You can usually get fingerprinted near you at a few common types of places, and there are search tools online that make it easy to find the closest one.

Quick Scoop

For most people in 2026, the fastest option is to use an online locator to find a nearby Live Scan or ink-card fingerprinting center, then book an appointment and bring your ID and any required forms.

Most common places to get fingerprinted

  • Dedicated fingerprinting / Live Scan centers (often small local businesses that only do background checks and ID services).
  • Shipping and mailbox stores that offer fingerprinting, such as some UPS Store locations or similar local chains, which often appear in state ā€œLive Scan locationsā€ lists.
  • Private background-check providers that advertise ā€œLive Scan fingerprintingā€ or ā€œFD-258 card fingerprintingā€ on their websites.
  • Governmentā€‘linked enrollment centers like IdentoGO, which provide digital fingerprinting for many state agencies and licensing boards.
  • In some regions, police departments still offer fingerprints for visas or background checks, but many have moved to private vendors and list those partners on official sites.

How to find a spot ā€œnear meā€ (practical steps)

  1. Use a fingerprinting locator site
    • Sites like Certifix and Fingerprinting.org let you enter your city or ZIP/postcode and show a map/list of nearby Live Scan and card-print locations.
 * Many of these networks have 1,000+ partner centers across the U.S., so there is often one within a reasonable drive.
  1. Check national enrollment providers
    • IdentoGO has a ā€œSelect your stateā€ page where you choose your state and then see nearby centers, hours, and what kind of fingerprints they do.
  1. Look at official government lists (if youā€™re in the U.S. or Canada)
    • Some states publish public Live Scan location lists on their justice department websites (for example, Californiaā€™s DOJ Live Scan location search).
 * In Canada, the RCMP maintains a list of accredited private fingerprinting companies by province and city.
  1. Search with your city name
    • Try phrases like ā€œLive Scan fingerprinting [your city]ā€ or ā€œfingerprinting services near [your postal code]ā€; this often surfaces small local shops and mobile services.

Tips before you go

  • Confirm the type you need
    • Some places only do digital Live Scan, others only ink (like FDā€‘258 cards), and some do both; the online listing or site will usually specify this.
  • Book ahead when possible
    • Many centers use online enrollment or appointments so you can enter your information, pay, and get a QR code before you arrive, which speeds things up.
  • Bring proper documents
    • At minimum, bring a valid photo ID; also bring any forms or reference numbers from the employer, licensing board, or government agency requesting your fingerprints.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.