Planning your NFA application budget? Fingerprints are a required cost, but they don't have to break the bank. This guide breaks down exactly what you'll pay at every step, from getting fingerprinted to converting for electronic submission.
In This Guide
Quick Cost Summary
| Cost Component | Low End | High End |
|---|---|---|
| Fingerprinting Service | $0 (free at some PDs) | $50 (private service) |
| FD-258 Cards | $0 (some places provide) | $5 (per card) |
| EFT Conversion | $10 | $25 |
| DIY Kit (one-time) | $10 | $25 |
| Total (Typical) | $10 | $75 |
Fingerprinting Service Costs
Police Departments & Sheriff's Offices
- Range: Free to $20
- Typical: $10
- Notes: Varies widely by jurisdiction. Some offer free community fingerprinting, others charge a small fee.
UPS Store
- Range: $15 to $35
- Typical: $20
- Notes: Prices vary by location. Convenient hours and widespread availability.
Private Fingerprinting Services
- Range: $20 to $50
- Typical: $35
- Notes: Professional quality, often experienced with ATF requirements. Mobile services may charge more.
Gun Stores/FFL Dealers
- Range: $10 to $30
- Typical: $20
- Notes: Some offer free fingerprinting with NFA purchases. Staff understands ATF requirements.
DIY at Home
- Kit cost: $10 to $25 (one-time purchase)
- Per-card cost: $1-3 for additional FD-258 cards
- Notes: Cheapest option if you plan multiple applications or family members need fingerprints.
EFT Conversion Costs
For electronic ATF filing, you need to convert your FD-258 card image to EFT format.
SlapEFT
- Cost: $10 per conversion
- Processing: Minutes
- Reuse: Unlimited - same file works for all future applications
Other Services
- Per-conversion services: $15-25
- Subscription services: $15-30/month for unlimited
- Gun store bundles: Sometimes included with NFA purchases
Key Point: You only need to pay for EFT conversion once. Your .eft file can be reused for unlimited Form 1 and Form 4 applications, forever.
Total Cost Scenarios
Budget Approach: $10-20 total
- Free fingerprinting at police department: $0
- EFT conversion with SlapEFT: $10
- Total: $10
Convenient Approach: $30-40 total
- UPS Store fingerprinting: $20
- EFT conversion with SlapEFT: $10
- Total: $30
DIY Approach: $20-35 total (but unlimited future prints)
- DIY fingerprint kit: $15
- FD-258 cards (5-pack): $5
- EFT conversion: $10
- Total: $30 (but future prints are essentially free)
Premium Approach: $50-75 total
- Private fingerprinting service: $40
- EFT conversion: $25
- Total: $65
Ways to Save Money on NFA Fingerprints
1. Find Free Fingerprinting
Many police departments and sheriff's offices offer free fingerprinting for residents. Call around to find free options in your area.
2. Use the Cheapest EFT Conversion
SlapEFT offers conversion for $10. There's no quality difference between services—the output format is standardized.
3. DIY for Multiple Applications
If you plan to submit multiple NFA applications or have family members who need fingerprints, a DIY kit pays for itself quickly:
- 1 person, 1 application: UPS is fine ($20 + $10 = $30)
- 1 person, 3+ applications: DIY kit is cheaper ($15 kit + $10 EFT = $25 total)
- Family trust with 3 people: DIY kit saves money ($15 kit + $30 EFT = $45 vs $90+ for services)
4. Bundle with NFA Purchase
Some suppressor dealers include fingerprinting as part of their service. Ask when purchasing:
- "Do you offer fingerprinting?"
- "Is EFT conversion included?"
- "Any discount if I do fingerprints here?"
5. Reuse Your EFT File
The biggest savings: your EFT file works forever for unlimited applications. Convert once, use indefinitely.
NFA Trust Costs: Multiple Responsible Persons
If you're using an NFA trust, each responsible person needs their own fingerprints:
2-Person Trust
- Fingerprinting: $20-60 (×2)
- EFT conversion: $10-25 (×2)
- Total: $60-170
4-Person Trust
- Fingerprinting: $20-60 (×4)
- EFT conversion: $10-25 (×4)
- Total: $120-340
Trust Cost-Saving Tips
- Buy a DIY kit and fingerprint everyone at home
- Look for volume discounts on EFT conversion
- Do everyone's fingerprints in one session to save trips
- Consider limiting responsible persons to reduce costs
Ready to Convert?
SlapEFT offers EFT conversion for just $10. Your file works for all future NFA applications.
Convert for $10 →Cost Comparison: Paper vs Electronic Filing
Paper filing requires 2 physical cards per person (mailed with application). Electronic filing needs just 1 EFT file (uploaded).
Paper Filing Costs
- Fingerprinting: $20-50
- Extra FD-258 cards: $2-5
- Certified mail: $5-10
- Total: $27-65
- Wait time: 6-12 months
Electronic Filing Costs
- Fingerprinting: $0-30
- EFT conversion: $10
- Total: $10-40
- Wait time: 30-90 days
Electronic filing is both cheaper AND faster. There's really no reason to file paper applications in 2026.
