FD-258 Fingerprinting
Frequently Asked Questions

An FD-258 is the standard ink fingerprint card used by the FBI and federal agencies for official background checks. It captures all ten rolled and flat fingerprints using ink on a standardized card that is accepted by the FBI, ATF, TSA, immigration agencies, and licensing boards across the United States.

FD-258 cards are required for a wide range of purposes including: federal firearms licensing (FFL), gun trust applications (ATF Form 4/Form 1), federal employment and government contracting, immigration and visa applications (USCIS), TSA and airport security clearances, teaching and childcare licensing, nursing and healthcare credentials, real estate and insurance licensing, adoption proceedings, and any federal background check requiring ink cards rather than LiveScan.

LiveScan is a digital fingerprinting method that transmits prints electronically — typically used for state-level background checks like Texas DPS. FD-258 ink cards are physical cards required by federal agencies (FBI, ATF, USCIS) that cannot accept digital submissions. If your agency, employer, or application specifically requests FD-258 cards, LiveScan is not a substitute.

It depends on the requesting agency. Most FBI and ATF submissions require two cards. Immigration (USCIS) often requires two as well. Some agencies only need one. We recommend confirming with your submitting agency before your appointment — and we can always print extras at the time of service.

Yes. Despite the rise of digital fingerprinting, FD-258 ink cards remain the required standard for federal submissions including ATF NFA applications, federal firearms licensing, and USCIS immigration background checks. These agencies have not transitioned to LiveScan for public submissions.

It means we come to you. Instead of driving to a police station, UPS store, or government office, you book an appointment and we travel directly to your home, office, or preferred location anywhere in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro area. No lines. No waiting rooms. Professional service on your schedule.

We serve the entire DFW metroplex including Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, Allen, McKinney, Richardson, Irving, Garland, Mesquite, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Carrollton, Lewisville, Denton, and surrounding areas. Travel fees may apply depending on distance.

Our base fingerprinting service starts at $75. A 4% processing fee is automatically applied to card payments. Travel fees are calculated separately based on your location. After-hours appointments (6:30 PM–10:00 PM) and traffic jam hours (3:00–6:30 PM) carry different rate structures. You can view full pricing when booking your appointment.

Most appointments are completed in 15–30 minutes. We take your prints, review each card for legibility and quality, and provide you with your completed FD-258 cards on the spot. You walk away ready to submit — nothing left to do on your end.

Bring a valid government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport). If your requesting agency provided pre-printed FD-258 cards with your information already on them, bring those too. Otherwise, we bring blank official cards and complete all information fields at the time of service.

We perform a quality check on every card before completing the appointment. Poor print quality is the #1 reason for FBI rejections — we take our time to ensure clean, legible impressions. If you experience any issues after submission, contact us and we'll work with you on a solution.

Yes. We can accommodate groups, families, or teams in a single appointment. This is common for corporate background checks, gun trust co-trustees, or group licensing applications. Additional per-person fees apply — contact us to discuss group pricing.