Fingerprint Card Directions

It takes patience and skill to capture a legible fingerprint.

In today's society, fingerprinting has emerged as a common practice for employment in fields involving law enforcement, working with children and positions requiring security clearances. It's also not uncommon for fingerprinting to be a part of a business license application for some professions. Fingerprints can be taken electronically, however, many still use an ink pad and paper fingerprint cards to record prints.

Things You'll Need

• Fingerprint card
• Black pen
• Soap and water
• Rubbing alcohol
• Hand lotion
• Ink

Instructions

1. Instruct the individual requiring the fingerprints to complete the sections at the top of the fingerprint card using black ink. This includes such information as name, address, social security number and aliases as well as demographic information. Once completed, sign the card and ensure that the individual also signs it.

2. Clean the individual's fingers with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. Ensure that the fingers are dry after washing. If the hands are too moist, use rubbing alcohol to dry them sufficiently for fingerprinting. For hands that are too dry, apply a small amount of lotion to the skin and rub it in until smooth.

3. Place the fingerprint card on a table or counter approximately 39 inches above to the ground to allow for ease of arm, hand and finger movement. Make sure that the individual's arm, hand and fingers are relaxed.

4. Grasp the individual's hand in your hand. Then, gently tuck the fingers underneath the thumb so only the thumb is exposed. Hold the thumb at the base.

5. Roll the thumb tip from one side of the nail to the other on the ink pad. Cover the tip evenly and completely with ink.

6. Position the thumb tip on its side in the proper field of the fingerprint card. Roll the thumb tip toward the center of the body from one side of the nail to the other until the thumb is facing the opposite direction. When finished, carefully lift the thumb to avoid smudging.

7. Repeat the process for the remaining fingers on the hand, but instead of rolling the fingers toward the body's center when making the impression, roll them away from it.

References

• FBI---Recording Legible Fingerprints
• State of Arizona---Department of Public Safety, Licensing Unit Information Center
• How to Be a Cop: Learning to Fingerprint/AMOG