.

Is there an age limit for trick-or-treating?

There’s no statewide age limit.

At least one town has pushed the idea, though. In 2018, Upper Deerfield in Cumberland County told residents that kids “really shouldn’t be trick-or-treating after the age of 12,” CBS News reported.

Our listeners have plenty of opinions on this one. Lou and Michele heard them all this week.

My take: If a teenager bothers to put on a costume and says thank you, hand over the Hershey bar.

What time does trick-or-treating end?

That depends on your town. Many post trick-or-treat hours and set curfews for minors on Mischief Night and Halloween.

Waldwick, for example, has a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Oct. 30 for anyone under 18 unless a parent or guardian is with them.

When New Jersey 101.5’s Dan Alexander looked into this in 2024, he found curfews from 7 to 9 p.m. in towns including Edison, Woodbridge, Middletown and Long Branch.

Your best bet is your town’s website or your police department’s Facebook page.

What if my kid gets caught egging a house on Mischief Night?

Most of the country has never heard of Mischief Night. Here in Jersey, we all grew up with it.

Damaging someone’s property is criminal mischief under state law:

• $500 or less in damage: disorderly persons offense
• More than $500: fourth-degree crime
• $2,000 or more: can be a third-degree crime

A few eggs can cost a lot more than the carton.

Can I wear a mask?

Your Halloween mask isn’t what lawmakers are after.

A bill from Republican Assemblyman Michael Inganamort of the 24th District would make it a disorderly persons offense to wear a mask in a group while committing a crime. It specifically exempts Halloween. The bill was pre-filed this session and hasn’t advanced.

Can I leave out a bowl and go to bed?

Nothing stops you. You already know how that ends, though. The first group to show up takes the whole bowl.

As for me, the porch light will be on. If you ring the bell, you’re getting a full-size Hershey bar. If you don’t, I’ve got s’mores covered through Christmas.

How many trick-or-treaters do you get, and what are you handing out this year?