In the past, when Private organizations and government agencies in Florida conducted background checks on their employees and prospects, they relied on traditional paper and ink fingerprinting to get it done. Advances in technology now make the fingerprinting process much easier and less messy. Today, many fingerprinting service providers now offer electronic fingerprinting, also known as a live scan.
With the traditional ink fingerprinting system, companies often see only about 85-90 percent accuracy rate in their reports. However, electronic fingerprinting service is much more accurate and dependable. Companies can expect 99 percent results that give a complete picture of an employee or potential employee’s criminal background.
How Does Electronic Fingerprinting Process Work?
With the traditional fingerprinting method, ink is applied to each of the applicant’s fingers and then rolled across an ink card to get the prints. However, you don’t need an ink pad or card with electronic fingerprinting. With a live scan, a trained and certified technician will roll your fingerprints on a glass plate and scan them using a livescan machine. The session usually takes 5-10 minutes, and your prints are immediately sent through an electronic transmission to the appropriate agencies (such as the Department of Justice and/or FBI) for background processing.
The background check results are sent electronically to the requesting company for either employment or licensure purposes. Electronic fingerprinting is cleaner and faster than the traditional method. Besides, it reduces the chances of missing information or illegible fingerprints on the fingerprint card and reduces the application processing time.
Preparing for Your Visit
If you are an applicant looking for a professional agency that requires a criminal background check, such as a condition of licensure, you need to provide precise demographic information at the time your fingerprints are captured. You may want to clearly identify the profession for which you are looking to be licensed and make your payment to the live scan fingerprinting provider. Any wrong information that you provide could result in a delay. The information you need to take along with you include:
- ORI (Originating Agency Identification Number): this number helps identify the organization requesting your background check
- Form of payment
- Valid government-issued photo ID
Who Needs to Be Livescan Fingerprinted in Florida?
Today, Florida mandates the taking of livescan fingerprinting of applicants that will likely be in positions of contact with vulnerable members of society like the elderly, children, physically disabled, and mentally ill. As the state is invested in protecting these groups, electronic fingerprinting has allowed for cost-effective and quick background checks.
Livescan is required as a condition of licensure and/or employment for Healthcare Workers, Teachers, and School Staff, Security Guards, Nurses, School Bus Drivers, Volunteers, Foster Parents, and anyone in florida livescan apply for professional licensure. Private organizations may also require livescan fingerprinting to perform pre-employment screening on potential employees.
How Long Is Your Fingerprint Valid For?
Agencies in Florida retain the results of fingerprints for different time frames. For instance, the clearance for APD, DCF, AHCA is valid for only five years. While Real Estate/Real Estate Appraisers, on the other hand, will retain the results of the prints for 12 months, and it is 24 months for DBPR from the date your digital fingerprints were printed electronically by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. FDLE only holds the prints for 180 days, and if it expires before you submit your application to the licensing agency, you will be required for a new print.
Conclusion
Electronic fingerprinting has been an accurate and reliable way to conduct an individual’s background check. It is an inkless method that has taken the place of traditional fingerprinting in Florida. If you are looking for a live scan near me, contact live scan Certifix today to know what you need to bring when coming for electronic fingerprinting.
