Can I Take My Own Fingerprints at Home? What the FBI Says and Why Most People Shouldn't
A fingerprint card is paper and ink is cheap, so can you take your own prints at home and send them to the FBI? Nothing the FBI publishes forbids it, but home-taken prints are hard to get right, and a rejected card costs more than the appointment you avoided. Here is what to know.
It is a fair question. A fingerprint card is a piece of paper, ink is cheap, and a provider may be a long way from where you live. So can you simply take your own fingerprints at home and send the card to the FBI?
The honest answer has two parts. On the FBI pages we reviewed, nothing says you are forbidden from doing it. But home-taken prints are harder to capture consistently, which raises the risk of smudged, incomplete, or poorly rolled impressions, and a rejected card costs more than the appointment you tried to avoid. This guide explains what the FBI says, what can go wrong, and what to do instead.
The Short Answer
- The FBI does not say you cannot. Its Identity History Summary FAQ doesn't address whether you may take your own prints, but it does say a fingerprinting technician is preferred
- The standard is high. Every finger must be rolled nail to nail, in the right box, on the right card, with nothing on the back and no marks outside the blocks
- You usually get one clean try. The FBI says fingerprint cards are no longer returned, and a poor card means starting again with a new one
- Other offices may not accept it. An employer, licensing body, or foreign authority may require prints taken by a professional, so ask before you try
- A professional is usually the safer route. A technician can check each impression and retake an unclear one on the spot
What the FBI Actually Says
The FBI's Identity History Summary FAQ, reviewed on 4 November 2026, tells applicants who mail a request to use a standard fingerprint form. It states that the FBI accepts the FD-1164 on standard white paper stock, that it requires a current fingerprint card, and that prints are preferably taken by a fingerprinting technician. If prints are repeatedly rejected, it advises taking multiple sets and sending all of them with your request.
The FAQ lists these ways to get fingerprinted: local, county, or state law enforcement for a fee, some private fingerprinting companies, and electronic submission options in the United States, such as participating post office locations or FBI-approved providers. Those electronic options are set up for people in the U.S., so check the current rules if you live abroad.
The FBI's card-preparation guidelines add the detail that matters most for home use. They require rolling each finger from nail to nail, recording impressions in the correct sequence and boxes, using black or blue ink only for written entries, and keeping the back of the card blank. They also list submitting poorly rolled or low-quality prints among the mistakes to avoid. Our FD-258 guide explains the two common cards.
Why Prints Taken at Home Are Harder to Get Right
| Requirement | What goes wrong at home |
|---|---|
| Roll each finger fully, nail to nail | It is hard to roll your own fingers evenly, because you can't see and control the pressure on every finger at once |
| Correct finger order and boxes | A single swapped finger or an impression in the wrong block can mean a rejection |
| Even, clean ink | Too much ink smudges and too little leaves faint ridges. Home ink pads are often not suited to rolled prints |
| Plain impressions of all fingers | These are easy to forget or smear, and the guidelines list omitted impressions as a cause of returns |
| A clean, unmarked card | A smudge, a stray mark, or anything on the back can be enough to cause a problem |
| The right card | The FBI requires a current card, and a non-standard or outdated card is a common error |
None of these problems is about the applicant. They are about technique, and technique is what a trained technician brings.
Who Fills In the Rest of the Card?
A fingerprint card is not only prints. The FBI's guidelines describe fields for the person's details and for recording who took the prints, and they say blank required fields can cause a card to be returned. If your receiving office or submission route expects the prints to be taken and verified by someone else, a card you took yourself may not meet that expectation even if the prints are clean. Ask the office that requested the record before you start.
When Self-Taken Prints Are Worth Considering
There are cases where it can be reasonable, but they are narrow:
- The receiving office has said in writing that self-taken prints are acceptable
- You are comfortable following the FBI's guidance on recording legible fingerprints, and you have a spare card or two
- You can afford a repeat if the card is rejected, both in time and in postage
If You Do Try It, a Careful Checklist
- Ask the requesting office first. Confirm that self-taken prints are acceptable
- Use the correct, current card. Don't reuse a card from an earlier request
- Practise on scrap paper. Roll each finger fully, from nail edge to nail edge, with steady, even pressure
- Prepare your hands. Wash and dry them, avoid heavy lotion on the day, and don't apply anything that leaves residue
- Work in the right order and boxes. Check each finger against the card before you roll
- Keep the card clean. Nothing on the back, and no marks outside the blocks
- Review before sending. Check that every required field is complete and every impression is clear, and take more than one set if you can
- Send with tracking. Keep a record of the tracking number and payment. Unsure who can send it? See Can Someone Submit My Fingerprint Card for Me?
If the card comes back, don't keep trying the same method. Our guides to fingerprint rejections and what to do after two rejections explain the next steps.
The Safer Alternatives
| Option | What to know |
|---|---|
| A fingerprinting technician | The FBI itself prefers this. A technician can see whether an impression is usable and retake it on the spot |
| Mobile fingerprinting | Where available, a technician comes to your home or workplace, so you avoid the trip without taking the risk of doing the prints yourself |
| Local police | Some stations may take prints for a fee, but policies on requests from foreign residents are not standardised, so call ahead |
| U.S. embassy or consulate | Not an option. The U.S. State Department says U.S. embassies and consulates abroad do not provide fingerprinting services |
How Printwise Global Helps
Printwise Global helps applicants avoid the repeat that comes from a poor card. We confirm which card your request needs, offer fingerprinting and mobile fingerprinting by appointment where we cover your location, review the finished card before it is sent, and explain the apostille and translation steps that may follow.
Frequently asked questions
The FBI pages we reviewed do not forbid it, but they say a fingerprinting technician is preferred. Ask the office that requested the record, and consider the risk of a rejected card before you try.
A kit does not automatically make your prints compliant. The FBI requires a current card in the right format, rolled impressions of all ten fingers in the correct boxes, and clean, complete ridge detail, and the receiving authority may have its own rules about the card and who takes the prints. A kit's ink pad or card may not meet those requirements, and the kit cannot check your technique. Ask the requesting office whether it accepts self-taken prints and which card it needs before you use one.
The FBI says it requires a current fingerprint card, and its FAQ names the FD-1164 on standard white paper stock for requests mailed to the FBI. Your route or receiving office may specify its own card.
No. The FBI requires a current card, and cards sent to the FBI are no longer returned.
Common causes are fingers not rolled fully from nail to nail, impressions out of order or in the wrong box, smudged or faint ink, missing impressions, and marks on the card or on the back.
Ask for the reason. The FBI advises taking multiple sets if prints are repeatedly rejected, preferably by a fingerprinting technician.
No. The U.S. State Department states that U.S. embassies and consulates abroad do not provide fingerprinting services.
No. Rules differ by country and by authority, and many offices require prints taken by an official or approved provider. Ask the requesting office.
We offer fingerprinting by appointment where we cover your location, including mobile appointments. Coverage and appointment times vary, and travel charges apply for mobile appointments.
The Printwise Team
Identity Verification Specialists
Printwise Global is an international identity-verification company providing certified fingerprinting, FBI and RCMP background checks, apostille, and certified translation. Our specialists manage cross-border document requirements end to end for clients across the USA, Canada, the UK, India, and beyond.
