Chelan County sheriff’s office to stop accepting cash, checks for some payments

WENATCHEE — The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office will no longer accept cash or checks for certain payments beginning Feb. 9, the agency announced.

Effective that date, payments for concealed pistol licenses and driving under the influence cost recovery fees will be accepted only by debit or credit card. The change applies to all concealed pistol license applications, including new applications, on-time and late renewals, and replacement licenses.

Sheriff’s office officials said the move is part of ongoing efforts to evaluate and improve internal operations through the use of technology. Processing cash and checks requires additional staff time and resources for tracking, auditing and issuing refunds when necessary, according to the office.

Transitioning to electronic payments is expected to streamline transactions, improve accuracy and reduce the potential for errors. The office said the change will allow staff time to be allocated more efficiently while ensuring taxpayer funds are managed responsibly.

The sheriff’s office acknowledged the change may be inconvenient for some members of the public and said it appreciates the public’s understanding as operations are modernized to align with current best practices.

Officials said the office plans to transition all payment types to electronic methods in the future and will provide advance notice as additional changes are implemented.