Fingerprinting & background screening
Prints taken properly the first time.
Rejected fingerprint cards are the most avoidable delay in any licensing or background process. They are almost always caused by capture quality or by the wrong form, and both are fixable before you leave the room.
What to bring
Three things, and one of them is not optional.
Valid photo identification. A driver licence, state identification card or passport. Expired identification cannot be accepted for a fingerprint capture that will be submitted to an agency.
The form or instructions from whoever requested the prints. Licensing boards, agencies and courts each have their own requirements. The request usually specifies the card type, the reason for fingerprinting and the ORI or agency code. Without it we are guessing, and a guess is what gets rejected.
Any reference or case number the requesting body has given you, so the submission can be matched to your file at the other end.
Why cards get rejected
- Smudging from too much pressure or ink
- Incomplete rolls that miss the edges of the pattern
- Missing or incorrect agency codes on the card
- Worn ridge detail, common in manual trades
Worn ridges are a genuine issue rather than an excuse. Where detail is faint, we take extra impressions at the time rather than letting you find out weeks later that the submission failed.
Common reasons
Who usually needs prints taken.
Professional licensing
Healthcare, education, real estate, insurance, security and financial services boards routinely require a fingerprint based check.
Employment screening
Roles involving vulnerable people, controlled substances, firearms or access to secure facilities.
Adoption and fostering
Part of the home study and approval process, usually with a defined validity period that means timing matters.
Firearms applications
Where a permit or licence application requires a fingerprint based background check.
Immigration
Certain petitions and applications require prints on a specific card type.
Court requirements
Where an order or a filing requires identity verification through fingerprinting.
Related services
Other collections we run
DOT Drug & Alcohol Testing
49 CFR Part 40 collections for FMCSA, FAA, FRA, FTA, PHMSA and USCG employers.
Non-DOT Workplace Testing
Company policy panels from 5 to 12 substances, built around North Carolina law.
Alcohol Testing
Evidential breath testing on site, plus EtG when a longer window matters.
Random Testing Programs
Consortium administration, selections, and the records an auditor asks for.
Next step
Bring the request letter and your identification.
Between those two documents we can usually tell you in a minute whether we can take the prints you need and which card applies.