FD-1164, FD-258 and SF-87 are not interchangeable. The correct card is the one required by the agency requesting your fingerprints.
If an agency has already sent you a fingerprint card, bring that exact card to your appointment. It may already include the agency name, address, Originating Agency Identifier (ORI) or other routing information needed to process your request.
For ink fingerprint-card appointments, Anshin Mobile Notary & LiveScan rolls your fingerprints, signs and dates the card, and gives it back to you. You are responsible for completing the applicant information and mailing or delivering the finished card according to the requesting agency’s instructions. This service is different from an electronic Live Scan submission or electronic FBI submission.
Quick comparison: FD-1164, FD-258 and SF-87
| Card | When it is generally used | What to bring to Anshin |
|---|---|---|
| FD-1164 | An individual FBI Identity History Summary request, or when the requesting federal authority specifies FD-1164 | Bring the card or form supplied by the requesting authority. Anshin does not stock FD-1164. |
| FD-258 | Many out-of-state licensing, employment and agency background-check requests | Bring the agency-issued card if you received one. Otherwise, Anshin stocks blank FD-258 cards. |
| SF-87 | A federal personnel or background-investigation process that specifically requires SF-87 | Bring the SF-87 supplied or specified by the requesting federal agency. Anshin does not stock SF-87. |
This table is a starting point, not a substitute for your agency’s instructions. If your paperwork names a card, form version, ink color or number of copies, follow those directions.
The safest rule: use the card your agency requested
The requesting agency determines which fingerprint card it will accept. Do not choose a form only because it looks similar to another card.
Before your appointment, check the instructions you received. If the agency mailed or emailed a card that already contains its routing details, bring it with you. A pre-printed agency card is preferable to a blank card because it reduces the risk of using the wrong form or entering the wrong agency information.
If your instructions are unclear, ask the requesting agency to confirm the required card before you are fingerprinted. Anshin can roll your fingerprints correctly, but it cannot decide which form an outside agency requires.
When FD-1164 is used
FD-1164 is associated with an FBI Identity History Summary request. It is often the form applicants encounter when requesting their own FBI record, and its use tends to be federal.
Clients must bring their own FD-1164 to Anshin. If a federal agency or intermediary sent you a completed or partially completed version, use that version rather than replacing it with a generic blank form.
The FBI states that it will accept an FD-1164 printed on standard white paper. However, standard fingerprint card stock is the better practical option for ink fingerprinting. Ordinary paper can absorb or spread ink differently, which may affect print quality. If you bring an FD-1164 printed on ordinary paper and ask Anshin to proceed, the prints can be taken, but Anshin cannot guarantee how the paper or resulting print quality will perform during processing.
When FD-258 is used
FD-258 is commonly requested for fingerprint-card applications outside California, including professional licensing, employment and other agency background-check processes.
Anshin stocks blank FD-258 cards. However, if your requesting agency sent you its own FD-258 with an ORI, agency address or other routing information already printed, bring that card instead.
Out-of-state requirements vary widely. Rather than relying on a general list of agencies, follow the instructions issued for your specific application. The requesting authority should tell you the required form, the number of original cards and where you must send them.
When SF-87 is used
SF-87 is used when a federal agency specifically requires it for its personnel or background-investigation process. It should not be substituted for an FD-1164 or FD-258 simply because the fingerprint blocks appear similar.
Anshin does not stock SF-87. Bring the card and instructions supplied by the federal agency requesting your fingerprints.
What happens during an ink fingerprint-card appointment?
Each of these cards provides space for rolled and plain impressions. During the appointment, each finger is rolled to capture the ridge detail, and plain impressions are taken for comparison.
For this service, Anshin’s role is limited and specific:
- Anshin takes the fingerprints.
- Anshin signs and dates the card to confirm who was fingerprinted and when.
- If the associated paperwork includes an identity affidavit, Anshin confirms that the applicant’s identity was verified.
- The completed card is returned to the client.
- Anshin does not mail, file or electronically submit the card to the requesting agency.
- Anshin does not collect or pay a government submission fee for this ink-card service.
The client follows the requesting agency’s instructions for submitting the card.
Who is responsible for the information printed on the card?
The applicant is responsible for completing and verifying the information printed on the fingerprint card. This may include the applicant’s name, date of birth, address, agency information and other identifying fields.
Anshin does not certify that every printed field is complete or correct. Its signature and date confirm the fingerprinting service. Where an affidavit of identity is included, the attestation covers identity verification only.
Before you submit the card: Check every printed field carefully. If you are unsure what belongs in an agency or routing field, ask the requesting agency rather than guessing.
What if the fingerprints are rejected?
Even carefully taken fingerprints can sometimes be rejected because ridge detail is difficult to capture or the receiving agency cannot process the impressions.
Anshin provides one free re-roll when fingerprint impressions taken by Anshin are rejected. Any further re-rolls are chargeable.
The limit matters because the two systems behave differently when prints are rejected repeatedly.
California’s Live Scan process has a defined fallback available through the applicant agency after repeated poor-quality rejections.
A mailed FBI Identity History Summary request has no equivalent. The FBI states plainly that “the FBI does not provide name checks for Identity History Summary requests” — so there is no fallback, and repeated rejections can continue without resolution.
The FBI’s guidance for applicants in that position is practical: have several sets of fingerprints taken in one sitting and mail all the fingerprint cards together with the request, so more than one set is available to work from. If your prints have been rejected before, book for multiple cards rather than one.
This is also why an ink-card appointment should not be confused with a California Live Scan submission. Anshin hands the fingerprint card back to you; the receiving agency, not Anshin, makes the final acceptance decision.
What to bring to your appointment
Bring:
- The fingerprint card sent or specified by the requesting agency
- The agency’s instructions
- Valid identification
- Any affidavit or supporting paperwork that must be completed at the appointment
- The number of original cards required by the agency
If your agency did not provide a card and confirmed that it accepts FD-258, Anshin can supply a blank FD-258 card. For FD-1164 or SF-87, bring the required form with you.
Do not assume a particular ink color, number of copies or form version. Those requirements vary, so the agency’s instructions control.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use FD-258 instead of FD-1164?
Only if the requesting agency confirms that it accepts FD-258. For an FBI Identity History Summary request, the FBI provides FD-1164. If your instructions name a particular form, use that form.
Does Anshin provide all three fingerprint cards?
No. Anshin stocks FD-258 only. Clients must bring their own FD-1164 or SF-87.
What should I do if an agency sent me a fingerprint card?
Bring the card it sent you. It may already contain the correct ORI, agency name, address or routing details.
Can I print FD-1164 on ordinary white paper?
The FBI says it will accept FD-1164 on standard white paper. Anshin recommends fingerprint card stock because ordinary paper may allow the ink to run or produce less reliable print quality. If you choose ordinary paper, Anshin will proceed on your instruction but cannot guarantee the paper’s performance.
Does Anshin submit the completed card?
No. For an ink-card appointment, the card is returned to you. You submit it according to the requesting agency’s instructions.
Does Anshin check all the information on my card?
No. The applicant is responsible for completing and verifying the printed information. Anshin signs and dates the card to confirm the fingerprinting service and, where applicable, verifies the applicant’s identity through the accompanying affidavit.
How many cards do I need, and which ink color should be used?
Follow the requesting agency’s instructions. Anshin does not apply one universal ink-color or copy-count rule to every agency.
What happens if my prints are rejected?
Anshin offers one free re-roll if fingerprints taken by Anshin are rejected. Additional re-rolls are chargeable. Confirm the next steps with both Anshin and the agency processing your application.
Schedule fingerprint-card service in Los Angeles
If your agency requires an FD-258, FD-1164 or SF-87 fingerprint card, confirm the correct form first and bring all agency instructions to your appointment.
Learn more about Anshin’s fingerprint card services, or call or text (310) 526-0200 — or message us on WhatsApp — to schedule.
