Guide
Atlanta fingerprinting & biometrics
Ink card vs. live scan fingerprinting.
If a background check sent you looking for fingerprinting in Atlanta, the first question is not where to go — it is which format the requesting agency accepts. Choosing wrong means paying twice and starting the clock over.
Side-by-side comparison
| Ink card (FD-258) | Live scan | |
|---|---|---|
| How prints are taken | Rolled in ink onto a physical card | Captured digitally on a scanner |
| How they are submitted | You mail the card to the requesting agency or the FBI | Transmitted electronically to a state agency |
| Typically required by | Federal agencies, FBI identity history checks, immigration, adoption, out-of-state licensing boards, some employers | Georgia state licensing and in-state employment programs tied to an ORI code |
| You need to know | The mailing address of the agency, plus any codes on your instruction letter | The exact ORI or program code before your appointment |
| Turnaround | Depends on mail and the receiving agency's queue | Often faster, but only for agencies on the network |
| Available at ATL Health Spot | Yes — FD-258 ink card fingerprinting | We refer you if live scan is what your agency requires |
When ink cards are the only option
- FBI identity history summary requests, where FD-258 cards go directly to CJIS.
- Out-of-state licensing boards — nursing, real estate, insurance, law — that cannot receive Georgia live scan submissions.
- Immigration, visa, and international police clearance packets.
- Adoption, foster care, and guardianship home studies.
- Firearms and federal security clearance paperwork.
- Any agency whose letter names form FD-258 or asks you to mail a completed card.
How to prepare for your appointment
- 1Read your instruction letter and note whether it names live scan, an ORI code, or form FD-258.
- 2Bring an unexpired government photo ID that matches the name on your paperwork.
- 3Bring blank FD-258 cards if the agency mailed them to you; otherwise we supply them.
- 4Know the mailing address the completed cards must go to.
- 5Confirm how many card copies the agency wants so we roll them all in one visit.
- 6Avoid hand lotion the day of your appointment — it can smudge a rolled print and force a re-roll.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between ink card and live scan fingerprinting?
- Live scan captures your prints digitally and transmits them electronically to a specific state agency. Ink card fingerprinting rolls your prints in ink onto a physical FBI FD-258 card that you mail to the requesting agency yourself.
- Why do federal agencies still require FD-258 ink cards?
- Many federal, out-of-state, immigration, adoption, and licensing agencies are not connected to Georgia's live scan network. They can only accept a physical FD-258 card submitted directly to them or to the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services division.
- Can I use live scan for an out-of-state background check?
- Usually not. Georgia live scan submissions route to Georgia agencies. If the requesting agency is in another state or is federal, ink cards are typically the only accepted format.
- What should I bring to a fingerprinting appointment in Atlanta?
- Bring a valid government-issued photo ID, the name and address of the agency requesting your prints, any ORI or reason-for-fingerprinting code they gave you, and blank FD-258 cards if the agency supplied them.
- How many ink cards do I need?
- Most agencies request one or two completed FD-258 cards. Check your instruction letter — some licensing boards require two, and it is cheaper to roll both at the same appointment.
Get fingerprinted in Atlanta
We roll FBI FD-258 ink cards on site, with notary services available in the same visit.