The 40-foot-tall (12 m) lighthouse was commissioned the next year, though mariners at the time considered the building's non-flashing, fifth-class light to be inadequate.

In 1855, Lt. George G. Meade, an Army engineer and later Union general who defeated Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War, was assigned to design a new lighthouse.

Because of continuing erosion during its construction, the new lighthouse was located about 100 feet (30 m) south of the original structure, the site of which is now submerged.

During construction, in June 1857, the light in the original structure was relocated to a temporary wooden tower located nearby.

This was prompted by the encroaching seas which threatened the original lighthouse and ultimately caused the tower to collapse into the water later that year.

The lighthouse's beacon remained a first-class navigational light until August 1927 when the Barnegat Lightship was anchored 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) off the coast.

The top of the lighthouse is accessible via its 217 steps and continues to attract in excess of half a million visitors year round.

A sum of $35,000 was raised, with $15,000 contributed by the Barnegat Light Borough Fraternal Order of Police Local Lodge No.

On January 1, 2009, at 5:00 pm, the 150th anniversary of its opening, Barnegat Lighthouse activated its beacon for the first time since before World War II .