Do I Have to Go to the Post Office for an FBI Background Check?

We hear this question all the time:

“The FBI website sent me to the Post Office. Do I have to go there for my FBI background check?”

No. A participating United States Post Office is one way to submit fingerprints electronically for an FBI Identity History Summary, but it is not the only available pathway.

You may also be able to use a private fingerprinting provider working through an FBI-approved Channeler or submit physical fingerprint cards directly to the FBI.

The best option depends on where you are located, how quickly you need the report, whether you want electronic or mailed delivery, and whether traveling to a participating Post Office is convenient.

Why Does the FBI Website Direct Applicants to USPS?

When an applicant begins an electronic Identity History Summary request directly through the FBI, the FBI may provide the option of submitting fingerprints at a participating Post Office.

The Post Office captures the applicant’s fingerprints electronically and transmits them for processing. This removes the need for the applicant to prepare and mail a physical fingerprint card.

That is a legitimate and useful option. However, applicants often misunderstand what the FBI website is telling them.

They assume:

• Every Post Office provides FBI fingerprinting
• USPS is the only authorized electronic option
• They must travel to whichever Post Office appears in the system
• A private provider can only give them ink fingerprint cards

None of those assumptions should be made automatically.

USPS fingerprinting is offered only at participating locations. Depending on where an applicant lives and when appointments are available, another submission method may be more practical.

You Are Not Really Choosing Where to Get Fingerprinted

This is the most important point to understand:

You are not simply choosing where to get fingerprinted. You are choosing how to obtain your FBI Identity History Summary.

The fingerprints are not the final product. They are the biometric information used to search for the applicant’s identity history.

The applicant’s actual objective is to receive the FBI report.

Once that distinction is clear, the available options make much more sense.

The Three Main Ways to Obtain an FBI Background Check

Option 1: Electronic Fingerprinting at a Participating Post Office

An applicant may begin a request through the FBI’s electronic system and then register for fingerprinting at a participating USPS location.

This pathway can work well when:

• A participating Post Office is nearby
• A convenient appointment is available
• The applicant is comfortable completing the registration process independently
• The applicant does not need mobile service

Applicants should confirm that the specific Post Office offers FBI Identity History Summary fingerprinting before traveling there. FBI fingerprinting is not available at every USPS location.

Option 2: Electronic Submission Through a Fingerprinting Provider

An applicant may also visit a private fingerprinting provider that works with an FBI-approved Channeler.

In this workflow, the applicant usually does not contact or visit the Channeler directly.

Instead, the process involves three separate participants:

• The fingerprinting provider captures the applicant’s fingerprints and identifying information
• The FBI-approved Channeler securely transmits the request and communicates with the FBI
• The FBI processes the fingerprints and produces the Identity History Summary

Most fingerprinting providers are not FBI Channelers themselves. They use an approved Channeler as the secure connection between their fingerprinting system and the FBI.

You can read more in our article, What Is an FBI Channeler? And Why Most Fingerprinting Providers Aren’t One.

This pathway may be useful when the applicant wants:

• A professional to guide the submission process
• Electronic fingerprint capture
• Fast electronic delivery when available
• An office appointment outside the USPS system
• A mobile appointment at a home, office or other location

Anshin Mobile Notary and Livescan assists applicants with electronic FBI background check submissions by capturing the fingerprints and submitting them through an established FBI-approved Channeler relationship.

Option 3: Mailing Physical Fingerprint Cards

An applicant may also have fingerprints placed on a physical card and mail the card as part of a direct FBI request.

This option remains important. It may be appropriate when:

• The applicant is outside the United States
• Electronic submission is not available where the applicant lives
• The applicant already has acceptable fingerprint cards
• The applicant prefers to submit directly to the FBI
• A specific situation requires physical cards

The disadvantage is that the applicant must manage the physical card, application materials, payment and mailing process. Mailing and physical handling also add time that is not part of an electronic submission.

Applicants who need physical cards can review Anshin’s FD-258 fingerprint card services.

Is a Private Electronic Submission Still an Official FBI Background Check?

Yes. When fingerprints are properly submitted through an FBI-approved Channeler pathway, the resulting Identity History Summary is issued from the FBI’s system.

The private fingerprinting provider does not create its own criminal history report. It captures the applicant’s fingerprints and facilitates their electronic submission through the appropriate system.

This is similar to many other professional service workflows. A provider helps the applicant access the government process, but the government agency remains the source of the resulting document.

Can the Fingerprinting Appointment Come to Me?

In some cases, yes.

One of the advantages of working with a private electronic fingerprinting provider is that the appointment does not necessarily have to take place at a Post Office or government building.

Mobile FBI fingerprinting may be arranged at:

• The applicant’s home
• A professional office
• A law firm
• A corporate workplace
• A senior living community
• A group or organizational event
• Another appropriate private location

The fingerprints can be captured electronically at the appointment and submitted through the applicable FBI Channeler workflow.

This may be particularly helpful for busy professionals, families, elderly applicants, people with mobility limitations and organizations processing multiple applicants.

An applicant using mobile service is not avoiding the FBI system. The applicant is using a different method to enter the required fingerprints into that system.

How Quickly Can an Electronic FBI Report Arrive?

Electronic processing can be very fast after a successful submission. In many routine cases, results may become available within minutes.

However, no fingerprinting provider should guarantee that every report will arrive within a particular number of minutes.

Processing may take longer because of:

• Fingerprint quality issues
• Information that requires additional processing
• Technical interruptions
• Incorrect applicant information
• A submission that cannot be matched or processed automatically

The real advantage of electronic submission is that it removes physical mailing and manual card handling from the ordinary workflow.

Do I Need an Electronic Report or a Mailed Report?

That decision should be made before the fingerprints are submitted.

An electronic PDF is often the fastest and most convenient format. It can be downloaded, reviewed and sent electronically when the receiving organization accepts it.

However, some applicants need a mailed report because a requesting agency wants a physical document or because the applicant prefers to receive one.

The method used to submit the fingerprints and the way the report is delivered are related decisions, but they are not necessarily the same decision.

For a deeper explanation, read Should You Receive Your FBI Background Check Electronically or by Mail?

Is Electronic FBI Fingerprinting the Same as California Live Scan?

No.

Applicants frequently use the term “Live Scan” to describe anything involving a fingerprint scanner. Technically, however, an FBI Identity History Summary submission and a California Department of Justice Live Scan submission are different processes.

They involve:

• Different requesting systems
• Different government repositories
• Different applicant information
• Different submission purposes
• Different resulting reports

A California Live Scan form does not become an FBI Identity History Summary request simply because the fingerprints were captured electronically.

Similarly, an electronic FBI submission does not automatically satisfy a California licensing or employment Live Scan requirement.

Learn more in Why FBI Electronic Fingerprinting Can Be More Difficult Than California Live Scan.

What Information Do I Need for the Appointment?

The fingerprinting provider will need accurate applicant information to associate the fingerprints with the correct request.

Applicants should be prepared to provide information such as:

• Full legal name
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Citizenship
• Sex
• Race
• Height and weight
• Home address
• Email address
• Government-issued identification

Applicants should enter this information carefully. Misspellings, incorrect dates and inconsistent names can create avoidable problems.

More information is available in What Paperwork Do I Need for an FBI Background Check?

How Does Cost Compare?

Cost is another factor applicants may consider, but it should be compared alongside the time and convenience involved in each process.

When using the direct FBI and USPS pathway, the applicant pays the FBI’s Identity History Summary fee as well as the separate fingerprint-capture fee charged by USPS. Because fees can change, applicants should confirm the current total when registering.

Anshin Mobile Notary and Livescan’s standard in-office electronic FBI background check service is currently $80. For many applicants, the difference between that fee and the combined direct FBI and USPS costs may be smaller than they expect.

The private-provider option may also include:

• A scheduled professional appointment
• Help reviewing the applicant’s information
• Electronic fingerprint capture and submission
• No need to locate a participating Post Office
• No need to wait in a Post Office line
• Fast electronic delivery when processing is successful
• Mobile service when greater convenience is needed

Therefore, the lowest advertised fee is not always the only consideration. Applicants should compare the total cost, travel time, scheduling, level of assistance and overall convenience of each workflow.

Why Would Someone Choose a Private Provider Instead of USPS?

USPS may be perfectly suitable for many applicants. The purpose of explaining alternatives is not to suggest that the Post Office process is improper.

An applicant may choose a private provider because of:

• Appointment availability
• Location
• Mobile service
• Help understanding the workflow
• Electronic submission options
• Assistance checking applicant information
• Experience with difficult fingerprints
• The ability to coordinate several applicants

From our experience, many applicants do not need a complicated explanation. They simply need someone to determine which FBI submission pathway fits their situation and then complete it correctly.

Common Misconceptions About USPS and FBI Fingerprinting

“The FBI Sent Me to USPS, So USPS Must Be Mandatory”

USPS is an electronic fingerprinting option for applicants using the direct FBI electronic request system. It is not the only possible FBI submission pathway.

“Every Post Office Can Take FBI Fingerprints”

No. Only participating Post Office locations provide this service. Applicants should confirm availability before visiting.

“A Private Provider Gives Me a Private Background Check”

Not when the fingerprints are submitted through a proper FBI-approved Channeler workflow. The resulting Identity History Summary comes from the FBI’s system.

“Electronic Fingerprinting Means California Live Scan”

No. FBI electronic fingerprinting and California DOJ Live Scan are separate processes.

“I Have to Mail My Fingerprint Cards Myself”

Not when using an electronic submission pathway. Mailing physical cards is one option, not a universal requirement.

“The Fingerprinting Appointment Is the Entire Background Check”

The appointment captures the fingerprints and applicant information. The FBI then processes the submission and issues the Identity History Summary.

How to Choose the Right FBI Submission Option

Before scheduling an appointment, ask the following questions:

• Do I need an FBI Identity History Summary or a different background check?
• Am I currently inside or outside the United States?
• Do I want electronic or mailed delivery?
• How quickly do I need the report?
• Is a participating Post Office conveniently located?
• Would I benefit from professional assistance?
• Do I need the appointment at my home or workplace?
• Do I have difficult, worn or previously rejected fingerprints?

Once those questions are answered, the applicant can choose a workflow instead of simply following the first option encountered online.

The Post Office Is an Option, Not the Objective

The applicant’s goal is not to visit USPS.

The goal is to obtain an FBI Identity History Summary using a submission method that is accurate, accepted and appropriate for the applicant’s circumstances.

For some people, USPS is the easiest choice. For others, electronic submission through a private fingerprinting provider and FBI-approved Channeler is faster or more convenient. Applicants in other situations may still need physical FD-258 cards.

Understanding these options prevents the applicant from confusing one available fingerprinting location with the entire FBI background check system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to go to the Post Office for an FBI background check?

No. Participating Post Offices offer one electronic fingerprinting option, but applicants may also use an FBI-approved Channeler pathway or submit physical fingerprint cards directly to the FBI.

Does every Post Office provide FBI fingerprinting?

No. FBI electronic fingerprinting is available only at participating USPS locations. Confirm that a specific location offers the service before traveling there.

Can a private fingerprinting provider submit my fingerprints electronically?

Yes. A private fingerprinting provider may capture your fingerprints and submit them electronically through an FBI-approved Channeler. The provider handles the appointment, the Channeler securely communicates with the FBI, and the FBI produces the Identity History Summary.

Will I receive an official FBI report from a private provider?

The report returned through a proper Channeler submission is an FBI Identity History Summary. The fingerprinting provider does not create a separate private criminal history report.

Can FBI electronic fingerprinting be performed at my home or office?

Mobile electronic fingerprinting may be available through a private provider. The technician can capture the fingerprints at an appropriate location and submit them through the applicable electronic workflow.

How quickly will I receive my FBI background check?

Electronic results may be available very quickly, sometimes within minutes after successful submission. Processing time is not guaranteed and may be longer when the FBI requires additional processing or the fingerprint quality creates an issue.

Do I still need to mail fingerprint cards after electronic fingerprinting?

No. A successful electronic submission transmits the fingerprint images digitally. Physical cards are generally used for the separate mail-in process.

Is FBI electronic fingerprinting the same as California Live Scan?

No. They are different submission systems connected to different government agencies and used for different purposes.

Can I use USPS if I want to receive the report electronically?

USPS electronic fingerprinting can be used as part of a direct electronic FBI Identity History Summary request. Applicants must complete the required registration before visiting a participating location.

Which option is best for me?

The best option depends on your location, deadline, desired report format, appointment needs and whether you want assistance completing the process.