If you live outside Florida and need fingerprints submitted for a Florida license, job, or volunteer role, you have two options: book a Live Scan appointment with a Florida-registered vendor in your home state, or use the Card Scan service to mail in traditional ink prints for electronic conversion. Both routes get your prints to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) electronically, which is the only format Florida accepts.1Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Become a Registered LiveScan Provider Live from another state does not exempt you from the electronic-submission rule, but it does not have to complicate things either.
Out-of-state fingerprinting for Florida runs almost entirely through IdentoGO, the vendor IDEMIA operates under contract with the FDLE. IdentoGO has Live Scan locations in all 50 states and is authorized to transmit prints electronically on Florida’s behalf.2Florida Department of Financial Services. Fingerprinting Some Florida agencies require IdentoGO specifically; others accept additional approved vendors listed on the FL HealthSource site.3FL HealthSource. Background Screening Out-of-State/International Providers Check with your requesting agency before booking.
What to Gather Before You Schedule
Your ORI Number
The single most important thing to have in hand is your Originating Agency Identification (ORI) number. This nine-character code routes your background check results to the correct Florida agency. Every Florida agency that requires fingerprints has its own ORI, and using the wrong one sends your results to the wrong destination. Your employer, licensing board, or requesting agency should list the ORI on your application paperwork. If you can’t find it, call them before you do anything else. Being fingerprinted under the wrong ORI is the most common out-of-state mistake, and the fix is paying to get it done again.
Your OCA Number, If You Have One
Some agencies also assign an OCA (Controlling Agency Identifier). The Florida Department of Children and Families, for instance, uses an OCA to identify the specific provider requesting the check.4Florida Department of Children and Families. ORI and OCA Information If your application materials mention an OCA, bring it to your appointment alongside the ORI. Without both, the FDLE cannot process the request.
Two Forms of ID
You need two forms of identification, and at least one has to show both your photo and your signature. Acceptable photo IDs include a state driver’s license, a state ID card, or a U.S. passport.5FL HealthSource. FAQ – What Must I Provide to the LiveScan Service Provider I Choose No ID, no fingerprints. Confirm what you’re bringing the night before.
Fees
Total cost combines government processing and the vendor’s service charge. For most applicant types, the FDLE state fee is $24 and the FBI national fee is $12, so $36 in government fees. Some categories pay less: screenings tied to the Department of Children and Families or the Department of Juvenile Justice carry an $8 state fee, and VECHS volunteer checks are $18 state and $10 federal.6Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Criminal History Record Check Fee Schedule The vendor adds its own service fee on top. Most out-of-state applicants pay roughly $50 to $55 total, depending on the ORI and any local taxes. Payment is usually collected online at registration.
Booking a Live Scan Appointment
Start at the IdentoGO Florida portal. Enter your ORI number first — the system uses it to pull up the correct service code and fee for your screening type. From there, search by zip code to find the nearest Live Scan location, then schedule an appointment. Walk-in availability varies, so booking ahead avoids a wasted trip.
At the appointment, the technician verifies your ID, confirms the ORI (and OCA if you have one), and enters your demographic information. The scan itself takes a few minutes: each finger rolls across a glass plate, then all ten press flat for plain impressions. The system flags any print that looks too light or unclear so the technician can recapture it on the spot.
If your screening connects to the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse, the vendor also takes a digital photo. Florida law requires that photo for your results to be shareable across state agencies through the Clearinghouse. Skip it and your results may still process, but they won’t transfer, which can mean paying to get fingerprinted again for a different license or employer down the line.7FL HealthSource. FAQ – What Happens if My Photograph Is Not Taken at Time of Fingerprinting
When capture is done, the vendor transmits your encrypted prints and demographic data directly to the FDLE and FBI. You’ll receive a receipt with a Transaction Control Number (TCN). Keep it. That number is your proof of submission and the key to checking status later.
Using Card Scan When No Live Scan Is Nearby
If no Live Scan location is within reasonable distance, or you can’t be digitally fingerprinted for a physical reason, the Card Scan Processing Service is the alternative. It’s available only to out-of-state residents and people who can’t use Live Scan.8IdentoGO. IdentoGO Florida Portal
The workflow: get your prints taken the traditional way on a standard fingerprint card at a local law enforcement agency or fingerprinting service. Register through the IdentoGO portal, pay online, then mail the completed card to the processing facility listed in your registration confirmation. IdentoGO scans the card and transmits the data electronically to the FDLE.
Card Scan takes longer than Live Scan because of mailing and the extra conversion step. Ink prints also get rejected more often for image-quality issues, so make sure whoever rolls your prints uses enough ink and captures clean impressions of all ten fingers. A rejected Card Scan submission means starting over.
How Results Are Delivered and Tracked
Your background check results go directly to the Florida agency that requested them. You do not receive a copy as the applicant. Most electronic submissions process within about five business days.9Florida Department of Law Enforcement. State and National Criminal History Record Check
To confirm your submission is being processed, use the FDLE’s Civil Workflow Control System. Enter your full TCN in the FDLE’s online lookup to see current status.9Florida Department of Law Enforcement. State and National Criminal History Record Check Enter the complete number — a partial TCN returns a “Transaction Not Found” error that doesn’t necessarily mean anything is actually wrong.
If Your Prints Are Rejected
The FBI occasionally rejects submissions when image quality is too poor to read. Rejection is more common with Card Scan than Live Scan, but either can happen. If your prints are rejected, the requesting Florida agency sends you a letter with instructions to return to the same vendor who did the original prints for a re-roll.10FL HealthSource. FAQ – What Should I Do if I Am Notified My Electronic Fingerprints Were Rejected
Bring the letter to the appointment. It has the TCN and TCR (Transaction Control Reference) numbers the vendor needs for resubmission. You have 180 days from the rejection to complete the re-roll without paying the FBI fee again. Miss that window and you’ll owe the full cost.10FL HealthSource. FAQ – What Should I Do if I Am Notified My Electronic Fingerprints Were Rejected The vendor’s service fee for the re-roll may still apply either way, so ask before you book.
Keeping Your Prints Active
Florida operates the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse, which stores fingerprints and screening results so they can be shared across participating state agencies. If your screening is Clearinghouse-eligible, you won’t have to start from scratch each time you change employers or add a license within the state — the stored results transfer.
Retained fingerprints stay in the Clearinghouse for five years. Before they expire, you’ll pay a retention renewal fee of about $42 to keep them active for another cycle.11Florida Department of Health. Fingerprint Retention The Department of Health notifies licensees before expiration with renewal instructions. Miss the window and your prints are purged, meaning another vendor appointment and another round of fees. Set a calendar reminder a few months before the five-year mark, especially if you’re relying on out-of-state access.