On August 1st, the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) raised the cost of a state concealed firearm permit by more than 50 percent.

Before the hike, a permit cost approximately $37; a $24.75 state fee plus a $12 fee charged by the FBI to process fingerprint cards. Now, a permit will cost Utah residents $57.

The NRA points out that raising Concealed Firearm Permit (CFP) fees “adversely impacts the ability of law-abiding gun owners to carry a firearm for self-defense.”

Utah’s BCI is claiming the extra $20 is needed to comply with a new FBI policy regarding fingerprint submissions. The BCI used to send fingerprint cards via mail. But now, the FBI requires all fingerprint submissions be sent electronically, meaning the BCI must first run all prints through its database.

However, it seems odd that the BCI is just raising CFP costs now since this “new” FBI policy went into effect five years ago. The NRA fears the BCI is using this extra money to fund government programs completely unrelated to the processing of concealed firearm permits – which has reportedly happened in the past.

The NRA raises another serious concern in its report: the BCI implemented the fee increase without going through the proper channels.

“The process by which this fee has been implemented purposefully circumvented legislative action and removed any ability for the public to submit input,” the NRA writes. “IF a moderate fee increase is justified, it must be run through the Utah Legislature when it convenes in January.”

Hopefully, the BCI will reduce the cost of a permit to a more moderate price so that all law-abiding Utah residents – regardless of their income – can exercise their Second Amendment rights.