Frequently Asked Questions: Fingerprint Rolling Certification
- Do I have to be certified as a fingerprint roller?
If you currently roll or will roll applicant fingerprint impressions for licensure, employment or certification purposes, you are required to go through a state and federal level background check to be certified. This includes anyone who rolls fingerprints via hard card or live scan.
- If I work for a non-profit agency or a school district, am I exempt?
No. The only individuals who are exempt from this law are law enforcement personnel and state employees.
- I work for a non-profit agency, do I still have to pay the required fees?
Yes. Any individual to be certified, is required to pay the processing fees.
- What are the fees for certification?
The total fee required by the Department of Justice for certification is $81. This fee does not include the law enforcement or state agency fingerprint rolling fee.
- Can I roll my own fingerprints to be certified?
No. The only individuals who are exempt from this law are law enforcement personnel, state employees and employees of tribal gaming agencies.
- After I'm a certified fingerprint roller, can I roll fingerprints for other individuals who need to be certified?
No. As a certified fingerprint roller you can roll applicant fingerprints for licensure, employment, and certification purposes. You cannot roll fingerprints of others who need to be certified as fingerprint rollers. Those individuals are required to go to a law enforcement agency, state agency or the Department of Justice to have their fingerprints taken. Please refer to section 994.5 of the Department's regulations.
- I am a law enforcement officer/state employee and I help my local church with fingerprinting their volunteers. Do I still need to be certified?
Yes. If you are rolling fingerprints outside the scope of your official law enforcement duties, you are required to go through the certification process. State employees are also required to be certified if they are rolling fingerprints outside the scope of their official job responsibilities.
- If my agency has a billing code, can we charge the fees?
Yes. If your employing agency has an account established with the Department of Justice and they wish to pay for your certification, the $81 fee may be charged to their billing code. Indicate your agency's billing number on the live scan form under "Misc No." BIL -, or if you are submitting via hard card, you need to submit a transmittal form identifying your agency's billing number.