CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — Pickaway County residents applying for a concealed handgun license or a criminal background check will pay $3 more starting Oct. 1, after the FBI raised its fingerprint-processing fee, the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office said.
The increase applies to any application that requires an FBI background check in addition to the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation check Ohio law requires for concealed handgun licenses, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. The office said the higher cost is being passed down directly from the federal government.
Under the new fee schedule, a new concealed handgun license requiring only a BCI check will cost $67, while a new license requiring both a BCI and FBI check will rise to $81. A license renewal will cost $50 for a BCI-only check or $64 for a combined BCI and FBI check. Emergency licenses will cost $37 for a BCI-only check or $51 for a check that includes the FBI. A replacement license card costs $15, according to the sheriff’s office.
The office also processes stand-alone background checks known as web checks, separate from the licensing process. A BCI-only web check will cost $35, an FBI-only web check will cost $39, and a combined BCI and FBI web check will cost $64. An inked fingerprint card costs $15.
The sheriff’s office said it will accept only exact cash or money orders for the fees and cannot make change or accept overpayments.
Honorably discharged veterans can still obtain a concealed handgun license at no cost, the sheriff’s office said, but applicants must bring a copy of their DD-214 discharge paperwork when they submit their application.
Ohio has allowed adults 21 and older who can legally possess a firearm to carry a concealed handgun without a license since 2022, when the state adopted permitless carry. Many residents still apply for a license because it is recognized in states with reciprocity agreements with Ohio and exempts holders from an additional federal background check when purchasing a firearm. Concealed handgun licenses in Ohio are valid for five years.
Sheriff Matthew O. Hafey leads the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office, which is based in Circleville.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office.
