Fingerprinting in Boston: FBI background checks, Live Scan and FD-258 ink cards, done right the first time
Certified technicians capture clean, agency-ready prints in about 15 minutes at our Tewksbury office, 20 minutes north of Boston, or on site for your team. Accepted for employment, licensing, immigration, adoption and out-of-state agencies.
Online booking takes about two minutes. Not sure which service you need? Call and read us your instructions.
FBI background check: $170, fees included. The $170 price covers your fingerprint capture, a technician review, electronic submission through our FBI-approved channeler and the FBI’s own processing fee. You pay the full amount online when you book and nothing is due at the counter. Live Scan and FD-258 ink cards carry no channeler or government fee.
Fingerprinting in Boston is not one service. It is three different capture methods feeding dozens of agencies, each with its own card, code and mailing rule. The FBI wants a current set of prints for an Identity History Summary. A nursing board in another state wants two FD-258 cards with its ORI printed on them. A Massachusetts school district wants SAFIS through the state vendor, which we do not perform and will tell you so. A consulate wants a police clearance on ink. The job of a good fingerprinting office is to know which is which, capture prints that pass the first time, and send you out the door with the right thing in your hands.
That is what Fingerprint Boston has done from one office in Tewksbury since 2007: FBI background checks, Live Scan and FD-258 ink cards for the people, employers and agencies of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, with a notary at the counter and a mobile team for groups. The rest of this page explains each service, who needs what, what it costs, where we work, and how to book. If you would rather skip the reading, call (978) 424-4629 and read us your instructions. Two minutes.
Three ways we capture your fingerprints
FBI background checks, Live Scan and FD-258 ink cards, all under one roof.Getting fingerprinted should be the easy part of your application, not the thing that holds it up. For a lot of people in Boston it turns into a frustrating errand: confusing instructions from the agency, a long drive, a paper ticket, and the quiet worry that a smudged print will bounce the whole submission back weeks later. We built Fingerprint Boston to take every one of those friction points away. Different agencies ask for different things, so we run all three capture methods under one roof and tell you which one your paperwork calls for.
FBI fingerprinting near Boston
An FBI background check, officially an Identity History Summary, is the FBI’s record of you, requested with your own fingerprints. We capture your prints and submit electronically through an FBI-approved channeler, or roll FD-258 cards you mail yourself.
- International adoption, foreign visas and work permits
- Overseas teaching contracts and residency abroad
- Personal record review and apostille packets
Live Scan fingerprinting in Boston
Live Scan is digital fingerprint capture: your fingers are rolled on a glass scanner, the software scores quality on the spot, and the prints are submitted electronically according to the requesting agency’s rules. No ink, no smudges.
- Agencies that name electronic submission or a service code
- Employment and licensing checks that run electronically
- On-screen quality check before you leave
Ink card fingerprinting, FD-258
The FD-258 is the standard fingerprint card accepted by the FBI and most state, federal and out-of-state licensing agencies. We supply the cards, roll each finger, and review every print under light before the card leaves the counter.
- Out-of-state licensing boards, plus FINRA cards your firm supplies
- Federal employment cards with pre-printed ORIs
- Consulates, police clearances, adoption agencies
Every service includes the same things: an ID check, a read-through of your agency instructions with a technician, capture by someone certified in that method, and a print-by-print quality review before you go. Read the full services overview or compare Live Scan and ink cards side by side.
Which fingerprinting service do I need?
The agency decides. Here is how to read what they sent you.
Read the words on your instructions. They decide it.
- “Electronic,” “Live Scan,” or a service code: book Live Scan ($65).
- “FD-258,” “ink card,” a card count or a mailing address: book ink cards ($49.95 per set).
- “Identity History Summary,” “FBI record,” or a foreign consulate asking for your U.S. record: book the FBI background check ($170).
- “SAFIS,” “IdentoGO,” or “USCIS biometrics”: that is a state or federal site, not us. We will say so on the phone and point you there.
- Instructions silent on method: ink cards are the safe default, because any agency can accept them.
Still unsure? Call (978) 424-4629 and read us the letter. The answer takes two minutes. Or see the fingerprinting FAQ.
Who comes to us, and why it matters
A cross-section of Greater Boston, each answering to a different agency.On a typical day our chairs hold a travel nurse with cards for another state’s board, a teacher relicensing in another state, a FINRA registrant, a security guard, an adoptive parent, a student with a visa interview, and an HR manager picking up cards for a new hire. Each answers to a different agency with its own rules. We know them, and we keep a guide for each.
Volunteers, coaches and nonprofit boards have their own page too: fingerprinting for volunteers and nonprofits. So do insurance and financial license applicants, people who need a police clearance certificate from abroad, Massachusetts cannabis industry workers and anyone who needs to correct an FBI record. Profession-level detail for Massachusetts lives in our employment and licensing guide.
How it works
Four steps, about 15 minutes, and what happens after.Book your appointment
Online booking takes about two minutes and reserves your slot Monday through Friday, 10 to 5. Same-day appointments are held for deadlines.
Bring ID and paperwork
One government photo ID and every page of your agency instructions. We read them with you and match the service, the ORI, the card count and the mailing address to what the agency wants.
Get fingerprinted
A certified technician controls the roll. Live Scan captures are scored on screen; ink cards are checked under light, finger by finger. Weak prints are redone before you leave.
Submitted and done
FBI submissions go through the channeler and we tell you what to expect. Ink cards go home with you, flat, with mailing guidance. The agency controls the clock from here, and we say so.
What to bring, and how to prepare your hands
- A valid, unexpired government photo ID: driver’s license, state ID, passport, military ID or permanent resident card.
- All pages of the agency instructions, plus any pre-printed FD-258 cards the agency mailed you.
- Moisturize for three to five days before the visit. Dry skin and worn ridges are the top reason prints come out faint.
- Skip hand sanitizer and hot water the morning of, and tell us about cuts, eczema or heavy manual work.
Full checklists: what to bring and how to prepare your hands.
After you leave. For ink cards, mail them flat in the envelope the agency specified, or the one we hand you, and keep a photo of each card for your records. For FBI submissions, the FBI processes Identity History Summary requests in the order received and does not offer expedited service, so count backward from your deadline and book early. If a result needs to travel abroad, the apostille comes from the U.S. Department of State after the FBI result arrives. Our guides on FBI timing, what happens to your fingerprints afterward and how long a check stays valid cover the questions people call us with a week later.
The details that keep your application moving
Credentials you can check, and a process built to avoid rejections.Certified technicians, both methods
Staff are trained and certified in Live Scan capture and traditional ink rolling, two different skills. Technique is reviewed against agency rejection standards on an ongoing basis.
FBI-approved channeler submission
Identity History Summary requests go in electronically through an FBI-approved channeler, in the format the FBI expects. The FBI sets the timeline; we make sure the submission is never the reason it slips.
Massachusetts notary on site
Apostille packets, consent forms and identity affidavits often travel with fingerprint cards. A commissioned notary at the counter means one appointment instead of three errands.
Agency-standard equipment
Professional Live Scan equipment with on-screen quality scoring, and genuine FD-258 card stock for ink. Read how digital fingerprint scanning works.
Private by design
Your prints go only where you direct them. One client at a time, no data resale, PCI-compliant payments. See what happens to your fingerprints after a check.
Local and accountable
A real office since 2007, a real phone number, and names on the work. Meet the team and check our credentials on the about page.
A rejected card costs weeks, not dollars
When an agency rejects a fingerprint card you do not lose $49.95. You lose weeks of processing time, and often the whole application timeline resets: the start date, the license effective date, the visa interview. A meaningful share of our clients arrive after prints captured somewhere else were rejected. Fixing other people’s rejected work has made us careful about never producing our own.
- Every print checked under light or on screen before you leave.
- Weak fingers re-rolled on the spot, at no charge.
- Agency instructions read with you, so the right card goes to the right place.
Massachusetts background checks, explained
CORI, SAFIS and fingerprint checks are three different things. Here is which one needs us.People in Massachusetts hear “background check” and assume it means fingerprints. Often it does not, and knowing the difference saves a trip.
CORI is the Massachusetts criminal offender record check run through DCJIS. It is name-based. No fingerprints are taken. If your employer says CORI, you do not need us. Read our CORI explainer.
SAFIS is the state and national fingerprint check for DESE school staff, EEC childcare workers, DCF and several other agencies. Those captures are scheduled only through the state’s contracted vendor. We do not perform them, and we say so before you drive here. Not sure? Our guide to which vendor you need sorts out IdentoGO and private offices. Our school fingerprinting guide explains the process.
FBI Identity History Summary, out-of-state board cards, FINRA, federal employment cards, firearms license prints, immigration and consulate paperwork and adoption agency cards are the fingerprint checks a private provider handles. That is our work, every day. The plain-English comparison is in name-based vs fingerprint background checks.
Fingerprinting prices in Boston
No hidden fees. You will know the total before you book.Prices are posted, there are no add-ons for re-rolls during your visit, and we explain the agency fees that sit on top so you know the total before your visit.
| Service | What you pay us | Agency or government fee on top | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| FD-258 ink card set | $49.95 per set, cards included | Set by the receiving agency or board | Out-of-state boards, federal cards, consulates, adoption agencies, FINRA cards your firm supplies |
| Live Scan | $65 | Set by the requesting agency | Employers and boards that require electronic submission |
| FBI background check | $170, capture plus submission support | Included in the $170 (FBI and channeler fees) | Visas, foreign work permits, adoption, apostilles, personal record review |
| Mobile fingerprinting | Quoted by group size and distance | As above, per person | Employers, schools, facilities, groups across MA, southern NH and RI |
The full price list and our guide to what fingerprinting costs in MA and NH cover every scenario, including the New Hampshire State Police fee and how to avoid paying twice.
Fingerprinting across Boston, Greater Boston and beyond
One office in Tewksbury, mobile service in three states.We run one office, at 1215 Main St, Unit 115, Tewksbury, MA 01876, off I-495 near Route 38 with parking at the door, and we serve three states from it. Most of the Merrimack Valley is 15 minutes away. Much of Metro Boston is 30. Nashua, NH is about 20. For groups and employers we bring the equipment to you. Prefer somewhere inside the city? Here is every Boston fingerprinting option compared.
From Boston, Cambridge, Somerville and Medford: I-93 north to I-495. From Quincy and the South Shore: I-93 the whole way. From Waltham, Newton and Framingham: Route 128 to I-93 or I-495. From southern New Hampshire: Route 3 or I-93 south to I-495.
We come to offices, schools and facilities
HR teams onboarding a group, healthcare facilities that cannot release staff for half a day, schools, agencies and clients with limited mobility book a technician to come to them. Same equipment, same review standards, same paperwork guidance. Pricing is quoted by group size and distance; see mobile pricing for how the $295 base travel fee and per-person rates add up.
- Greater Boston, the Merrimack Valley, southern New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
- Ink cards or Live Scan on site, depending on what the agency accepts.
- Send the group’s agency instructions ahead and nobody waits.
See every community on our service area page.
Fingerprinting for New Hampshire residents
Twenty minutes from Nashua, with honest answers about what we can and cannot do.Nashua, Hudson, Salem, Derry, Londonderry, Merrimack and Manchester residents make the short drive to Tewksbury every week. New Hampshire residents use us for FBI Identity History Summary cards, out-of-state licensing boards, FINRA cards your firm supplies, federal FD-258 cards, immigration paperwork and foreign police clearances, all of which accept prints from any trained provider.
What we cannot do is substitute for a New Hampshire State Police LiveScan site when an NH agency check must run directly through the state portal. The State Police list seven LiveScan sites, appointment only, and a fingerprint-based NH plus FBI check at $50.00. When a New Hampshire agency accepts mailed ink cards, we roll them for $49.95 per set and you mail them with your CHRI authorization form. We explain the tradeoff plainly: the mailed route is slower than state-site LiveScan. For the closest sites, see our guide to Nashua, Salem and Derry options.
Start with where to get fingerprinted in New Hampshire, then the NH criminal history record check explained, and our pages for Nashua and Manchester.
For employers, schools and organizations
One provider, consistent cards, fewer delayed start dates.HR teams, school districts, healthcare facilities, staffing agencies and nonprofits use us as their standing fingerprint provider because a rejected card on a new hire is a delayed start date and a second round of paperwork. We make that rare.
- Send new hires to the office with one instruction sheet, or book a mobile session and we come to you.
- We read your agency’s requirements once and apply them every time, so every employee’s cards match.
- Group scheduling, organization invoicing and same-week availability are routine. Read on-site fingerprinting for employers.
- Massachusetts employers whose checks run through SAFIS send staff to the state vendor for that capture; we handle the out-of-state and federal cards those same employees often also need. Our CORI explainer and name-based vs fingerprint check guide cover the rest.
To set up an account, contact us with your organization name, the agencies involved and an estimate of volume.
Guides from our specialists
Written and reviewed by the people at the counter.How to get an FBI background check
The Identity History Summary process from first card to final result.
What fingerprinting costs in MA and NH
Our prices, the agency fees on top, and how to avoid paying twice.
Fingerprinting for an out-of-state license
FD-258 cards, ORI numbers and mailing for boards in other states.
How to prepare your hands
A five-day plan for dry skin, worn ridges, cuts and sweaty hands.
Where to get fingerprinted in NH
State LiveScan sites, local police, or a provider 20 minutes from Nashua.
Apostilles for FBI background checks
Authentication, the Department of State step, and embassy legalization.
More in the fingerprinting blog: how long an FBI check takes, how long a fingerprint check stays valid, the FD-258 card explained, what an FBI channeler is, ORI and OCA codes, and fingerprinting for minors.
Common questions about fingerprinting in Boston
Short answers. Longer ones on the FAQ page.Where can I get fingerprinted near Boston?
Fingerprint Boston is at 1215 Main St, Unit 115, Tewksbury, MA 01876, about 20 minutes north of Boston off I-495 near Route 38, with parking at the door. Appointments are required, Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM, and online booking takes two minutes. We also bring mobile fingerprinting to offices and groups across Greater Boston.
How much does fingerprinting cost in Boston?
FD-258 ink card fingerprinting is $49.95 per card set, Live Scan is $65, and an FBI background check with submission support is $170, with the FBI channeler and government fees included. Licensing boards and state agencies set their own separate program fees. Our pricing page and cost guide list every layer.
Do I need an appointment?
Yes. All services are by appointment, Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM. Online booking takes about two minutes, and same-day appointments are usually available when you call in the morning. Most visits take about 15 minutes.
What should I bring to my fingerprinting appointment?
One valid, unexpired government photo ID and every page of the instructions from the agency requesting your prints, including any ORI number, service code, card count and mailing address. If the agency mailed you pre-printed FD-258 cards, bring them.
Live Scan or ink card: which one do I need?
The requesting agency decides. Instructions that mention electronic submission, Live Scan or a service code mean Live Scan. Instructions with a mailing address and a card count mean FD-258 ink cards. When the instructions are silent, ink cards are the safe default because any agency can accept them. Call and read us the letter if you are unsure.
Can you help with an FBI background check?
Yes. We capture your prints and submit electronically through an FBI-approved channeler for an Identity History Summary, or roll FD-258 cards you can mail yourself. The FBI charges $18 and processes requests in the order received. We do not control FBI processing time, and neither does anyone else.
Do you fingerprint New Hampshire residents?
Yes. Our office is 20 minutes from Nashua, and NH residents use us for FBI cards, out-of-state boards, federal FD-258 cards, immigration paperwork and foreign police clearances. For New Hampshire state agency checks that must run through the State Police portal, a state LiveScan site is required, and we will tell you so.
Can you do Massachusetts SAFIS or USCIS biometrics?
No. Massachusetts SAFIS captures for DESE, EEC and DCF run only through the state’s contracted vendor, and USCIS biometrics are taken only at the Application Support Center on your notice. We handle the out-of-state, federal and licensing-board fingerprints those same applicants often also need.
Twenty more answers by category on the fingerprinting FAQ page.
Ready to get fingerprinted in Boston?
Book your appointment for Monday to Friday, 10 to 5, at 1215 Main St, Unit 115, Tewksbury. Most visits take about 15 minutes, and you leave with prints that pass.
