Particle.news
Download on the App Store
5 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

DOJ Sues San Jose Over $1,591 Concealed‑Carry Permit Fee

The Justice Department says the charge and required psychological testing prevent ordinary and low‑income residents from exercising their Bruen‑protected right to carry.

San Jose City Hall.
Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the US Department of Justice (DOJ), during an interview in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. Dhillon last week said a civil rights lawsuit against Uber for allegedly discriminating against tens of thousands of disabled American riders has not yet settled in mediation. Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty

Overview

  • The Justice Department filed suit Wednesday against the City of San Jose and its police department, alleging the $1,591 fee is the highest in the nation and unlawfully burdens the right to carry a firearm for self‑defense.
  • Under San Jose’s rule applicants pay $318 up front and $1,273 on issuance, and the complaint says additional costs like psychological exams, training and state fees can push the total to roughly $2,000 or more.
  • San Jose City Attorney Susana Alcala Wood defended the charge with a detailed time‑and‑cost breakdown that counts about seven hours of staff work ($1,243.52) plus $347.55 in overhead.
  • The suit challenges the city’s requirement that applicants pay for psychological testing, saying that rule makes permits impractical for middle‑class residents and impossible for low‑income people.
  • The case is being brought by the Civil Rights Division’s Second Amendment Section, which is soliciting complaints and will test how the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen standard applies to municipal fees and ancillary licensing rules.