Fingerprints for purposes of conducting a criminal background check may be required of any number of individuals associated with a licensee/license applicant: from employees to senior officers to ultimate owners. The fingerprinting process typically involves an individual making an appointment with and traveling to an authorized fingerprint technician who will then capture the individual’s fingerprints electronically or via the ink and roll method, or both (as required).
There are several types of fingerprinting requirements:
- Completion of FBI fingerprint cards with state-specific information in the originating agency identification (ORI) field
- Completion of state-specific fingerprint cards
- Completion of electronic fingerprinting though Fieldprint (for certain licenses applied for via the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System)
- Completion of state-specific electronic fingerprinting (for individuals residing or working within that state, or within a certain distance of that state)
Depending on the licenses held/applied for and the individual’s role with the licensee/license applicant, some or all of these fingerprinting requirements may be on the table.
There is also significant variance in fingerprint card processing fees, as well as in how fingerprint cards are requested, completed, submitted, and processed. For example, some regulators will only accept a fingerprint card that has been completed by a law enforcement official. And at least one regulator requires that fingerprint cards be completed by a law enforcement official at a police station.
Fingerprint cards must be carefully completed. Not only can they be rejected for illegible prints, but they can also be rejected for missing information or signatures. We are aware of one regulator recently rejecting a fingerprint card because the information in the ORI field was handwritten rather than typed. Also, this may be obvious, but correction fluid should never be used on a fingerprint card.
For assistance navigating fingerprinting requirements, be sure to check in with APPROVED.