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Fingerprinting Guides
The Fingerprinting Guides from ESS Identity Center explain how Live Scan, Level 2 screening, ORI numbers, fingerprint cards, ATF EFT files, submission pathways, and appointment preparation fit together so applicants can understand the requirements before choosing a service.
Start With The Fingerprinting Method You Were Asked To Use
Fingerprinting requirements can change depending on the agency, employer, license, screening program, or application involved. The first question is not simply where to get fingerprinted. It is which fingerprinting method the receiving organization expects. Electronic submissions, physical cards, and EFT files serve different purposes and should not be treated as interchangeable formats.
FDLE Live Scan
FDLE Live Scan captures fingerprints electronically and transmits them through the Florida screening pathway associated with the applicant’s request. For programs such as VECHS, approved entities send applicants to a Live Scan provider using the organization’s assigned ORI so the fingerprints can be routed electronically to FDLE.
Applicants dealing with Florida licensing, employment, or agency screening should first confirm whether electronic submission is required. Those who already know their request calls for Florida electronic capture can learn about FDLE Live Scan.
Level 2 Screening
Level 2 is a Florida-specific screening term. FDLE defines it as a state and national fingerprint-based criminal history check that also considers applicable disqualifying offenses for positions designated by law. It is not simply another name for every fingerprint background check.
That distinction matters because FBI cards, ATF EFT files, and other fingerprint requests can all involve fingerprints without becoming Florida Level 2 screening. Applicants who were specifically instructed to complete Level 2 screening can understand Level 2 screening before scheduling.
FBI Fingerprint Cards
Physical fingerprint cards remain relevant when the receiving organization requires card-based submission rather than electronic Florida routing. The FBI FD-258 is a standard applicant fingerprint card used for qualifying civil fingerprint submissions, including certain employment, licensing, and federal purposes.
Card requests should be handled according to the instructions of the agency receiving them. Applicants who need a physical card can compare FBI fingerprint cards with the other available fingerprinting paths.
ATF EFT Fingerprinting
ATF’s eForms system supports electronic fingerprint files for certain NFA submissions. Current ATF Form 1 guidance allows a responsible person’s fingerprints to be uploaded as an EFT file that conforms to the required FBI electronic fingerprint specification, instead of mailing the required paper cards for that submission.
An EFT file is therefore a specialized digital fingerprint format, not a generic Live Scan background check. The applicant should know the ATF form and submission workflow before requesting this service.
Understand The Information On Your Fingerprinting Request
Fingerprint quality matters, but routing information matters just as much. A technically clear fingerprint submission can still be unusable if the wrong agency, ORI, fingerprint card, or screening purpose is attached to it.
ORI Numbers
An ORI, or Originating Agency Identifier, connects a Florida fingerprint transaction with the organization or screening pathway requesting it. In programs such as VECHS, approved entities receive an ORI and provide it to applicants before they visit a Live Scan provider.
Applicants should obtain the ORI directly from the employer, agency, school, licensing authority, or organization requiring the screening rather than guessing based on an industry or job title.
Agency Instructions
The requesting organization determines what kind of fingerprinting satisfies its requirement. It may specify electronic submission, a physical card, a Florida statutory screening program, an ATF EFT file, or another format.
The fingerprint provider captures and processes the service that was requested. It should not be expected to replace agency instructions with assumptions about what the applicant probably needs.
Fingerprint Card Details
Physical fingerprint cards contain more than fingerprint impressions. FBI guidance for hard-copy cards identifies required biographic and submission fields, and missing mandatory information can result in rejection before the card is processed.
Applicants should therefore treat card instructions as part of the fingerprint requirement rather than viewing the card as a blank piece of paper that only needs prints.
Screening Purpose
The same person’s fingerprints can be requested for different legal or administrative purposes. Employment, licensing, volunteering, federal submissions, and firearm-related applications may use separate routing authorities and submission systems.
That is why an older fingerprint transaction should not automatically be assumed reusable for a new requirement.
Use A Fingerprint Appointment Checklist
A useful fingerprint appointment checklist focuses on the information that could change the service pathway before capture begins.
Bring Identification
Bring valid government-issued identification appropriate to the requested transaction. Applicant identity information needs to match the submission details used for the fingerprint request.
Bring the ORI
If the Florida screening requirement uses an ORI, arrive with the complete code supplied by the requesting organization. Do not rely on memory or choose an ORI from an unrelated occupation.
Bring Agency Instructions
Keep any employer, licensing board, school, ATF, FBI, or agency instructions available during the appointment. They can clarify whether the request calls for electronic submission, physical cards, or a specialized file format.
Confirm the Format
Before fingerprints are taken, confirm whether you need Live Scan, Level 2 screening, an FBI card, an ATF EFT file, or another fingerprint format. Correcting the method before capture is easier than discovering after submission that the wrong service was completed.
What Happens After The Fingerprints Are Captured?
The capture appointment and the final screening outcome are separate stages. Understanding that distinction helps applicants know who controls submission, processing, and results.
Electronic Submission
With an authorized electronic pathway such as VECHS, fingerprints can be transmitted electronically through a Live Scan provider to FDLE. FDLE then processes the authorized criminal history request within the relevant program.
Electronic capture does not mean the fingerprinting location independently approves the applicant.
Physical Card Submission
A card-based service ends with a completed physical fingerprint card unless the specific service arrangement includes another confirmed submission step. The applicant or requesting organization should follow the destination and mailing instructions associated with that request.
For FBI Identity History Summary requests submitted by mail, the FBI requires a current fingerprint card and does not return the card after processing.
EFT File Submission
ATF EFT files are intended for electronic use within the applicable ATF submission process. For current eForm 1 submissions, ATF guidance states that the EFT file is uploaded for the responsible person and validated within the eForms workflow.
The fingerprint capture provider creates the requested file; the applicant or filer remains responsible for using it according to the current ATF process.
Result Access
The organization receiving the screening request usually controls access to the resulting criminal-history or eligibility information. In the VECHS program, FDLE and FBI criminal-history information is returned to the qualified entity rather than to the Live Scan provider as an employment decision.
Why Fingerprints Can Be Rejected Or Delayed
Fingerprint rejection does not always mean the technician performed the service incorrectly. Physical ridge quality, incomplete card data, wrong routing information, or mismatched submission details can all affect whether a fingerprint request proceeds normally.
Poor Ridge Detail
Worn, scarred, dry, damaged, or otherwise difficult fingerprints can produce images that are harder for automated systems to process. The FBI advises applicants who experience repeated fingerprint rejection to have multiple sets taken, preferably by a fingerprinting technician.
Missing Card Fields
For physical FBI cards, incomplete required fields can cause the submission to be rejected before full processing. Applicant information, fingerprint impressions, and the reason or agency information required for the submission should therefore be completed carefully.
Wrong Submission Path
A clear set of fingerprints sent through the wrong method can still fail to satisfy the requirement. An agency expecting Live Scan may not accept an arbitrary physical card, and a request requiring a card should not automatically be replaced with a Florida electronic transaction.
Wrong Routing Information
An incorrect ORI can connect fingerprints with the wrong requesting entity or purpose. Confirming routing information before capture is one of the most important steps applicants can take to avoid preventable submission problems.
Why Employment & Licensing Fingerprinting Requirements Vary
There is no single set of employment fingerprint requirements that applies to every job. Fingerprinting obligations depend on the law, regulator, employer, license, program, and type of position involved.
Florida Employment Screening
Some Florida roles require fingerprint-based state and national screening because the position falls under a law or regulatory program that calls for it. Level 2 is used for designated positions of responsibility or trust and is defined separately from a Level 1 name-based state check.
Licensing Requirements
Professional or occupational licensing authorities can provide specific fingerprint instructions, including the required routing information and screening purpose. Applicants should use those instructions rather than assuming that fingerprints submitted for a previous job or license will satisfy the new application.
Volunteer Screening
Qualifying organizations participating in programs such as VECHS can obtain state and national fingerprint-based criminal-history information for eligible employees and volunteers. Participation and screening authority depend on the organization and applicable Florida requirements.
Federal Requests
Federal fingerprint requirements can use entirely different systems from Florida Live Scan. FBI card submissions and ATF electronic fingerprint files are examples of fingerprint workflows with their own instructions, forms, and destinations.
Popular Fingerprinting Topics To Understand Before Booking
These topics answer some of the most common questions applicants encounter before or after fingerprint capture.
What Is An ORI Number?
An ORI identifies the agency or authorized screening pathway connected with a fingerprint transaction. The requesting organization should provide it when the application requires ORI-based Florida electronic submission.
Can Old Fingerprints Be Reused?
Sometimes a specific program may retain qualifying fingerprints, but prior fingerprints are not universally transferable. For example, VECHS and certain Florida programs have their own retention mechanisms, while the FBI requires a current fingerprint card for a new Identity History Summary request.
Who Receives The Results?
The answer depends on the screening program. The employer, agency, qualified entity, licensing authority, or applicant may receive information through different channels. The fingerprinting location itself should not automatically be assumed to receive or interpret the final eligibility result.
What if My Fingerprints Are Rejected?
Follow the instructions from the receiving agency or screening program. A new capture may be required when fingerprint quality is insufficient, while some programs have additional procedures after repeated quality-based rejections.
Choose The Guide Before You Choose The Service
The most useful fingerprinting information is the information tied to your actual requirement. Start with the employer, agency, application, licensing authority, or program instructions, then choose the fingerprinting method that matches them.
Need Florida Electronic Fingerprinting?
Learn about FDLE Live Scan when your requirement specifically calls for Florida electronic fingerprint submission.
Need Level 2 Screening?
Understand Level 2 screening when the requesting organization specifically identifies a Florida Level 2 requirement.
Need Physical Fingerprint Cards?
Compare FBI fingerprint cards when your instructions call for physical card-based fingerprints instead of an electronic Florida submission.
Still Comparing Fingerprinting Options?
Explore fingerprinting services for a broader service overview before selecting the specific capture method.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which fingerprinting service I need?
Start with the instructions from the employer, agency, licensing board, school, or organization requesting the fingerprints. Look for terms such as FDLE Live Scan, Level 2, ORI number, FD-258, FBI fingerprint card, ATF EFT, or another specified format before scheduling.
What is the most important information to verify before Live Scan fingerprinting?
Confirm the requesting agency and the exact routing information, especially the ORI when one is required. Fingerprint quality alone cannot correct a transaction that was submitted under the wrong agency or screening purpose.
Is Level 2 fingerprinting the same as FBI fingerprinting?
No. Florida Level 2 screening includes a state and national fingerprint-based criminal-history check under applicable Florida screening laws. FBI fingerprinting can refer to several federal fingerprint uses, including physical cards and Identity History Summary requests, which follow separate processes.
Can a fingerprint provider tell me whether I passed my background check?
Usually not. The fingerprint provider captures or submits fingerprints, while the authorized employer, agency, licensing body, or screening program receives and evaluates the resulting criminal-history or eligibility information according to its own rules.
Why might an agency ask me to be fingerprinted again?
A repeat request can result from poor fingerprint quality, a new employer or statutory purpose, expired or non-transferable fingerprints, different routing information, or a requirement for a new submission. Prior fingerprinting does not automatically satisfy every later application.
Can I complete fingerprinting for employment and licensing with the same transaction?
Only when the receiving agencies specifically permit the same submission to satisfy both purposes. Different employers and licensing bodies can use separate ORIs, authorities, or screening pathways, so applicants should not assume one transaction automatically covers multiple requirements.
Ready To Complete The Fingerprinting Requirement?
Once you know the required fingerprint method, routing information, and requesting organization, ESS Identity Center can help you complete the appropriate available fingerprinting service in Pembroke Pines.