Governor Murphy and Superintendent Callahan Announce Clarifications to List of Essential Businesses Permitted to Operate

Governor Phil Murphy and Superintendent of the State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan today announced an Administrative Order clarifying which businesses are permitted to operate and ways in which certain businesses may operate in accordance with Executive Order 107. The Administrative Order states the following:

• 1) Pet grooming businesses, pet daycare, and pet boarding businesses and 2) stores that principally sell items necessary for religious observation or worship shall be considered essential retail businesses.
• Car dealerships may permit customers that have ordered and/or purchased a vehicle online or by phone to test drive the vehicle at the time of pick-up or prior to delivery, provided the dealership adopts social distancing policies, the individual is given access to the vehicle alone, and the dealership appropriately cleans and sanitizes the vehicle after such test drive if the customer does not purchase the vehicle.
• Licensees, owners, operators, employees, or independent contractors of personal care services facilities are not permitted to provide personal care services in their own homes, the homes of others, or in any facility or business setting unless the individual personal care service provider is providing the service to their household members, immediate family or other individuals with whom the personal care service provider has a close personal relationship, such as those for whom the personal care service provider is a caretaker or romantic partner. A prior business relationship alone does not qualify as a close personal relationship.

“As long as my stay-at-home order remains in effect, we’ll continue to provide New Jerseyans and our business community at-large with as much clarity as possible for any and all restrictions we’ve put in place,” said Governor Murphy. “I thank everyone for doing their part to stay at home and maintain social distancing, which is the single most important thing we can do to beat this virus.”

“We understand the challenges businesses face in these unprecedented times and the need to keep the economy operating,” said Colonel Patrick Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “These clarifications address the way certain businesses are permitted to operate, while adhering to the stay-at-home order and social distancing guidelines.”

The Order will take effect immediately.

A copy of the Administrative Order can be found here.