diff --git a/jc/parsers/csv.py b/jc/parsers/csv.py
index 5a4bbf6a..7fbc1fd6 100644
--- a/jc/parsers/csv.py
+++ b/jc/parsers/csv.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ import csv
 
 class info():
     """Provides parser metadata (version, author, etc.)"""
-    version = '1.4'
+    version = '1.5'
     description = 'CSV file parser'
     author = 'Kelly Brazil'
     author_email = 'kellyjonbrazil@gmail.com'
@@ -124,6 +124,12 @@ def parse(data, raw=False, quiet=False):
     jc.utils.compatibility(__name__, info.compatible, quiet)
     jc.utils.input_type_check(data)
 
+    # remove BOM bytes, if present
+    if isinstance(data, str):
+        data = data.encode('utf-8')
+
+    data = data.decode('utf-8-sig')
+
     raw_output = []
     cleandata = data.splitlines()
 
diff --git a/jc/parsers/csv_s.py b/jc/parsers/csv_s.py
index f3e84681..98a8ce97 100644
--- a/jc/parsers/csv_s.py
+++ b/jc/parsers/csv_s.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ from jc.exceptions import ParseError
 
 class info():
     """Provides parser metadata (version, author, etc.)"""
-    version = '1.3'
+    version = '1.4'
     description = 'CSV file streaming parser'
     author = 'Kelly Brazil'
     author_email = 'kellyjonbrazil@gmail.com'
@@ -127,7 +127,14 @@ def parse(data, raw=False, quiet=False, ignore_exceptions=False):
     if len(temp_list) == 1:
         raise ParseError('Unable to detect line endings. Please try the non-streaming CSV parser instead.')
 
-    sniffdata = '\n'.join(temp_list)[:1024]
+    # remove BOM bytes from first row, if present
+    if temp_list:
+        if isinstance(temp_list[0], str):
+            temp_list[0] = temp_list[0].encode('utf-8')
+
+        temp_list[0] = temp_list[0].decode('utf-8-sig')
+
+    sniffdata = '\r\n'.join(temp_list)[:1024]
     dialect = 'excel'  # default in csv module
 
     try: