When you go through the background check process, there’s a good chance that you’ll need to be fingerprinted. While this isn’t true for every single job you encounter, many jobs that require a lot of responsibility require fingerprinting.
The good news is that we’re here to help you better understand the process in this guide, specifically in regard to how long the fingerprinting process can take.
So, how long does it take for fingerprints to come back? In this guide, we cover everything you need to know and more.
How Long Does it Take for Fingerprints to Come Back?
When looking at how long fingerprints take to come back, you’ll find that it varies, but the average range is around 24 hours to seven days.
This is due to the fact that there are multiple fingerprinting methods, and these options don’t exactly have the same timetable. What’s more, you’ll find that the specific type of background check can impact how long the process takes.
Learn more about how long both types of fingerprinting methods take below.
How Long Does Fingerprinting Take for Live Scan Background Checks?
One of the most popular fingerprinting methods is the live scan method. This is a background check process that involves submitting fingerprints electronically. Typically, you’ll find that this method is the fastest, with most results being available within 24 to 72 hours.
That said, there may be delays, especially when it comes to the level of the background check. You’ll find that state-level checks are the fastest, which are what take around 24 to 72 hours. However, in some cases, these checks can take up to seven days.
On the other hand, federal-level live scan results may take longer, especially if the FBI criminal database is involved. For these reasons, you can expect federal live scan fingerprints to take around three to five business days (on average). However, you’ll find that this may take up to two weeks in certain situations.
How Long Does Fingerprinting Take for Ink-Card Fingerprints?
Now, if you’re going through an older-school fingerprinting routine, you may have to place your fingerprints on an ink card.
While this method is still common, you’ll find that it’s starting to phase out. Expect ink-card fingerprinting to take around two to four weeks to process. In fact, sometimes it can take even longer if there are delays.
Speaking of delays, the most common delays for an ink-card background check tend to involve the mailing process.
However, poor-quality fingerprints may also delay the process. It’s also important to note that submission volume can also delay the process.
How to Prepare for a Fingerprint Background Check?
When it comes to background checks that require a fingerprint, it’s important to be prepared. In other words, you want to have all your ducks in a row, which means no surprises showing up on your criminal record. What’s more, you’ll want to check your public records to determine if something looks off.
The good news is that you don’t have to contact law enforcement or pay for an expensive background check. Instead, you can use a reliable online criminal records search tool, like UnMask.
You’ll find that this tool is simple to use because all you need to do is enter your first and last name into the tool. From there, UnMask will comb through millions of public records. Then, a full report will be compiled, and it will help you check your records before starting the background check process.
Not only can you check criminal and public records, but you can also view social media accounts, websites, and much more. Essentially, it’s the best place to find anything that may cause you to fail a background check.
How Long Does it Take for Fingerprints to Come Back: Our Final Thoughts?
So, how long does it take for fingerprints to come back? At the end of the day, you can expect it to take around three to seven days.
Ultimately, it depends on the type of background check you’re going through and how the fingerprints are sourced. For example, live scan background checks are almost always faster than ink-card background checks.
That said, we always recommend using a tool like UnMask to check your public records to avoid any potential delays.
