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 FAQ

What is a Live Scan?

Live Scan is an electronic fingerprinting technique that captures fingerprints digitally without the need for ink and paper. Live Scan electronic fingerprints are forwarded to the California Department of Justice and the FBI.
Live Scan results can be received by the requesting agency in as little as 24 to 48 hours.

How much are the Live Scan Fees?

Live Scan Fingerprinting fees vary per applicant’s Requesting Agency, government fees or other level of service requested.

The $40 rolling fee covers Bio Impression's cost for performing the electronic fingerprinting.

Our Fees:
Rolling fee                                                          $40.00 Weekday

                                                                             $45.00 Weekend

Re-submission fee                                             No Charge


Travel fee                                                             None


Government Fees:
 DOJ (California department of justice)            $32.00
 FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)              $17.00
 FBI (For Non-Profit Volunteers)                        $15.00
 CHI (Child Abuse Index)                                     $15.00
 DSS (department of Social Services)                $10.00
 Firearms                                                               $38.00
 Personal Criminal Record review                    $25.00
 Visa / Immigration                                              $32.00

Billing Number - If the requesting agency has provided a billing number, government fees will not be collected, you will only be responsible for the rolling fee.


The ORI Code on your "Request for Live Scan" form determines the Level of Service required for your background check. 

Click to view the State of California Live Scan processing fee schedule.

What are Bio Impression's travel fees?

  • We do not charge a travel fee within  Apple Valley, Victorville and Hesperia, CA.

  • Please call for pricing for service to the surrounding areas. Our travel fee is generally waived for groups of 10 or more. 

What do I need to bring?

TO BE LIVE SCAN FINGERPRINTED YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE:

  1. Three Copies of your Completed Request for Live Scan form (BCIA 8016) 

  2. Form of payment (cash, credit/debit card)

  3. Current valid photo ID

  4. Face Covering

EXAMPLES OF ACCEPTABLE IDENTIFICATION ARE:

  • California Driver's License

  • California DMV identification Card

  • Valid out-of-state Driver's License

  • Military ID

  • Passport

  • Resident Alien Card

  • Immigration Card

  • Green Card

Where can I check the status of my background check?

The Applicant Background Check Status is located at: https://applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov/.

The ATI Number (located on your receipt) and Date of Birth are required to perform a search.

The Applicant Background Check Status provides the applicant with the fingerprint background check status only, not the results.

What happens if my fingerprints get rejected?

If you had your Live Scan done with Bio Impressions, contact us so that we can re-take your fingerprints. We will need  the rejection notice and a new completed Live Scan Request Form. There are no fees for re-prints.

What is the difference between Ink Fingerprinting and Live Scan Fingerprinting?

Our experienced fingerprint technicians are certified for Live Scan and the FBI FD-258 hard copy fingerprint cards. The hard copy process captures wet fingerprints and Live Scan is a digital submission.

What forms of ID are acceptable for document notarization?

For document notarization, a valid photo identification card is required by each signer.  One of the following identification document will do as long as it is current or has been issued within the past 5 years:


  • An identification card or driver’s license issued by the California DMV

  • A United States passport

  • An inmate identification card issued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, if the inmate is in custody in California state prison

  • Any form of inmate identification issued by a sheriff’s department, if the inmate is in custody in a local detention facility

  • A valid consular identification document issued by a consulate from the applicant’s country of citizenship, or a valid passport from the applicant’s country of citizenship

  • A driver’s license issued by another state or by a Canadian or Mexican public agency authorized to issue driver’s licenses

  • An identification card issued by another state

  • A United States military identification card (current military identification cards might not contain all the required information)

  • An identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government

  • An employee identification card issued by an agency or office of the State of California,or an agency or office of a city, county, or city and county in California

  • Most preceding forms of identification, are acceptable provided that it also contains a photograph, description of the person, signature of the person, and an identifying number

What is the difference between an acknowledgement and a jurat?

In the certificate of acknowledgment, the notary public verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of that document." 


A jurat is the notarial certificate attached to or printed on a document where in a person swears under oath or affirms that the contents of the document are true and correct. The notarial certificate for a jurat is identified by the wording “Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed).” 


NOTE:  A notary public cannot legally choose what notarial act is appropriate for a document. If you as the signer are unsure please contact the agency that issued the document and ask them to advise. 

What agencies require Live Scan fingerprinting?

 Board of Behavioral Sciences
• Marriage and Family Therapist
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker
• Licensed Educational Psychologist


Board of Pharmacy
• Pharmacy – Section 4201
• Pharmacy Technician – Section 4015

Board of Registered Nursing

Board of Vocational Nursing
& Psychiatric Technicians

• Vocational Nurse
• Psychiatric Technician

Bureau of Security
& Investigative Services

• Security Guard
• Security Guard w/Firearms

CA Commission on Teacher
Credentialing
• Applicant for Teacher Credential

CA Department of Justice
• Record Review
• DOJ Visa/Immigration Clearance Letter

CA State Board of Optometry
• Optometrist

CA Department of Real Estate
• Real Estate License

CA Department of Social Services
• Sacramento District Office
• Petition for Adoption

Contractor License

Department of Corporations
• Finance Lender License

Diocese of Oakland
• Educator
• Priest

Medical Board of California
• Physician & Surgeon

Speech-Language Pathology
& Audiology Board
• Speech Language Pathology License

State Bar of California
• Determination of Moral Character

Secretary of State
• Notary Public

Veterinary Medical Board
• Veterinarian/Veterinary Technician

Visa/Immigration Ink Card  Information

MANUAL FINGERPRINT CARD SUBMISSIONS

Step One (1):

Print out and follow the:
Instructions - Visa/Immigration, pdf (Manual)
Instrucciones en Español, pdf

Step Two (2):

Obtain an original FBI Applicant Fingerprint Card (FD 258) from your local law enforcement agency and fill it out according to the instructions. If you are having difficulty in obtaining an original FD 258 fingerprint card, please contact the Applicant Services Program at visa-immigration@doj.ca.gov.

Step Three (3):

Get fingerprinted. Fingerprint services are usually available from your local police or sheriff’s department or from private vendors engaged in the fingerprinting business. To find the site nearest you and a listing of fees, see Public Live Scan Sites. Your total costs will be $32 plus the fingerprint rolling fee charged by the Live Scan Agency. Since the fingerprint-rolling fee varies widely among locations, you will want to review the cost along with the accepted methods of payment before going to the fingerprinting site.

Step Four (4):

Mail the FD 258 fingerprint card.

Submissions must be accompanied by either a personal check drawn on a U.S. bank, money order, or certified check. The check or money order must be in the amount of $32 and made payable to the California Department of Justice. Mail your FD 258 fingerprint card and processing fee to:

Department of Justice
Applicant Services Program
ATTN: Visa-Immigration
P.O. Box 160207
Sacramento, CA 95816-0207

Once the submission is received and processed, the DOJ will mail the response via U.S. mail to the applicant only. It is the applicant’s responsibility to forward the information to their legal counsel or assistance agency.

NOTE: An “Apostille” or a “Certification” is frequently required by foreign governments before the background check will be accepted. The document you receive from the DOJ is not the actual Apostille. As such, if you need this additional service, you will need to contact the DOJ at visa-immigration@doj.ca.gov AFTER you receive the DOJ response in the mail.

* Information provided by the State of California Department of Justice website

Bio Impressions can supply your FD-258 Ink Card if you do not have one already. The price is included with our service fee.

FAQ: FAQ

(760) 684-9000

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Disclaimer:  We are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice. 

Please contact the document’s originator with any questions pertaining to the contents of the document.

2022 by Bio Impressions

All Rights Reserved

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