Getting fingerprinted in Florida for a background check means booking a LiveScan appointment with a vendor registered by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), bringing two forms of identification and the ORI number from the agency requiring your screening, and paying roughly $50 to $85 total. The technician captures your prints digitally and transmits them to FDLE and the FBI within seconds, and results typically reach the requesting agency within 24 to 72 hours.
What You Need Before You Book
Three things have to be in hand before you schedule an appointment: confirmation that you need a Level 2 (fingerprint-based) screening, your ORI number, and your identification documents.
Florida uses two tiers of background check. Level 1 is a name-based search and does not involve fingerprints. Level 2 is the fingerprint-based check that runs through both FDLE and the FBI’s national database, and it applies to people in positions of trust, particularly those working with children, the elderly, or other vulnerable populations.1Justia Law. Florida Code 435.04 – Level 2 Screening Standards If a licensing board or employer told you to get fingerprinted, you need a Level 2.
Your ORI Number
The Originating Agency Identification (ORI) number is a nine-character code that tells FDLE which agency should receive your results. Without the correct ORI, your results get routed to the wrong place or rejected outright, and you pay to do the whole thing over.
The ORI comes from the entity requiring your screening, whether that is the Department of Health, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the Agency for Health Care Administration, or a private employer. Check your application paperwork, the agency’s website, or call their licensing office directly. Do not borrow an ORI from someone else with the same license type. Different license categories within the same agency can use different codes.
Identification and Personal Information
Bring two forms of identification. At least one must show both your photograph and signature, such as a driver’s license, state ID card, or passport.2FL HealthSource. FAQ – What Must I Provide to the LiveScan Service Provider I Choose The second can be less formal: a Social Security card, birth certificate, voter registration card, vehicle registration, or utility bill with your current address.
The vendor is also required by statute to collect your full legal name, date of birth, mailing address, sex, race, and either your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.1Justia Law. Florida Code 435.04 – Level 2 Screening Standards Have all of it ready before you arrive.
Booking a LiveScan Appointment
FDLE publishes a public list of registered LiveScan providers authorized to capture and transmit fingerprints electronically.3Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Current Registered LiveScan Submitters The list includes hundreds of vendors statewide, from large national operations like IdentoGO to small local shops. Most let you book online, and you enter your ORI number during scheduling so the submission is routed correctly.
Some vendors also offer mobile fingerprinting, traveling to offices or healthcare facilities to process groups on-site. That option tends to carry a higher convenience fee but can make sense when an employer needs to screen a large number of people at once.
If you are out of state and cannot reach a Florida LiveScan location, paper fingerprint cards on the FBI’s FD-258 form are an option.4Federal Bureau of Investigation. Applicant Fingerprint Form FD-258 The completed card must be mailed to a Florida vendor designated as “hard card scanning capable,” which converts your ink prints into digital format for electronic submission.5Florida Department of Law Enforcement. LiveScan Provider Listing Only a subset of vendors offer this, so confirm the capability before mailing anything.
What It Costs
The total has two parts: government processing fees set by FDLE and the FBI, and a service fee charged by the vendor.
For most applicants seeking professional licensure or employment screening, the government fees are $24 for the FDLE state check and $12 for the FBI national check, totaling $36. Reduced rates apply to some categories: $20 total for DCF, DJJ, and Department of Elder Affairs vendors; $27 for Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services applicants; $28 for volunteers screened through VECHS; and no government fees for criminal justice applicants.6Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Criminal History Record Check Fee Schedule
The vendor adds its own service fee for capturing the prints, typically $15 to $50. Combined with the standard $36 government fee, most applicants pay between $51 and $86. Payment is usually required when you schedule or arrive. Some vendors also collect sales tax.
At the Appointment and After
The appointment is quick. A technician rolls each finger on the scanner, captures a flat palm print, and takes a digital photograph. Before the technician submits, verify everything on the screen: your name, date of birth, and especially the ORI. A wrong ORI sends your results to the wrong agency, and nothing can redirect them after submission.
Once transmitted, your prints travel electronically to both FDLE and the FBI. You will receive a receipt with a Transaction Control Number (TCN). Keep it. The TCN is your only tool for tracking what happens next.
FDLE typically processes its portion within 24 to 72 hours of receiving the submission.7FL HealthSource. FAQ – What Is the Processing Time for LiveScan Fingerprints to Be Received by DOH Results go directly to the agency identified by your ORI, not to you and not to the vendor. You can confirm your submission went through by entering your TCN on FDLE’s online lookup, which covers screenings completed within the last six months.8FL HealthSource. FAQ – How Can I Check to See If My Fingerprints Were Successfully Submitted to FDLE For questions about the outcome of the check itself, contact the licensing board or employer.
If Your Prints Are Rejected
Rejections happen more often than people expect, especially for applicants with worn or faint ridge patterns. If the FBI finds your prints illegible, the requesting agency sends a letter directing you back to the same LiveScan provider for a re-roll. Bring the letter. The provider needs the TCN and Transaction Control Reference (TCR) from the original submission to process the resubmission correctly.9FL HealthSource. FAQ – What Should I Do If I Am Notified My Electronic Fingerprints Were Rejected
You have 180 days after the first rejection to complete the re-roll without being charged the FBI fee again. Miss that window and you pay the full cost. The vendor may still charge its own service fee for the second appointment regardless of timing.9FL HealthSource. FAQ – What Should I Do If I Am Notified My Electronic Fingerprints Were Rejected
If You Work in Health Care, Child Care, or Elder Care
Fingerprints taken for jobs in these regulated fields may be stored in the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse, administered by the Agency for Health Care Administration. The system lets multiple agencies and qualifying employers share your results so you do not have to repeat the full process every time you change jobs within the same sector.10Florida Senate. Florida Code 435.12 – Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse
FDLE retains your prints for five years. During that time your record is continuously checked against incoming arrests statewide. Before the five-year retention period expires, you must initiate a renewal; miss the date and your prints are purged with no grace period, meaning a new screening with full fees and fresh prints.10Florida Senate. Florida Code 435.12 – Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse The annual retention fee is $6 per record for non-criminal justice agencies, with no charge for the first year.6Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Criminal History Record Check Fee Schedule A break in employment longer than 90 days from a Clearinghouse-screened position triggers a requirement for a new national screening before you can return.
If the Results Are Wrong
If your check returns results you believe are inaccurate, such as arrests belonging to someone else, missing dispositions, or records that should have been sealed, you can challenge them. The route depends on where the error is.
For errors in the FBI’s national database, submit a challenge directly to the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division. Identify the information you believe is inaccurate and include supporting documentation such as court records showing a case was dismissed or sealed. There is no fee, and the FBI averages about 45 days.11Federal Bureau of Investigation. Identity History Summary Checks Frequently Asked Questions File electronically at edo.cjis.gov or by mail to the FBI CJIS Division in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
For errors in Florida state records, contact FDLE directly. If the inaccurate information came from a local law enforcement agency or court, that originating agency may need to submit corrected records to FDLE before the state database is updated.
If a Disqualifying Offense Shows Up
A disqualifying offense does not always end the process. Florida law allows the head of the screening agency or qualified entity to grant an exemption in certain cases. For felonies, you become eligible to apply at least two years after completing all court-imposed conditions, including confinement, supervision, and any financial obligations. For misdemeanors, eligibility begins once all conditions are completed. Juvenile offenses that would have been felonies if committed by an adult require at least three years.12Online Sunshine. Florida Code 435.07 – Exemptions From Disqualification
The burden is on you to show by clear and convincing evidence that you have been rehabilitated and do not pose a risk. The agency weighs the circumstances of the offense, time elapsed, harm caused, and your conduct since. One hard requirement: all court-ordered fines, restitution, and fees must be paid in full before you are even eligible to apply.12Online Sunshine. Florida Code 435.07 – Exemptions From Disqualification Gathering court records, character references, and evidence of community involvement before you apply gives you the strongest shot at a favorable decision.