New York gun owners aren’t going to be happy to hear this: next month will see the state roll out background checks for gun and ammunition sales, and buyers will have to pay for them.
Starting September 13, when buying a gun or ammo, background checks will have to go through both state police and the FBI. All this will come with an additional fee for the purchaser – $9.00 for a firearm and $2.50 for ammo.
Since 1998, the FBI has conducted NICs background checks on firearm purchases across the country. The gun shop would contact the FBI directly after the potential buyer filled out the required paperwork to buy a gun.
The decision to have state troopers act as middlemen in firearm purchases and force a background check on ammunition sales, leading to the fees, was made last November as part of Governor Hochul’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act.