Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO GET FINGERPRINTED?

Here is basic information for individuals needing to submit fingerprints to the DOJ for background checks.

STEP ONE: Get the forms
If you are applying for employment, license, certificate or permit with an applicant agency requiring a background check, you must get the instructions and the forms required for fingerprinting services from that agency. The agency will complete its information to ensure accuracy. You will need to add your personal information to the form before getting fingerprinted.

STEP 2: Get fingerprinted
Once you have obtained the necessary forms from the applicant agency, go to a local Live Scan site to be fingerprinted.
Please note: You must present valid photo identification when being fingerprinted. Expired identification information will not be accepted.

There also is a criminal history processing fee collected by the DOJ and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the background checks. While often paid by the requesting agency, some applicants may be required to pay this fee themselves, so check with your requesting applicant agency. While the law requires applicant fingerprints to be captured and submitted electronically via Live Scan, DOJ does have limited statutory authority to issue an exemption to this mandate if an electronic transmission site is regionally unavailable or internal processing procedures dictate a need.

STEP 3: Wait for the results
Once the submission is received and processed, the DOJ will respond to the applicant agency either electronically or via U.S. mail.

Live Scan fingerprinting is a technology which allows us to capture your fingerprints electronically. After your fingerprints have been digitally captured they are then transmitted to the Department of Justice and/or FBI or other authorized receiving agencies. The true identity of individuals can only be established through the submission of their fingerprints.

Most of the U.S. states are now requiring you to have your fingerprints taken using Live Scan. This new Live Scan technology allows us to replace the old manual ink method. With the electronic transfer of fingerprints it only takes seconds to transmit, instead of the days sending it with conventional US mail. The DOJ should receive your fingerprint submissions anywhere from a few hours up to 72 hours.

You will need to bring your “Request For Live Scan Service” application, also known as a BCII 8016 form. You will need to complete numbers 1-6 on the top half of this as accurately and completely as possible.(Click here to download BCII 8016 “Request For Live Scan Service” form).In addition to the completed form, you will also need the following: ORI Code, Type of Application, Job Title or Type of License, Certification or Permit, Agency Address, Contributing Agency, Mail Code, Billing Number (Only if they are paying for your background check), OCA (Your Number) If applicable. IMPORTANT! You must also have or bring a Government Issued I.D. Examples: Drivers License, State Issued ID Card, Passport ID, Alien Residence Card, Military ID, Out-of-State ID Card or Drives License, etc. Your ID MUST BE VALID (it can not be expired)!

You can check your Fingerprint status via the attorney general/DOJ website 24 hours a day seven days a week.

If you want to check the status of your Live Scan Fingerprints or your Job, School, Work or Licensing Agency does not have results yet and the digital Live Scan fingerprints were submitted, then you can use the DOJ Website to check on the status of your fingerprint submission. You will need the following information: (#1) your date of birth; (#2) your 10-digit ATI Number (Automated Transaction Identifier) that appears at the bottom of the Department of Justice – Request For Live Scan Form for background checks. The ATI number always appears in the following sequence: 1 LETTER; 3 NUMBERS; 3 LETTERS and 3 NUMBERS

Once you have the information mentioned above (you ATI # and Date of Birth) then please visit this link to check your Live Scan Fingerprint status: https://applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov/

In addition to fingerprints matching CORI in the criminal history database, delays can be caused for a variety of other reasons; some of which occur before the transaction ever reaches the DOJ. For example, poor fingerprint quality from safe and secure live scans or incorrect data in the electronic transaction can cause a delay.

Poor fingerprint quality means the fingerprint image is not as clear as it should be, which impacts the system’s ability to confirm or dismiss a potential fingerprint match. When the ambiguity is identified, the potential match or matches must be manually (visually) compared and verified before the transaction can be processed. It is also entirely possible that fingerprints accepted by the DOJ system could be rejected by the FBI, because the FBI uses a higher threshold (sensitivity when comparing one print to another) to define a match.

Incorrect data entries can be prevented by making sure the live scan operator has entered all the information provided on the BCIA 8016, REQUEST FOR LIVE SCAN SERVICE and that the information has been entered correctly. The applicant agency must also ensure they have provided complete and accurate information, specifically the applicant agency ORI (a unique code assigned by the DOJ), the name of the agency authorized to receive the CORI, mail code (a five-digit code assigned by the DOJ), the authorized type of applicant, and a description of the type of license, certification, or permit; also referred to as the working title of the applicant. If the description of the type of license, certification, or permit was assigned by the DOJ, it mustbe included in the submission exactly as it was assigned.

  • If the “level of service” indicated on the form is “FBI”, the FBI may use the description to verify the agency is authorized to receive a background check response from them. If the FBI cannot verify the type of employment, license, certification, or permit (working title) transmitted to them, they will reject the transaction for confirmation and/or clarification. If this happens, the applicant must be fingerprinted a second time so the transaction can be resubmitted to the FBI by the DOJ.
  • If the designated mail code is incorrect, the background check results will be sent to the incorrect agency; therefore, not received by the applicant agency.
  • If the mail code is omitted, the background check results will be sent via hard copy mail to the applicant agency.

Fingerprint images collected via live scan fingerprinting services can be rejected by the DOJ and/or the FBI. Fingerprints that are rejected twice by the DOJ due to poor print quality will be processed by the DOJ using the applicant’s name to check the criminal history database for any existing criminal history. If an applicant’s fingerprints are rejected twice by the FBI due to poor print quality, the form BCIA 8020, REQUEST FOR APPLICANT NAME CHECK BY THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) must be submitted to the DOJ’s FBI Response Unit by the applicant agency, to request a name check of the FBI national criminal history database. The FBI name check request must be received by the DOJ within 75 calendar days of the second rejection notice or the applicant will need to be reprinted. This allows the DOJ to process the request for the FBI name check and forward it to the FBI within the required 90 days. After 90 days, the FBI deletes the fingerprint background check transactions and considers the FBI background check request complete. The applicant has to be fingerprinted again, which starts the FBI fingerprint background check process over.

Agencies authorized to submit fingerprints and receive FBI identification records must provide written notification to the individuals fingerprinted that the fingerprints will be used to check the criminal history records of the FBI. The officials making the determination of suitability for licensing or employment shall provide the applicants the opportunity to complete, or challenge the accuracy of, the information contained in the FBI identification record. These officials must also advise the applicants that procedures for obtaining a change, correction, or updating of an FBI identification record are set forth in Title 28, C.F.R., § 16.34. Officials making such determinations should not deny the license or employment based on information in the record until the applicant has been afforded a reasonable time to correct or complete the record, or has declined to do so.

An applicant may only request the status of their background check with the agency that requested their background check since the background check response may only be one part of the employment or licensing process. The DOJ’s Integrated Voice Response (IVR) System can provide a simplistic status of the background check processing status, but this status should not be construed as an indication of the employment or licensing status. The review of an applicant’s criminal history is only one piece of an agency’s process in making a suitability determination. The phone number to engage with the IVR is (916) 227-2300. The ATI identifies the transaction. Answers to background check process questions will only be responded to if asked by the agency’s designated point-of-contact (referred to as their Custodian of Records.)

An applicant may only request the status of their background check with the agency that requested their background check since the background check response may only be one part of the employment or licensing process. The DOJ’s Integrated Voice Response (IVR) System can provide a simplistic status of the background check processing status, but this status should not be construed as an indication of the employment or licensing status. The review of an applicant’s criminal history is only one piece of an agency’s process in making a suitability determination. The phone number to engage with the IVR is (916) 227-2300. The ATI identifies the transaction. Answers to background check process questions will only be responded to if asked by the agency’s designated point-of-contact (referred to as their Custodian of Records.)

If you, the applicant, wants to discuss your criminal history with a DOJ technician, you must first request a record review and obtain a copy of your criminal history record. This step is required because the background check results will only contain portions of your criminal history record the DOJ is authorized to release. The copy of your criminal history record you receive as a result of a record review will contain all the information on your criminal history record. The fingerprint-based record review copy of your criminal history record also protects you and ensures only rightful access to your criminal history.

The rolling fee is the amount charged by the Live Scan agency to digitally capture your fingerprints and transmit them to the Department of Justice (DOJ). This fee may vary from agency to agency. Government fees do not vary however.

It is illegal for any service provider to inflate monies collected for Government processing fees.

Live Scan technicians in California MUST be certified by the Department of Justice in order to provide this service. At AMERITEK ID, we require that all of our Live Scan technicians take advanced training not only in Live Scan, but in the state laws and regulations that govern the process.

Yes. By law (and in accordance with your right to privacy) organizations and/or companies may not share applicant background information. In some cases, however, teachers and school districts may share this info. Please check with your local school and district to see if this applies to you.

If the fingerprint submissions are related to an arrest, then the Identity History Summary will include the name of the agency that submitted the fingerprints to the FBI, the date of the arrest, the arrest charge, and the disposition of the arrest, if it’s known. All arrest information included in the Identity History Summary is obtained from fingerprint submissions, disposition reports, and other information submitted by authorized criminal justice agencies. The report is often used as proof that a criminal history does not exist.

Fingerprints can be rejected for several reasons. The most common reason is that the applicant’s fingerprints were too hard to read and subsequently were rejected. Reasons why they may have been rejected are: cracks, scars, cuts, bandages, worn down ridges, calluses or sweaty hands. If an applicant’s fingerprints are rejected due to any of these reasons, the originating Live Scan agency must re-take the applicant’s fingerprints at no additional cost if for any other reasons below. Other reasons why your fingerprint submissions may have been rejected:1) Your “Request For Live Scan Service” application was filled out incorrectly or was incomplete. When this happens the Live Scan agency must re-collect rolling fees and state charges.2) This rarely ever happens but if your fingerprints are rejected by DOJ and/or FBI (or other requesting agencies) due to any of the errors listed above, the Live Scan agency will take your fingerprints at no additional cost.If your fingerprints are rejected and you are having them re-taken you must bring your rejection letter from the Dept. of Justice and your original ATI (Applicant Transmission Identifier) number.

Our Services

Live Scan Fingerprinting Services

Ink Cards Fingerprinting Services

Expedited FBI Report & Apostille Services

Mobile VIP Services