Choose electronic or hard-card fingerprinting only after the receiving agency confirms the accepted format and submission route.
The formats in plain language
Electronic Live Scan generally captures fingerprints digitally and sends or prepares them through an electronic process connected to the requested recipient. A hard card records prints on a physical fingerprint card, such as an FBI FD-258, which may then be mailed, scanned, or transmitted according to the receiving agency’s directions.
Neither format is automatically correct for every request. The same applicant may need electronic Live Scan for one process and a card for another, so the requesting agency’s instructions should control the choice rather than convenience or assumptions about what a provider usually offers.
What to confirm before visiting
Ask whether the recipient requires a particular card, agency form, ORI, electronic transmission, or mailing step. Confirm whether the agency supplied the card or expects the provider to capture or transfer prints to a requested card, and clarify where the completed item must go afterward.
The official Live Scan service information describes electronic and hard-card fingerprinting, and the FDLE provider listing identifies the Sanford listing as hard-card capable. Those details establish service background, but they do not establish what your particular employer, board, or agency will accept.
Make the appointment or walk-in useful
Bring the agency-specified paperwork and identification, and tell the provider whether the agency named Live Scan, an FBI FD-258, or another card. If you only have a general phrase such as “background check,” pause and ask the requesting organization for the exact route before paying or submitting.
Keep any receipt, transaction number, card copy, or transmission confirmation that the provider gives you, while protecting it like other application records. If the receiving agency asks for a correction, follow its instructions and contact the provider with the relevant non-sensitive transaction details.
Your preparation list
Keep these prompts for your own use. There is nothing to submit here.
- Identify whether the agency named Live Scan, FD-258, or another card.
- Confirm who supplies the card or form and where the completed item goes.
- Bring agency-specified identification, paperwork, and routing details.
- Save any receipt, transaction number, or transmission confirmation provided.
Questions to ask a professional
- Which fingerprint format does your office accept for this exact request?
- Do you supply the card or form, and what recipient address or routing information applies?
- If a submission needs correction, what provider or agency process should I follow?
Official pages for Live Scan Fingerprinting, Investigative & Notary Services
These official source pages provide context about Live Scan Fingerprinting, Investigative & Notary Services's published service scope, background, or contact details. They are linked to help you verify scope—not as an endorsement or proof of requirements for your circumstances.
Official fingerprinting services page — service scope/background only; does not prove general guidanceOfficial contact page — office and location background only; does not prove general guidanceKeep your next step simple.
Use the Central Florida Fingerprinting Preparation Guide to collect your questions. Optional email follow-up is a separate choice on the request form.