How does live scan fingerprinting process work?
You need to go through live scan fingerprinting when there is a need to do so. For example, when your employer or licensing agency has asked you to get a live scan background check done. However, regardless of the reason to go through live scan fingerprinting, the process is more or less the same.
Request for live scan fingerprinting form
First of all, you will need a request for a live scan fingerprinting form, which is generally provided by the requesting agency. This form has different sections namely applicant submission, applicant information, details of the operator (the third party live scan fingerprinting service provider who completed the transaction), etc.
This form also contains the necessary information for an applicant such as privacy notice, privacy act statement, and non-criminal justice applicant’s privacy rights, to let you know that how your law enforcement agency is going handles your biometric and biographic information to protect your privacy.
You will need to file a request for a live scan fingerprinting form and bring it to the live scan location you have chosen. It is always a good idea to verify with the agency where a live scan request is generated (e.g. your employer, licensing authority, etc.).
There are different types of requests for live scan fingerprinting forms and you need to choose the one that fits your case. For example, in the State of California, you can request your own rap sheet (criminal history record) for review via Form BCIA 8016RR (California Resident Criminal History Record Request).
There are also different live scan fingerprinting forms for different employment types. For example, you will need a different form for community care licensing (Live Scan Form LIC9163) from the California Department of Social Services and a different form for healthcare licensing.
Once you have the right form have it filled correctly, the next step is to contact your live scan fingerprinting service provider.
Live scan fingerprinting cost
Above we discussed how the FBI approves third-party service providers to provide live scan services for individuals and grant them access to the agency database for electronic submissions. Live scan fingerprinting services are provided for a cost, which is way cheaper than buying and setting up your own live scan fingerprinting machine. An FBI-approved channeler can itemize the cost as per the application type on your live scan request form.
Following is the approximate price list for live scan fingerprinting service:
| Application type | Fee |
| DoJ fee varies from | $25 – $42 |
| Rolling scan fee typically varies from | $20 – $40 |
| FBI fee | $17 |
| DOJ fee for record review | $25 |
The fees provided here should be taken as indicative as they are subject to change by the FBI/DoJ at any time without a prior notice. It is always advisable to call ahead your live scan fingerprinting service provider to get an estimate of the cost of your particular live scan.
Image: A live scan fingerprinting operator performing four finger slap scan.
Getting fingerprints captured
Once you are at your live scan fingerprinting service provider (or the service provider is at your location if you have booked a mobile live scan fingerprinting), the first thing to do is to provide your duly filled request for a live scan fingerprinting form. The operator may also ask for a photo ID (such as a driving license) to confirm your identity.
The software that is used for performing live scan fingerprinting should instantly show the captured fingerprint. If anything goes wrong, you might need to rescan individual prints.
The live scan operator would prepare his/her live scan fingerprinting machine by opening live scanning software on his/her PC and standing by the scanner. The operator shall guide and assist you throughout the process. Generally, both the thumbs are scanned first, followed by 4 finger slaps from each hand. These are flat scans as your fingers/thumbs are not rolled, however, you will also need to provide a nail-to-nail rolled scan from each finger. The operator will put each finger (and thumbs) on the scanner and roll it.
Fingerprint submission
Post submission, the agency where you have submitted your fingerprint should return results as per their standard turnaround time.
Some live scan fingerprinting applicants may want to send their fingerprints by mail. With Bayometric’s Print to Card software, you can capture fingerprints electronically, and instead of submitting them electronically, print them to an FBI fingerprint card and send it via mail.
The live scan software used with the fingerprint scanner may have the ability to electronically submit fingerprints to agencies such as the FBI, FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority), etc. Bayometric’s live scan software can capture live scan fingerprints while keeping stringent quality checks in place and submitting them to the FBI electronically.
