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Someone just told you that you need to get Live Scan fingerprinting done. Maybe it was your new employer’s HR department. Maybe it was a licensing board, a volunteer coordinator, or an adoption agency. You’ve never done it before, you’re not entirely sure what it involves, and you need to get it handled quickly because there’s a deadline attached. Newport Beach Mailboxes & More at 2618 San Miguel Drive offers Live Scan fingerprinting as a walk-in service during regular business hours. But before you head over, understanding what Live Scan is, what to bring, and what to expect will make the process faster and less stressful.
Live Scan Is Digital Fingerprinting, Not the Ink-and-Paper Kind
Live Scan is an electronic fingerprinting system used in California to capture your fingerprints digitally and transmit them to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and, when required, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for background check processing. It replaced the old ink-and-roll method that most people associate with fingerprinting.
The technology uses a glass scanner surface that reads your fingerprint ridges optically. You place each finger on the scanner one at a time, followed by simultaneous captures of four fingers together and both thumbs. The entire scanning process takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The images are captured, quality-checked by the operator, and transmitted electronically to the DOJ in real time. There’s no ink on your hands, no paper cards to mail, and no waiting weeks for your prints to arrive at a processing center by postal mail.
The DOJ runs your prints against state criminal records. If your request also requires an FBI check, the prints are forwarded to the FBI’s national database. Results go directly to the requesting agency, not to you. Most DOJ results come back within three to five business days. FBI results can take slightly longer, typically within five to ten business days, though processing times vary.
Who Needs Live Scan and Why
California requires Live Scan background checks for a wide range of purposes. The most common reasons people walk into Newport Beach Mailboxes & More for fingerprinting fall into a few categories.
Employment is the most frequent trigger. Teachers, school employees, and anyone working in California’s education system must complete Live Scan as a condition of employment. Healthcare workers, including nurses, home health aides, and anyone with patient contact, require DOJ and often FBI clearance. Financial services professionals, including mortgage loan originators and insurance agents, need fingerprinting as part of their licensing process. State and local government employees across many departments also require background checks.
Professional licensing covers a broad range of fields. Real estate agents and brokers are fingerprinted through the California Bureau of Real Estate. Attorneys applying for the California Bar must complete Live Scan. Contractors applying for or renewing a license with the CSLB (Contractors State License Board) need it. CPAs, pharmacists, security guards, and private investigators all have fingerprinting requirements attached to their professional credentials.
Volunteer work increasingly requires background checks, particularly for anyone volunteering with children. Youth sports leagues, school volunteer programs, church youth groups, and organizations like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts require Live Scan clearance for adult volunteers.
Adoption and foster care processes in California require Live Scan for all adults in the prospective household. This applies to both agency and independent adoptions and is handled through the California Department of Social Services.
Immigration-related background checks, while less common, also sometimes require Live Scan fingerprinting. Certain visa applications and immigration proceedings may need DOJ or FBI clearance that originates from a Live Scan submission.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
The process requires two things: a valid government-issued photo ID and a completed Live Scan request form.
Your ID needs to be current and not expired. A California driver’s license or ID card is the most common form used. A valid U.S. passport, military ID, or other government-issued photo identification also works. The operator will verify your identity before scanning begins.
The Live Scan request form is the more important piece, and it’s where people most commonly run into problems. The requesting agency, whether that’s your employer, a licensing board, or a volunteer organization, should provide you with a specific Live Scan request form that includes their ORI number (Originating Agency Identifier), the type of background check required (DOJ only, or DOJ plus FBI), and the billing information for where the results should be sent.
If your employer or agency gave you a pre-filled form, bring that exact form. Don’t try to fill one out yourself from a blank template unless the requesting agency specifically told you to. The ORI number routes the results to the correct agency, and using the wrong ORI means the results go to the wrong place. The background check still happens, but the agency that needs to see the results doesn’t receive them, and you may have to redo the process.
If you don’t have a form yet, contact the agency or employer that requested the fingerprinting and ask them to provide one. Some agencies email a PDF. Others have downloadable forms on their website. The staff at Newport Beach Mailboxes & More can help you identify which form you need if you’re unsure, but the requesting agency is the definitive source.
What Live Scan Costs in California
Live Scan fees have two components: the rolling fee (what the Live Scan operator charges for performing the service) and the processing fees (what the DOJ and FBI charge for running the background check).
The DOJ processing fee is $32 for most applicant background checks. If an FBI check is also required, there’s an additional $17 FBI fee. These processing fees are set by the state and the FBI and are the same regardless of where you get fingerprinted.
The rolling fee varies by location. This is the operator’s service charge for capturing your prints and transmitting them. Rolling fees at private Live Scan locations in Orange County typically range from $20 to $50. Some locations charge on the higher end of that range if they accommodate walk-ins and shorter wait times.
Your total out-of-pocket cost for a standard DOJ-only Live Scan is typically in the $50 to $80 range. A combined DOJ and FBI check runs roughly $70 to $100 total. Some employers reimburse these costs after the background check clears. Ask your HR department or the requesting agency whether reimbursement is available before paying out of pocket.
Payment methods vary by location. Newport Beach Mailboxes & More accepts both cash and card payments for Live Scan services.
What Happens If Your Prints Don’t Scan Cleanly
Some people have fingerprints that are difficult to capture electronically. Manual labor, frequent hand washing, certain skin conditions, aging, and even some medications can reduce the definition of fingerprint ridges. If the scanner can’t get a clean read on one or more fingers, the operator will attempt multiple captures and may apply a small amount of moisturizer to improve ridge definition.
If the prints still don’t meet quality standards after several attempts, the operator will submit what they captured along with a notation that the prints are the best obtainable. The DOJ will attempt to process them as submitted. In some cases, they may request a second submission. This isn’t common, but it’s not a cause for concern if it happens to you. It doesn’t affect your background check outcome. It just means the processing may take a few extra days.
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