Live Scans
Criminal Background Checks Without the Ink
Looking to obtain a California license, certificate or permit? Starting a new job that requires a background check? Need to prove your identity to access your record? Then you’ll need to undergo a Live Scan criminal background check. At Luna Live Scan + Notary, you can schedule a Live Scan at either of our two convenient Oceanside locations in North San Diego County.
What Is a Live Scan?
A Live Scan is a digital fingerprint service that allows a requester to access your California criminal history record. The request may extend to other U.S. states and territories as well. This information is used to verify your identity and determine if you’re eligible for a job, record review, or a license, certificate, or permit.
How It Works
?When it comes to Live Scans, people often think we scan your entire body like airport personnel do at security checkpoints. That’s not the case here. During a Live Scan, we capture your fingerprints digitally using electronic equipment, then send them to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and, when requested, the FBI. The fingerprinting process takes about 10 minutes.
The requesting agency will review your criminal activity report and determine if you are eligible for license, certification or permit. In other words, they make sure that bad guys don’t work with children, elderly or the general public.
To accomplish this, the DOJ will run a criminal background check on you to uncover any criminal activity reported in California. The information provided will show either a clean record with no criminal activity or a criminal record that includes arrests, probations, restraining orders and more.
If the requesting agency wants a background check to identify any criminal activity reported in the U.S. and its territories, your prints will be sent to the FBI before going to the DOJ.
Since fingerprints are taken digitally, no messy ink is used during the fingerprinting process, so your hands stay clean. Live Scan fingerprint impressions are typically higher quality too, so they’re less likely to get rejected. Secure digital transmission shortens the turnaround time significantly, with results returned usually within one to seven business days.
Who Needs a Live Scan?
Live Scan background checks are required for people who work with children, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations. Employers also frequently request live scan fingerprints as a condition of employment. Here are some specific examples:
- Professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and realtors seeking a license to conduct business
- People who need a permit to buy, sell or manufacture cannabis products
- Job candidates seeking employment who need to show a clean record
- Citizens who need to prove their identity to request a record review
- Individuals who need a clean record to work with minors, such as youth sports coaches, group volunteers, teachers, preschool staff, and other educators
- Caregivers who need a clean record to work with the elderly, such as nurses, homecare aids and nursing home staff
Performing Live Scans the Luna Way
We won’t rush you through the fingerprinting process like other service providers do. To ensure your prints are accepted, we take the time needed to expertly roll your fingers and produce quality prints. This ensures you start your new job on time, get that license renewed without hassles, and acquire the permits you need to run your business without delays.
We take pride in maintaining our state-of-the-art equipment, which allows us to provide the best-quality prints and scans at a fair price. We also follow COVID-19 best practices suggested by the DOJ for keeping equipment properly sanitized.
Work with the Best
As an industry leader, we understand the science behind your fingerprints. Our technicians are highly skilled experts with extensive fingerprinting knowledge. They’ve been trained specifically on biometric fingerprint capture procedures, including the patterns to look for and the print boundaries to include.
We are sensitive to and work well with fingerprinting challenges stemming from conditions such as hyperhidrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, missing digits, congenital deformities, and anxiety. As a result, our rejection rate is an incredibly low 0.02%!
Ready to roll?
We’re ready for you! Book an appointment online using our easy-to-use scheduling calendar. If you’re not comfortable with technology, please call or text a brief message and we will promptly reply.
For your convenience, we have two locations with plenty of availability Monday through Saturday. Walk-ins are also welcome at our East Oceanside / Vista office. Be sure to check the hours posted on our home page.
Questions? Watch the video above or check out the list below for common questions about our Live Scan services or visit our FAQ page.
Live Scan Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What form do I need for a Live Scan?
A: A Request for Live Scan Service is required. These are usually given to you by the company or organization requesting the Live Scan. The form must have an ORI number and the Authorized Applicant Type (these are usually prefilled). Please fill out Contributing Agency Information, Applicant Information and Level of Service before arriving for your Live Scan.
Q: Who needs a Live Scan?
A: It is most often used for candidates for positions working with and around vulnerable populations (children, the elderly, and disabled), including law enforcement agencies, public and private schools, non-profit organizations, and in-home supportive care agencies. However, all institutions and professions with applicants for employment, licensing or certification may require it for positions, such as:
- Attorneys
- Bus drivers
- Caregivers for children and elderly
- Contractors
- Certified Public Accountants (CPAs)
- Dental assistants
- Gaming personnel
- Healthcare: nurses, doctors, hospital staffs
- Insurance personnel
- Law enforcement personnel, security guards
- Lottery retailers
- Notaries
- Pharmacists
- Pilots
- Realtors and real estate brokers
- Sports coaches
- Stock brokers
- Summer camp counselors
- Teachers, teaching aides, and other school staff
- Volunteers at a variety of institutions
- And other positions not listed here
Q: Are you a qualified Live Scan Vendor for attorney fingerprints?
Yes, as of June 2018, the State Bar of California has required a repeat of fingerprints by all attorneys who are licensed in the State of California. The deadline for submission is April 30, 2019. I highly recommend completing your background check before March 1, 2018.
For more information: State Bar of California — Attorney Re-Fingerprinting Update
I have scanned over 300 attorneys since June 2018. My state-of-the-art equipment is maintained on a regular basis and updated to specifications. I am a Registered Fingerprint Technician for the California Department of Justice and with a very low rejection rate due to quality of prints. However, a prints quality may be affected by age, worn by use, scarring or other injuries.
You sensitive information is kept for one year as required in my office under lock and key. As a professional, I take extreme caution when handling your information and follow all Department of Justice guidelines for safety of data.
Q: How do I know if I need a Live Scan to renew my nursing license?
The California Board of Nursing requires a full set of 10 fingerprints be submitted to both levels of service (the Department of Justice and FBI) when a nursing license is renewed. This is a requirement if you were originally fingerprinted with a hard card (Before 2009) and Digital Prints (before 2011) did not include FBI. With Live Scan, your fingerprints are submitted electronically to the DOJ and FBI which then forwards the results to the board.
For more information: http://www.rn.ca.gov/licensees/ren-fp.shtml#determine
Q: How can I get a conviction or arrest off of my Live Scan?
A: You can request your own Live Scan through Luna Live Scan by filling out an application and paying the applicable fee. The report that you will receive will include your entire California criminal history from the Department of Justice. To remove a conviction from a Live Scan background check you must receive an expungement, pardon, or record sealing. Expungement in California does not remove a conviction from your record but instead changes the conviction to a dismissal.
Q: Do you offer ink fingerprinting services?
A: Yes, we offer FBI FD-258 Ink Cards.
Many California police departments and sheriff offices have stopped offering ink fingerprinting services to the general public. Luna Live Scan + Notary is registered by California Department of Justice to roll ink hard card FD-258 for employment or licensing purposes.
Some examples where an FBI FD-258 Ink Card may be required for Out-Of-State licensing or background check:
- Employment
- Licensing
- Security Clearance
- Gun Purchase
With three years plus experience Rolling Digital & Ink Fingerprints, Luna Live Scan + Notary has a proven record of low rejection rates.
The cost for an FBI FD-258 Ink Card (cards are provided) and rolling fee is $30.00, or two cards and rolling fee for $50.00. The price to purchase a card only without the rolling fee is $5.00.
Q: Do you come to my city?
A: I will travel to you, whether it's your place of business, hospital, school, home, or other meeting place. Based out of Oceanside, California, Luna Live Scan + Notary Notary serves north San Diego County which includes these cities.
- Bonsall
- Cardiff-by-the-Sea
- Carlsbad
- Del Mar
- Elfin Forest
- Encinitas
- Escondido
- Fairbanks Ranch
- Fallbrook
- Hidden Meadows
- La Costa
- Leucadia
- Oceanside
- Olivenhain
- Poway
- Rancho Bernardo
- Rancho Santa Fe
- San Marcos
- Solana Beach
- Valley Center
- Vista
- Vista Jail
Q: What are your fees?
A: My fees are:
- $30.00 Live Scan Rolling Fee*
- $30.00 FD-258 Fingerprint Card or $50.00 for Two Cards (includes Rolling Fee)
- $80.00 FBI Channeler – Identity History Summary Report via Email
- $65.00 FBI Channeler – Identity History Summary Report via U.S. Mail
- $15.00 per Notarize Signature
- $90.00 Vista Detention Center (Includes Travel and Notarization)
- $75.00 Vista Family Court – Elisor Signing (Includes Travel and Notarization)
- Courier Documents – Call for Quote
- Apostille – Request a Quote
- $10.00 Passport Photos (2)
* Live Scan applicants may also be required to pay processing fees for the DOJ and/or FBI to run the criminal history report.
Q: What are the government Live Scan fees?
A: Current fees are listed here: https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/fingerprints/forms/fees.pdf
The fees listed in the link are just the charges government background check, there is also my fingerprint rolling fee of $30.00 (or take advantage of my Saturday Special: only $25.00 with an office appointment).
Q: What are your travel fees?
A: In addition to the fee(s) for services (notary, Live Scan, etc.), there is a mobile travel fee, based on where we meet:
Notary Travel Fees
I serve the North San Diego County Cities of:
- Bonsall: $45.00
- Carlsbad: $40.00
- Carmel Valley: $55.00
- Del Mar: $55.00
- Escondido: $35.00 - $55.00 (Depends on area of Escondido)
- Elfin Forest: $45.00
- Encinitas: $45.00
- Fairbanks Ranch: $65.00
- Fallbrook: $60.00
- Hidden Meadows: $50.00
- La Costa: $45.00
- La Jolla $65.00
- Leucadia: $45.00
- Oceanside: $35.00
- Olivenhain: $55.00
- Penasquitos: $50.00
- Poway: $55.00
- Rancho Bernardo: $45.00
- Rancho Santa Fe: $60.00
- San Marcos: $20.00
- Scripps Ranch: $55.00
- Solana Beach: $55.00
- Sorrento Valley: $60.00
- Valley Center: $55.00
- Vista: $35.00 - $55.00 (Depends on area of Vista)
Hospital or Medical Office
- Kaiser: $60.00
- Palomar Medical Center: $60.00
- Tri-City Hospital: $60.00
Vista Detention Center or Court
- Vista Detention Center $95 (includes travel and 2 notarized signatures), $15 each additional notarized signature
- Vista Family Court – Elisor Signing $95 (includes travel and 2 notarized signatures), $15 each additional notarized signature
Travel fee discounted with six or more notarized signatures.
Live Scan Travel Fees
- North San Diego County (any city listed above): $75.00
- Groups of 10 or more Live Scans eligible for a discounted travel fee.
I offer Courier Service from signing location to San Diego County Recorder (Record Deed) or other North County destination.
Courier documents within 150 miles of zip code 92069 or 92054 - Call for Price and will require 2-day notice.
Q: How do you protect my personal information?
Rest assured, your privacy and personal information are our top priority. We securely shred all waste paperwork using Proshred Security, whose shredding process complies with ISO 9001 and NAID AAA standards and requirements. They provide us with a Certificate of Destruction, which documents and confirms that your paperwork was properly shredded and destroyed.