Not sure, but I think my guy in Va gets charged a few dollars for something.  Not sure if it is NICS or something else.  I'll ask next time.

I know several dealers who charge $10-$45 for a transfer fee, but no NICS charges.  Are you sure the guy isn't charging a transfer fee that the buyer had sent to the dealer to handle the out of state transfer for him?

My recollection, which is sometimes foggy, is that in Virginia the state police charges a dealer a $2 fee for the required record check on each firearms purchaser.  I assume this check includes an NCIC query.  

Dealers quite naturally pass this cost on to the purchaser.

I guess it depends on your state. When I was in CA the dealer charged a DROS fee that the state charges them along with a tfr fee if you did not buy a gun thru them. If you did it would only be the DROS fee.

Here in TX I've only paid $15 for any tfrs. BTW here's a shameless plug for my FFL [url]http://www.independencearms.com/[/url] If you're in the No Dallas area, Randy is the inexpensive way to got. Very prompt at sending his FFL out to where you need it.

Dealers are not charged for NICS

1gunrunner is right. There is no NICS charges. But there are state check systems, and the dealer might be charged for that. here in pa, dealers are charged $2 for PICS, and then a $3 tax on the gun.