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FAQs
Your Questions Answered
How long will the Live Scan take?
The Live Scan process will take 10 to 15 minutes.
What do I need to bring?
TO BE LIVE SCAN FINGERPRINTED YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE:
Completed Request for Live Scan form for your specific need
Form of payment
Current valid photo ID
EXAMPLES OF ACCEPTABLE IDENTIFICATION ARE:
California Driver's License
California DMV identification Card
Valid out-of-state Driver's License
Military ID
Passport
Resident Alien Card
Immigration Card
Green Card
How long will it take for my results?
You, your employer, or organization should receive your Live Scan Results within 7 to 10 days.
A1 Live Scan is not responsible for the result of your Live Scan submission. Please allow a minimum of seven days before making a status inquiry.
Applicants should check first with the agency that requested the background review since the Department of Justice sends results directly to the applicant agency. Requests that require manual processing of criminal history information, such as those involving pre-1945 cases, also may delay the reporting of results.
How do I check my results?
Click the Link Below to view the status of a fingerprint background check:
How do I get a copy of my personal criminal history "Record Review"?
Individuals have the right to request a copy of their own criminal history record from the DOJ to review the information for accuracy and completeness.
Click the link below for DOJ personal Record Review instructions:
What is Live Scan Fingerprinting?
Live Scan is a digital fingerprinting process that replaces traditional ink fingerprinting in states where it’s available. An applicant’s fingerprints are securely transmitted to a government agency, which performs a criminal history background check using an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS).
Live Scan is often required by statute for certain types of state-issued licenses, employment, and volunteer work. It has many advantages over ink fingerprinting, including image quality and result turnaround time.
How does the process work?
A trained and certified Live Scan specialist will capture fingerprints using a Live Scan system. The fingerprints are then sent securely via electronic transmission to the appropriate FBI or DOJ-certified channeling agencies for background check processing. A live scan typically takes 10 to 15 minutes, and the person taking the fingerprints will collect all appropriate fees at the time of service.
If I made a mistake on my Live Scan form and it was already submitted, can I change it?
Once submitted to the DOJ, we cannot correct/change any information.
You will need to complete a new Live Scan form with the correct information and pay the fees for a new Live Scan.
You may wait to get a rejection letter, as the Live Scan may still pass, but this could cause the process to take longer.
Why do I need a Live Scan?
Live Scan is often required for people who work or volunteer in positions of trust for populations such as vulnerable citizenry, the elderly, dependent adults and children.
Is Live Scan the same as a background check?
Live Scan is a form of background check required by the state and federal governments; typically for state-issued licenses, employment, or volunteer work. It is also often required for (but not limited to) people who work or volunteer in positions of trust for populations such as vulnerable citizenry, the elderly, dependent adults and children.
The government will check submitted fingerprints against its database to retrieve an individual’s criminal record.
What are the benefits of Live Scan?
The Live Scan process helps in avoiding many of the problems associated with ink prints, such as smudging, smearing, and over or under inking. A major benefit of Live Scan is that your fingerprints are transmitted directly to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice conducts a criminal background check, based on your fingerprints, results are sent within 24 to 48 hours to your employer or licensing agency.
What is a “Billing Number?”
A billing number is a 6-digit code assigned by the Department of Justice to an agency to be billed directly for government processing fees.
Some requesting agencies will cover the government processing fees by providing the billing number on the Request For Live Scan Service form. If the number is not present on the form and you were not given a Certifix Account Flyer by your requesting agency, you are responsible for paying all fees associated with the Live Scan.
If I get a rejection letter, can I go to another location to get a resubmission?
You may go to any location to get a resubmission; however, you may be responsible for paying a new rolling fee. To avoid getting charged for new fingerprints, you should go to the same location that performed the original Live Scan transaction.
If your Live Scan was rejected for data errors, you should go to the original location to avoid paying the fees. You will need to submit a new transaction and the Live Scan provider should waive the fees if they entered your information incorrectly.
What do I do if I received my California response, but the FBI rejected the applicant submission due to poor quality?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) may reject fingerprints even if the images were acceptable by the California Department of Justice (CA DOJ).
If this happens, the applicant will need to be reprinted using the original ATI (Applicant Transaction Identifier).
If rejected twice for poor quality, the applicant agency must request an FBI name check.
Consult your requesting agency for how to complete and submit the FBI Name Check Request.
Less than 0.5% of the Applicants will be rejected due to poor fingerprint image quality. If you received a rejection notification, First resubmission is free when the following requirements are met: Must complete the Resubmission within 30 days from the original transaction (we recommend 7 days).Must use the Original Live Scan Location to perform the Resubmission. Rejection must be caused by poor fingerprint quality. If you entered the data incorrectly, you must initiate and pay for a NEW transaction. We recommend that you apply ample lotion to your hands throughout the day for one week prior to returning to the Live Scan location for resubmission. If received two rejection letters. You will need to undergo the Name Check process. Please visit: https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/fingerprints/fbinamecheck.pdf
Why was my Live Scan rejected?
A Live Scan can be rejected either for poor fingerprint quality or data entry errors.
You or your agency will also receive a rejection letter from the DOJ that states the reason for rejection.
There is no OCA number on my form, what belongs on this part of the Request For Live Scan Service form?
On many forms, this line is also labeled “Your Number.”
The OCA number is a line that your requesting agency may use for internal purposes. If there is no OCA on the Request For Live Scan Service form and they did not give your instructions for filling it out, leave it blank.
Placing unauthorized data here can result in a delay or rejection from the DOJ or your requesting agency.
Where do I get the Live Scan Request Form?
The agency that is requesting the Live Scan must provide you with the Request For Live Scan Service form. Your requesting agency should have their information entered for you on the “contributing agency information” section of the form.
The Live Scan location will not have the Request For Live Scan Service Form on site. If they do provide you with the form, you should verify it is the correct form with your requesting agency. An incorrect form will result in your Live Scan being rejected or sent to the wrong agency.
Do you provide the forms or do I have to bring the form?
Whoever is requesting for the Live Scan should provide you with the Request For Live Scan Service form.
If a location provides you with the Live Scan form, there is a possibility that it is not for the correct agency, and your Live Scan could be rejected or sent to the wrong agency.
Do I need to do a live scan again if I have already done it once or more before?
Yes. The DOJ does not share your information with other agencies. It is against the law for different agencies to share confidential fingerprint results with each other. An applicant's Live Scan form acts as a release for a criminal history response to be sent to the specified requesting agency. This means that you must submit a new application each time a criminal history is requested of you; therefore you must go through the Live Scan process again. Previous Live Scan information CANNOT be utilized.
Why do I have to be fingerprinted again if I've already been fingerprinted in the past?
1) Per DOJ policy, sharing of criminal history is not permitted.
2) For identification purposes.
3) Each job/license/permit application can require a different level of service, i.e. some require DOJ, some require both DOJ and FBI, in addition to other checks.
Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI), including responses that no criminal record exists, are confidential. Sections 11142 and 11143 of the Penal Code provide for criminal penalties for the release of this information to unauthorized individuals.
Article I, Section 1 of the California Constitution grants California citizens an absolute right to privacy. Individuals or agencies violating these privacy rights place themselves at both criminal and civil liability. The California right of privacy was created to curb, among other things, the over broad collection and retention of personal information by government agencies, the improper use of information properly obtained for a proper purpose, and the lack of a reasonable check on the accuracy of existing records. (White v. Davis (1975) 13 Cal.3d 75, 775.)
CORI shall be accessible only to the records custodian and/or hiring authority charged with determining the suitability for employment or licensing of an applicant. The information received shall be used by the requesting agency solely for the purpose for which it was requested and shall not be reproduced for secondary dissemination to any other employing or licensing agency.
The retention and sharing of information between employing and licensing agencies are strictly prohibited. The retention and sharing of information infringe upon the right of privacy and fails to meet the compelling state interest defined in Loder v. Municipal Court (1976) 17 Cal.3d 859. In addition, maintenance of redundant information separate from the information maintained by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) avoids the updates and makes it for DOJ to control dissemination of CORI as outlined in section 11105 of the Penal Code.
Once I have my fingerprints taken will they always be on file with the government?
No. Once your fingerprint record has been processed and your suitability for certification, licensing, employment and/or volunteerism has been reported to your Referring Agency, your fingerprint record is deleted. The only civilian fingerprint records kept are those belonging to convicted felons.