The Justice Department has sued San Jose, California, over its $1,591 concealed carry permit fee, arguing it is unconstitutional and disproportionately high compared to other major cities like New York ($340) and Chicago ($125). Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon contends the fee impedes residents’ Second Amendment rights by pricing them out of obtaining a permit. San Jose’s city attorney counters that the fee covers actual administrative costs, including nearly seven hours of staff time at $1,243.52 and additional overhead expenses. The lawsuit is part of broader challenges following the 2022 Supreme Court ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which struck down similar restrictive measures but allowed for fees that reflect legitimate administrative costs.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against San Jose, California, on Wednesday over its $1,591 concealed carry permit fee, alleging that it imposes an unconstitutional barrier to exercising Second Amendment rights. Federal officials argue that the fee is the highest in the nation and far exceeds comparable charges in cities such as New York, Washington, Boston, and Chicago. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stated that charging a fee several times higher than the cost of the firearm itself is illogical and impedes Americans’ Second Amendment rights. San Jose increased the permit fee to $1,591 in June, nearly $300 above its previous level, prompting the DOJ’s legal challenge over whether this charge reflects legitimate administrative costs or infringes on constitutional rights.
Written for “Gun Permit Fee Lawsuit” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but none of the 3 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 16649: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-17
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against San Jose, California, on Wednesday over its nearly $1,600 concealed carry permit fee, alleging the city has priced ordinary residents out of exercising their Second Amendment rights.
asserted
city → file → rights
The lawsuit targets the California city and its police department, escalating a dispute over whether the city’s $1,591 charge reflects legitimate administrative costs or imposes an unconstitutional barrier to carrying a firearm for self-defense.
asserted
charge → target → defense
Federal officials described San Jose’s fee as the highest in the nation, saying it far exceeds comparable charges in cities including New York, Washington, Boston, and Chicago.
asserted
it → describe → York
“All law-abiding Americans have a constitutional right to bear arms for self-defense,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in a statement announcing the lawsuit.
asserted
Dhillon → abide → lawsuit
“This right is not a luxury reserved for a privileged few, but a fundamental element of our republic.
asserted
right → reserve → republic
You don’t need a law degree to recognize that charging a fee several times higher than the cost of the firearm itself is illogical, and an unconstitutional attempt to impede Americans’ Second Amendment rights.”
asserted
charging → need → rights
San Jose increased the fee to $1,591 in June, nearly $300 above the rate it established just over two years prior.
asserted
it → increase → rate
Applicants must pay $318 upfront and the remaining $1,273 when their licenses are issued, according to the complaint.
uncertain
licenses → pay → complaint
Psychological testing carries an additional cost.
asserted
testing → carry → cost
The department contrasted those charges with San Francisco’s $144 fee and Berkeley, California’s $255 application fee, followed by $325 upon approval.
asserted
department → contrast → approval
Washington charges $75 to apply, while New York charges $340 for a three-year license, federal lawyers said.
asserted
lawyers → charge → license
San Jose City Attorney Susana Alcala Wood defended the fee in a letter responding to Dhillon, arguing it reflects the city’s actual expenses.
asserted
it → defend → expenses
Wood said processing an application requires just under seven hours of staff time, accounting for $1,243.52, with another $347.55 attributed to indirect overhead.
asserted
347.55 → say → overhead
She also said the city had reduced the staff time required from eight hours.
asserted
city → say → hours
“Contrary to your assertions, a department looking to erect barriers to the exercise of a Constitutional right does not go out of its way to make its own process more efficient,” Wood wrote.
asserted
Wood → look → way
But the department argues that the fee lacks any historical comparison with others, pointing out that it is outrageous in part because it exceeds the average cost of some firearms.
asserted
it → argue → firearms
The dispute centers in part on the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which struck down the Empire State’s requirement that applicants demonstrate a special need to carry a handgun in public.
asserted
applicants → center → public
The ruling also left room for additional challenges to licensing systems whose excessive fees or lengthy delays prevent ordinary citizens from exercising that right.
asserted
fees → leave → right
Wood argued the court’s warning about fees does not invalidate San Jose’s charges because they are supported by a time-and-cost analysis.
asserted
they → argue → analysis
The Washington Examiner spoke to a gun store owner in San Jose on Thursday morning in response to the lawsuit’s filing.
asserted
Examiner → speak → filing
“Most departments [in the state] charge $500. …
asserted
departments → charge → 500
Now after everything is said and done, you’re looking at over $2,000 in fees,” the store owner, who wished to remain anonymous, said of the city’s permitting regime.
asserted
who → say → regime
“They’re making hand-over-fist with money with this one,” the store owner added.
asserted
owner → make → one
“And if you start the process today for an application, I’ve heard some people waiting to get approval by the following Christmas.”
asserted
people → start → Christmas
The case follows another DOJ challenge to concealed-carry permitting practices in California.
asserted
case → follow → California
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department settled a federal lawsuit last month over application delays, agreeing to comply with state processing deadlines.
asserted
Department → settle → deadlines
The Aporia
