Key takeaways
- FD-258 cards are $45 for the first card and $20 for each additional card. Live Scan print to card is $60 for the first card and $25 for each additional card. An FBI Identity History Summary check is $90.
- Most fingerprinting costs combine a capture or service fee with any fees charged by the agency running the background check.
- The requesting agency decides whether Live Scan or FD-258 cards are required, which affects both the process and the fees.
- Group and on-site sessions are priced differently from individual appointments, so ask for a quote based on your headcount and location.
Our fingerprinting prices
These are Midwest Identity Services’ prices for the most requested fingerprinting services.
FD-258 fingerprint cards
$45first card
$20 each additional card
Standard ink fingerprint cards for agencies that ask for hard cards.
Live Scan print to card
$60first card
$25 each additional printed card
Mostly used for multi-state requirements and for people who need several cards.
FBI Identity History Summary
$90background check
One flat price
A fingerprint-based FBI Identity History Summary background check.
Group and on-site sessions are quoted separately, based on headcount and location. Book an appointment for your organization, or call (816) 442-0295 with any questions about pricing.
Why fingerprinting prices vary
Fingerprinting is usually one step in a larger background check. An employer, licensing board, school or government agency sets the requirement, and that requirement shapes everything else: the capture method, where the prints are sent, which fees apply and what paperwork is involved.
Two people fingerprinted on the same day can pay very different totals. One may be applying for a state license with its own processing fee, while the other is requesting a personal FBI Identity History Summary or completing an employer-required check.
The parts of the total cost
When you compare quotes, it helps to separate the cost into its parts. Not every requirement includes every item below.
| Cost component | What it covers | Typically set by |
|---|---|---|
| Capture or service fee | Taking fingerprints, reviewing quality and completing the card or electronic record | The fingerprinting provider |
| Background check fee | Searching state and/or FBI criminal history records | The state agency, the FBI or the organization submitting on your behalf |
| Submission or transmission | Sending prints electronically, or preparing cards for mailing | Varies by method and requirement |
| On-site service | Bringing staff and equipment to your location | The provider, based on location and session size |
| Additional cards | Extra FD-258 cards when more than one agency needs prints | The provider |
Some agencies collect their fee directly from the applicant online, while others expect it to be paid at the time of fingerprinting. Check your instructions so you do not pay twice or miss a required payment.
Live Scan vs. FD-258 fingerprint cards
Live Scan captures fingerprints digitally and transmits them electronically where the requesting agency supports it. FD-258 cards are standard ink fingerprint cards that are mailed, delivered or processed as the agency instructs.
How Live Scan affects cost
Electronic submission can include a transmission fee in addition to any agency fee. Because image quality is checked at capture, it can also reduce the chance of paying again after a rejection.
How FD-258 cards affect cost
Card-based fingerprinting can involve the cost of the cards, mailing or courier delivery, and extra cards when more than one agency needs a set. A rejected card usually means repeating the process, so capture quality matters here too.
The requesting agency decides which method it accepts. The lower-cost option only helps if the agency will accept it. Our guide to FBI background check fingerprinting explains how each method is used.
Individual vs. group fingerprinting
An individual appointment is priced per person. When an organization needs several people fingerprinted, a group session changes the math: one visit, one setup and one coordinated schedule instead of many separate appointments.
For employers and schools, the comparison is not only the per-person fee. Consider the staff time spent traveling to appointments, following up with people who have not completed the step, and resolving rejected prints. Here is how group fingerprinting services are organized.
Mobile and on-site service
Mobile fingerprinting adds the cost of bringing staff and equipment to your location. The main factors are distance, the time the session will take, how many people will attend and whether the session falls outside normal business hours.
For larger groups, on-site service is often the more efficient choice overall. For one or two people, a scheduled appointment is usually simpler.
Organizations with people in several states should also ask how travel, capture methods and invoicing will be handled for each location. Our multi-state fingerprinting page explains how those programs are coordinated.
Questions to ask when requesting a quote
- Which agency or program is requesting the fingerprints, and what do its instructions say?
- Is Live Scan, an FD-258 card or both required?
- Which fees are included in the quote, and which are paid separately to the agency?
- How many people need fingerprints, and can they be scheduled together?
- Where will the session take place, and are there travel or timing charges?
- What happens if a set of prints is rejected?
For a quote based on your own requirement, headcount and location, book an appointment and include any instructions you have received.