Frequently Asked Questions

Hours of operation vary-see schedule below. You may set-up an appointment by scheduling online through our appointment portal on the Schedule Appointment website. You may also schedule an appointment by calling 301-498-0092 and ask for the Records Unit.

The LiveScan fingerprinting service is performed at the City of Laurel Police Department located at 811 Fifth Street, Laurel, Maryland 20707.

• Mondays: 9:30 am to 2:30 pm (on the half-hour)
• Tuesdays: 11 am to 4 pm (on the hour)

Note: No fingerprinting on Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays, at this time.

To be fingerprinted, upon arrival you will need to fill out a required City of Laurel Police Department LiveScan Pre-Registration Application. However, to expedite matters, you may download the required Pre-Registration Application by clicking on the PDF link below. Print and fill out the form and bring it with you to your fingerprinting appointment, along with your payment and government-issued identification. Try to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early to complete the paperwork and payment. This will allow sufficient time for fingerprinting should you have difficult prints to capture.

View the Livescan Pre-Registration Application (PDF).

Note: A percentage of the population have fingerprints that are difficult for the LiveScan machine to detect. Fingerprints can be affected by age or exposure to certain types of work such as construction or from prolonged exposure to various chemicals. If you have dry skin, please moisturize your hands well, for 24 to 48 hours prior to your appointment and hydrate by drinking plenty of water. This will improve the quality of your prints for easier detection. Hands must be washed just prior to prints being taken and cannot be moisturized after washing.

The fee for fingerprinting (per-person) ranges from $38 to $55. To determine your actual fee before your appointment, call 301-498-0092 and ask for the Records Unit. The fee for printing on the FD-258 card is $20 for up to 2-cards and $5 for each additional card printed. Payment must be made in-person at the time of fingerprinting. We accept Visa, MC, AmEx, Discover, money orders and cash as payment. Online payment is not available.

The City of Laurel Police Department offers LiveScan (electronic) Fingerprinting Services for criminal history background checks that may be required as a condition of employment, licensing, certification, foreign adoptions, or VISA/Immigration clearances. Listed below are examples of the types of applications requiring fingerprint background checks:

• Child Care Providers
• Adult Dependent Care
• Security Guard Licenses
• Special Police Commissions
• Handgun Qualification Licenses (HQL)
• Handgun Permits
• Firearms Dealers
• Security Systems Technicians
• Immigration / VISA Applications
• Criminal Justice Employment (Sworn and Civilian)
• Many other positions which require a criminal background check prior to employment, or when a person requests an individual review of their record.

The City of Laurel Police Department also provides electronic imaging of fingerprints on FD-258 cards, which we provide if necessary, or you can bring your own. Our equipment cannot print fingerprints on paper forms nor on any other type of card other than the FD-258.

Note: We do not fingerprint for Taxicabs licenses, Limousine licenses, or Liquor licenses.

If you need an ink on card fingerprinting service, you can find a list of locations through the State Department.

Customers who arrive more than 5 minutes after his/her appointment time must reschedule a fingerprinting appointment so that other appointments remain on schedule.

If you need additional information, please call 301-498-0092 and ask for the Records Unit.

Please note, we cannot fingerprint you if:

• your paperwork is not filled out completely or has missing information
• you do not have proper or necessary code numbers (authorization or ORI)
• you do not have your payment
• you do not have valid, acceptable government issued identification

A LiveScan Fingerprinting Technician will roll/scan applicant fingerprints and submit prints electronically to the State of Maryland Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) and, dependent upon the requirements of the background check, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Provided your prints are clear, it takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes for a certified fingerprint technician to type in an applicant's information (i.e. Name, birth date, gender etc.) into the computer, scan applicant fingerprints and electronically transmit the information to CJIS and FBI.

Next, CJIS and FBI will process applicant criminal background checks using the applicant submitted information and fingerprints. CJIS and FBI background checks can take up to two or three days; however, some requests may take up to two weeks or longer depending on the information contained within the record, e.g., various name spellings/changes, or if applicant has a past criminal history.

Last, CJIS and the FBI will send applicant criminal history background checks directly to the requesting agency or employer as identified by the Authorization and/or ORI numbers.

Note: In the case of an individual/personal review, the information is sent directly to the person fingerprinted.

Applicants should allow a minimum of seven days before making a status inquiry. Please note: the City of Laurel Police Department does not receive the results of the background check. To inquire about the status of your background check, please refer to the phone number located on your fingerprinting receipt (not your payment receipt).

NOTE: A percentage of the population have fingerprints that are difficult for the LiveScan machine to detect. Fingerprints can be affected by age or exposure to certain types of work such as construction or from prolonged exposure to various chemicals. If you have dry skin, please moisturize your hands well, for 24 to 48 hours prior to your appointment and hydrate by drinking plenty of water. This will improve the quality of your prints for easier detection. Hands must be washed just prior to prints being taken and cannot be moisturized after washing.