FBI Identity History Summary vs. California Record Review: What’s the Difference?

We hear this question all the time:

“I was told I need fingerprints. Do I need an FBI background check or a California background check?”

That sounds like a basic question. But it is one of the most important questions to answer before scheduling fingerprinting.

The fingerprints themselves do not determine the background check. The fingerprints are simply the key used to search a particular background check database.

The real question is:

Which database does the requesting agency want searched?

That is where many applicants get confused. People are often told they need “fingerprints,” a “criminal background check,” a “police check,” a “police clearance,” or an “FBI report.” Those phrases are often used loosely, but they do not always refer to the same process.

In many cases, the first distinction is between a California Record Review and an FBI Identity History Summary.”

Watch: FBI Background Check vs. California Live Scan

If you would rather watch a quick explanation before reading further, this video explains the key difference between an FBI background check and a California Live Scan, including when each one is typically required.

The Difference Is Not Just Where You Get Fingerprinted

Many applicants assume fingerprinting is fingerprinting. They think the only difference is where the fingerprints are taken or whether the prints are captured electronically or on paper.

That is not the best way to think about it.

The bigger issue is the scope and purpose of the background check.

• A California Live Scan is generally connected to California state agency background check systems.
• An FBI background check is connected to the FBI’s national criminal history system.

That distinction matters because a California Live Scan and an FBI Identity History Summary are not interchangeable. They are used for different purposes, searched through different systems, and routed differently.

Before you schedule fingerprinting, the goal is not simply to ask, “Where can I get fingerprinted?”

The better question is:

What background check does the requesting party actually require?

What Is a California Background Check?

In California, many applicants complete Live Scan fingerprinting for state licensing, employment, volunteering, caregiving, professional licensing, education, healthcare, or other California agency requirements.

Examples may include:

• California licensing boards
• California Department of Justice background checks
• Schools and childcare-related agencies
• Healthcare licensing or employment requirements
• California professional licensing applications
• Volunteer or agency-specific background checks

In those cases, the requesting agency usually gives the applicant a California Live Scan request form. That form includes important information such as the ORI code, applicant type, agency information, and billing or routing details.

If you are completing a California Live Scan, the results are usually sent directly to the requesting agency. The applicant usually does not receive a personal copy of the background check result.

For more information about California fingerprinting services, visit Anshin’s main Live Scan Fingerprinting page.

What Is an FBI Background Check?

An FBI background check for personal review is commonly called an FBI Identity History Summary.

Applicants may need an FBI Identity History Summary for many reasons, including:

• Foreign residency applications
• Visa or immigration-related matters
• International employment
• Foreign licensing or professional registration
• Adoption or international family matters
• Personal review of an FBI criminal history record
• Requests from foreign governments or overseas agencies

In this situation, the applicant is usually trying to obtain their own FBI report. The fingerprints are submitted so the FBI can search its national criminal history records and return the Identity History Summary.

For Los Angeles applicants who need this type of report, Anshin’s main FBI Background Check page explains the service options in more detail.

Why Scope Matters

The biggest practical difference is scope.

A California background check is generally state-focused. An FBI background check is national in scope.

That is why foreign governments, immigration attorneys, international employers, overseas agencies, and certain federal processes often ask for an FBI report rather than a California-only background check.

From our experience, this is where applicants often get confused. They may say:

• “I need a police clearance.”
• “I need a criminal record check.”
• “I need fingerprints for immigration.”
• “My foreign employer asked for a background check.”
• “My attorney said I need an FBI report.”

Those phrases can point to different processes. Before fingerprinting, the first thing to determine is whether the requesting party wants a California agency background check, an FBI Identity History Summary, FD-258 fingerprint cards, or something else.

National Does Not Always Mean Every State Detail

Many people assume an FBI background check is simply a larger or more complete version of a state background check.

The reality is more nuanced.

An FBI Identity History Summary is national in scope, but the FBI itself explains that an Identity History Summary may not include every piece of criminal history information that may exist at the state level.

Every state maintains its own criminal history records. States routinely contribute criminal history information to FBI systems, but there may be circumstances where information maintained by a state does not appear in the FBI Identity History Summary.

This can sound surprising because applicants often assume the FBI database automatically contains everything from every state database. That is not always the right assumption.

From our own experience, we have not commonly seen this distinction become a practical problem for applicants. But it is still important because it reinforces the main point of this article: the question is not simply which background check sounds broader. The question is which repository the requesting agency actually wants searched.

If a California agency requires California Live Scan, an FBI Identity History Summary may not satisfy that requirement. If a foreign authority requires an FBI Identity History Summary, a California Live Scan may not satisfy that requirement.

What About International Records?

Many applicants also ask whether an FBI background check is only about things that happened inside the United States.

The answer requires some care.

An FBI Identity History Summary is a U.S. national FBI background check based on information maintained in FBI systems. However, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies also participate in international law enforcement cooperation. Organizations such as INTERPOL allow authorized law enforcement users in member countries to share and compare certain law enforcement information, including biometric information, in appropriate cases.

That does not mean that every incident in every foreign country will automatically appear on an FBI Identity History Summary.

It also does not mean that an FBI background check replaces a police clearance certificate from another country.

But it does help explain why the FBI system is different from a California-only background check. The FBI operates at the federal level and participates in a much broader law enforcement information environment than an individual state background check system.

Why People Use Different Names for the Same Thing

Part of the confusion comes from language.

Applicants may hear different phrases depending on who is giving the instruction:

• FBI background check
• FBI Identity History Summary
• FBI rap sheet
• National criminal background check
• Police clearance
• Police certificate
• Criminal record check
• Fingerprint-based background check

Sometimes those phrases are used loosely. That is why the instruction should be clarified before choosing a fingerprinting method.

If a foreign government asks for an FBI background check, they usually mean the FBI Identity History Summary. If a California licensing agency gives you a Live Scan form, they usually mean a California Live Scan submission to the requesting agency.

Does the FBI Already Have My Fingerprints?

One of the most common questions we hear is:

“If the FBI already has my fingerprints, why do I have to be fingerprinted again?”

It’s a reasonable question, but it starts with a common misconception.

The fingerprints themselves are not the background check.

Think of your fingerprints as a unique key. Their purpose is to identify you accurately so the FBI can retrieve the correct criminal history record—or confirm that no record exists. The fingerprints simply unlock the information associated with you.

Whether the FBI already has a previous set of your fingerprints is often beside the point. The agency or organization requesting the background check is asking for a new FBI Identity History Summary generated as part of your current application or request.

From our experience, applicants sometimes assume that because they were fingerprinted years ago for military service, immigration, employment, a professional license, or another government process, they should not need to be fingerprinted again.

In most cases, that isn’t how the process works. The requesting organization wants a current FBI Identity History Summary produced through a new submission, rather than relying on fingerprints that may have been collected for an entirely different purpose years earlier.

The important thing to remember is that the fingerprints are simply the method used to identify you accurately. The real objective is obtaining the current FBI Identity History Summary that the requesting agency has asked for.

Electronic FBI Fingerprinting vs FD-258 Fingerprint Cards

There are different ways to submit fingerprints for an FBI background check.

Some applicants use electronic fingerprint capture through an FBI-approved process or provider. Others submit traditional FD-258 fingerprint cards.

The right option depends on the applicant’s situation, timing, location, and instructions.

FD-258 fingerprint cards may still be needed in some situations, especially when a requesting party requires ink cards, when an applicant is mailing fingerprints, or when electronic submission is not the right fit.

You can learn more about card-based fingerprinting on Anshin’s FD-258 Fingerprint Card Los Angeles page.

What About FBI Channelers?

Many applicants are surprised to learn that they may have options beyond mailing fingerprints directly to the FBI.

An FBI-approved Channeler is a private business approved to help transmit Identity History Summary requests to the FBI. A Channeler can often help applicants receive results faster than a traditional mailed submission.

However, not every fingerprinting provider is an FBI Channeler. Some providers only capture fingerprints. Others may help with cards. Others may work with Channeler systems or provide guidance about the submission process.

This is why it helps to understand the roles before assuming that every fingerprinting office does the same thing.

For a deeper explanation, see Anshin’s guide on FBI Channeler vs Direct FBI Submission.

The Practical Question: Who Is Asking for the Background Check?

When someone calls us and says they need fingerprints, the first thing we usually ask is:

Who is requesting the background check?

That one question often tells us which direction the applicant needs to go.

• If a California agency gave you a Live Scan form, you probably need California Live Scan.
• If a foreign government, immigration attorney, overseas employer, or international agency asked for an FBI report, you probably need an FBI Identity History Summary.
• If the instruction says “FD-258,” you may need fingerprint cards.
• If the instruction says “FBI background check,” “Identity History Summary,” or “national police clearance,” you should clarify whether the FBI report is required.

The problem is that many applicants are not given clear instructions. They are simply told to “get fingerprinted.”

That is where mistakes happen.

Why Choosing the Wrong Background Check Can Cause Delays

If you complete the wrong background check, the requesting party may reject it.

For example, a California Live Scan submission usually will not satisfy a foreign residency application that asks for an FBI Identity History Summary. Likewise, an FBI Identity History Summary may not satisfy a California licensing board that specifically requires a California Live Scan form with the agency’s ORI code.

In those cases, the applicant may have to start over, pay again, and lose time.

That is why the goal is not just to get fingerprinted quickly. The goal is to get fingerprinted for the correct background check.

How We Help Applicants Think Through It

From our experience, the best way to avoid confusion is to slow down before the appointment and identify the actual requirement.

We usually want to know:

• Who asked you for the background check?
• Did they give you a California Live Scan form?
• Did they mention the FBI, Identity History Summary, or FD-258 cards?
• Do you need the result for use in the United States or outside the United States?
• Are you supposed to receive the report yourself, or is it supposed to go directly to an agency?
• Are you also being asked for an apostille or authentication after the FBI report is issued?

Those questions usually make the correct path much clearer.

Bottom Line

If you were told you need fingerprints, do not assume that all fingerprinting leads to the same background check.

A California background check and an FBI background check are different in scope, purpose, and routing.

The fingerprints are only the tool. The real issue is which system needs to be searched and who needs to receive the result.

Before scheduling, confirm whether you need a California Live Scan submission, an FBI Identity History Summary, FD-258 fingerprint cards, or another type of background check entirely.

That small clarification can prevent delays, rejected submissions, and unnecessary repeat appointments.

Frequently Asked Questions