Strange. I don’t recall what the cost of a background check is here in PA but it’s probably under ten dollars!
(Pssst! The guns are cheap, too!)
similar in MI. last time i got one, it was about $10 to get a permit to purchase- required each time you purchase a handgun.
$105 for a CPL, but then you don’t need to get the permit to purchase anymore. it costs more to register my car every year than to keep my CPL.