Expanding Your Notary Services: How to Incorporate Fingerprinting
Published July 29, 2024 · Updated May 26, 2026
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Adding fingerprinting to your notary business gives you a second revenue stream from the same clients. Real estate agents, teachers, nurses, and security guards all need background checks that require fingerprints. If you can capture those prints, you get paid twice: once for the notarization and once for the fingerprinting.
Live Scan vs Ink Fingerprinting
Live scan uses an electronic scanner to capture fingerprints and transmit them digitally to the state or FBI. Faster, cleaner, and more accurate. Most clients prefer live scan because results come back in days instead of weeks. The equipment costs $1,500-$3,500 for a scanner and software.
Ink fingerprinting uses ink and FD-258 fingerprint cards. No special equipment needed, just ink pads and cards. But ink prints get rejected more often (smudging, incomplete rolls), which means the client has to come back and do it again. Some agencies still require ink prints, so it is worth offering both.
Who Needs Fingerprinting
- Real estate agents (state licensing)
- Teachers and school employees (background checks)
- Nurses and healthcare workers (licensing and hospital employment)
- Security guards (guard card licensing)
- Child care providers (state licensing)
- Foster and adoptive parents
- Anyone applying for certain professional licenses (CPA, contractor, etc.)
- Immigration applicants (certain visa categories)
What You Need to Get Started
Equipment
- Live scan scanner. Common brands: Crossmatch, Suprema, SecuGen. Expect to pay $1,500-$3,500 new, $500-$1,500 used.
- Software. Usually comes with the scanner or is provided by the state’s live scan vendor network.
- Computer. A laptop or desktop that meets the scanner’s system requirements.
- Ink supplies (if offering ink prints): ink pads (Porelon or equivalent), FD-258 cards, cleaning wipes.
State Approval
In most states, you need to apply with the state agency that manages the live scan network (Department of Justice, state police, or similar). The application typically requires your business information, proof of training, and a background check on you. Some states require you to work through an approved vendor rather than independently.
California, for example, requires live scan operators to be approved by the California Department of Justice. You apply, pay a fee, and get a vendor number. Once approved, you connect to the state’s transmission system to submit prints.
Training
Most scanner manufacturers provide training. Expect 1-2 days of training on equipment operation and proper fingerprint capture technique. The biggest skill is rolling fingerprints correctly: too light and the ridges do not show, too heavy and they smudge. A good trainer will have you practice until your rejection rate is under 2%.
How Much to Charge
Live scan pricing typically works like this:
- Rolling fee (what you keep): $15-$40 per person
- State/FBI processing fee (what you pass through): $10-$45 depending on the check type
- Total to client: $25-$85 per person
Ink fingerprinting is simpler: charge $15-$25 per card since there is no electronic transmission fee.
Marketing Your Fingerprinting Service
- Google Business Profile. Add “fingerprinting” and “live scan” to your services. People search “fingerprinting near me” constantly.
- Real estate offices. Drop off business cards at every brokerage in your area. Agents need prints for their license renewal.
- School districts. Contact HR departments. They send new hires to get fingerprinted and would love a local option.
- Staffing agencies. Temp agencies need fingerprints for security, healthcare, and education placements.
- Your existing notary clients. Add “Fingerprinting Available” to your business card and email signature. Many notary clients need prints too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate license to offer fingerprinting?
Not a notary license. But most states require you to register as a live scan vendor or fingerprint rolling agency with the state. Check your state’s Department of Justice or state police website for the application.
Is live scan equipment hard to use?
No. The training takes 1-2 days. The hardest part is getting clean prints from people with dry skin or worn fingerprints. A moisturizer and some patience usually solve that.
How long until the equipment pays for itself?
At $25 per person (your rolling fee), a $2,000 scanner pays for itself after 80 clients. If you average 5 clients per week, that is about 4 months.
Related Reading
Updated May 2026.
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