When submitting forms for processing, DCSA requests that agencies ensure the date fields are written as MM/DD/2024 and avoid abbreviating as MM/DD/24.

Fingerprint Submissions

Fingerprint submissions are required for specific investigation types sent to DCSA. Fingerprint submission requirements are outlined in the charts on Investigation Case Type & Forms. Always remember to select the applicable fingerprint submission type and method within the investigation request in e-QIP. This will ensure proper handling of the investigation request and fingerprints once they arrive electronically or hardcopy at DCSA.

Fingerprint requests are sent separately to DCSA. Agencies are strongly encouraged to submit fingerprints electronically instead of mailing hard card charts. Fingerprint documents must be received before DCSA will process the e-QIP request. A credit may be applied to the higher level investigation in the amount of the initial fingerprint SAC only if the fingerprint is received at least 1 day, but no greater than 120 days, in advance of the higher level investigation. If an e-QIP request is received and the investigation type requires submission of fingerprints, and there is no evidence of a fingerprint result (result can be no more than 120 days old) on file with DCSA, the investigation request may be held for up to 14 days awaiting fingerprint documentation. If after 14 days the required documentation is not received, the e-QIP investigation request is flagged as unacceptable and returned to the submitting office. Automated daily notification reports are available to assist agencies with identifying e-QIP investigations in danger of being made unacceptable. Please see FIN 21-01 or contact DCSA’s System Liaison at (878) 274-1172, (option 2), (option 2), to receive daily notification reports.

It is imperative that identification of the person being fingerprinted is checked and that the identifiers entered electronically or written on the SF 87 or FD-258 are confirmed with the individual being fingerprinted before the fingerprints are electronically transmitted or mailed. The correction of erroneously submitted information delays timely completion of the investigation.

Required Releases and Privacy Notices for Fingerprinted Subjects

DCSA would like to remind agencies that it is a requirement to present fingerprinted individuals specific Privacy Notices when that agency is submitting fingerprints to the FBI through DCSA for Non-Criminal Justice Purposes. Although these requirements are written in the agreement that your agency signed with DCSA for fingerprinting services, we have provided them here as a courtesy. Please ensure the attached notifications are provided to each fingerprinted individual whose fingerprints are sent to DCSA as prescribed below. If the FBI audits your agency, they will look for compliance with many things, including the provision of Privacy Notices to the fingerprinted individuals. How you provide these notifications at the time of or prior to fingerprinting is up to your agency.

As an additional reminder, if the individual is being fingerprinted for a covered position in the Executive Branch, a conditional offer of employment to the subject of investigation needs to be made before requesting a fingerprint check from DCSA.

Required Privacy Notifications

FBI Privacy Act Notice: Provide this language to every individual enrolled.

FBI Privacy Rights Notice: Provide this language to every individual enrolled.

DCSA Privacy Act Notice: If the individual provided fingerprints on a hard card or has filled out a Standard Form 85, 85P or 86 then this notice can be considered already provided. If this is not the case, you may need to provide the notice separately.

Electronic Submissions

DCSA recommends submission of electronic fingerprints through the Fingerprint Transaction System (FTS). Submission of electronic fingerprints through FTS improves efficiency, timeliness of results, and quality of the print. Electronic fingerprint submissions will be scheduled to the FBI as a Special Agreement Check (SAC), Case Type 92. The SAC results will be furnished to the designated SOI as soon as the SAC is completed. These SAC results can be used to satisfy fingerprint requirements of a higher level investigation request for 120 days. Always use FIPC Code “I” in the Agency Use Block (AUB) of the e-QIP request if your agency is using an electronic fingerprint submission to satisfy a fingerprint requirement for that investigation request. The “I” code ensures the SAC results are linked to the higher level investigation and that billing adjustments occur correctly.

Electronic fingerprints are submitted to the FTS electronically via an FBI approved live scan system or fingerprint card scan system that utilizes FBI and DCSA-approved software. Currently, DCSA only accepts Type-4 fingerprint images for electronic submission. Visit the CJIS/FBI website to select from a complete listing of FBI-approved vendors.

Type-4 fingerprint images consist of the following:
10 Rolled Impressions
1 Plain Left and Right Simultaneous Four Finger Impressions
1 Plain Left and Right Thumb Impression

To obtain additional information regarding DCSA requirements and submitting electronic fingerprints to DCSA, please email the following address: DCSAFTSTeam@mail.mil

For additional information regarding FBI system requirements, please visit the FBI's Certified Products List website.

Your agency is responsible for contacting your vendor for questions on configuring, installing, or testing your electronic fingerprint machines. Refer to FIN 00-04 for information on machine configurations.

Hardcopy Submissions – SF 87 and FD-258

DCSA recommends submission of electronic fingerprints through FTS as it improves efficiency, timeliness of results, and quality of prints. When electronic submissions are not feasible, DCSA will accept a hard card submission using the February 2021 Standard Form 87 (SF87) for Federal employee/applicant, military, volunteers as well as contractors. Until further notice, DCSA will continue to accept the FD-258; however, the February 2021 SF 87 may now be used for contractors since the FBI is retaining all prints regardless of which card (form) type is used to submit.

SF 87’s will automatically schedule as a SAC, case type 92 because the SOI, SON and IPAC fields are required. FD-258’s will schedule as a SAC, case type 92 when the SOI, SON and IPAC are provided in the “Reason Fingerprinted” field. If the SOI, SON and IPAC are not provided on the FD-258 and there is no previously received investigation request at DCSA to which a fingerprint chart can be matched, the fingerprint chart will be held for 30 days until it gets mailed back to the return address on the original mailing envelope.

When submitting hard card fingerprints to satisfy fingerprint requirements of a higher level investigation, the hard card fingerprints must be received by DCSA within 14 days from when the e-QIP investigation request was released to DCSA. If the hard card fingerprints are not received, the e-QIP request will be returned to the agency as “Unacceptable”. When sending hard card fingerprints, it is recommended that a coversheet be included with the name and contact information of the agency official sending the fingerprint, subject identifiers and, if applicable, the e-QIP request ID. A coversheet with an FD-258 should also include the SON/SOI/IPAC of the submitting agency.

When submitting forms for processing, DCSA requests that agencies ensure the date fields are written as MM/DD/2022 and avoid abbreviating as MM/DD/22.

Hard card fingerprints must be sent to:

Attn: e-QIP Rapid Response Team
DCSA-FVD
PO Box 618
Boyers, PA 16018

For deliveries requiring a street address use:
1137 Branchton Road
Boyers, PA 16016

DO NOT attach a copy of a fingerprint card to an e-QIP request as DCSA is unable to process this type of submission. The fingerprint card must be mailed to DCSA.

Ordering Fingerprint Cards

As of October 1, 2014, OPM no longer stocks the SF 87 cards. Agencies can purchase SF 87 (stock #7540-00-634-4037) from the General Services Administration (GSA) using their own GSA account. The FD-258 is owned by the FBI. To order more FD 258s, please visit the FBI’s website.

Agencies should fill out the top portion of the SF 87 and FD-258 as indicated below:

Note: If an agency wants fingerprints on an FD-258 to schedule as a SAC, case type 92 when DCSA receives the hard card, the SOI, SON and IPAC should be written in the “Reason Fingerprinted Field”.

FIPC Codes Regarding Fingerprint Submissions

FIPC Codes go in the FIPC Code field in the Agency Use Block on the Standard Form within e-QIP. They do not go on the fingerprint charts.

Requirements for Submitting Reprints when Prints are Unclassifiable

When the FBI is unable to make a classifiable determination because a search of the FBI criminal history records cannot be completed due to illegible fingerprints, the FBI deems the submissions as “Unclassifiable”. A reprint may be submitted within one year of the case closing date in an effort to obtain a classifiable determination without incurring additional cost. If it is required that the reprint be included in the prior closed investigation, the reopen request must be submitted within one year of the case closing date and within 120 days of the reprint results.

A second submission may be sent electronically or via hard card regardless of how the first print was submitted. The original case number of the unclassifiable fingerprint must be provided with the reprint submission to avoid the discontinuance of the reprint or an additional fingerprint processing charge. This case number can be found on the Case Closing Transmittal (CCT). The original case number must be provided in the OCA block on the SF87 or FD-258 hard card or in the tagged field 2.009 of the electronic transmission. When submitting a hard card, please note “Reprint” in the top left-hand corner and attach the Notice of Unclassifiable Fingerprints. All reprint results will be updated in PIPS and a new CCT will be provided to the agency identifying the results of the fingerprint submission as a “Reprint”.

For electronic submission, enter original case number in tagged field 2.009. The field name will vary based on vendor.

For hardcopy submissions, enter the original case number in the Originating Case Agency (OCA) number field on the SF 87 or FD-258. Submit the hardcopy card with "Reprint" written in the top left hand corner, and provide the Unclassifiable Notice indicating the original fingerprint was unclassifiable.

Fingerprint Special Agreement Check (SAC)

A fingerprint only Special Agreement Check (SAC) may be conducted prior to submission of any investigative request and may be captured either electronically, using a Live-Scan System or Fingerprint Card Scan System (and then transmitted to OPM's Fingerprinting Transaction System (FTS) or captured hardcopy (and then mailed to OPM). The fingerprint request is processed as a SAC case type 92 for both submission types. For a hardcopy case type 92, clearly identify the SON/SOI/IPAC codes. For SF 87, the SON/SOI/IPAC information should be listed in the Department, Bureau, and Duty Station block. For FD-258, it should be listed in the Reason Fingerprinted block. Either method provides the customer agency with timely results to fingerprint searches.

Special Notes on Fingerprint SAC Requests

If a fingerprint SAC is submitted in advance of the higher level investigation, a credit may be applied to the higher level case in the amount of the initial fingerprint SAC.

To receive this credit, the requester must:

1. Submit the fingerprint SAC at least 1 day, but no greater than 120 days, in advance of the higher level investigation, and

2. Include FIPC Code “I” (letter i) on the higher level investigation.

Fingerprint Submission Requirements when No Prints Can be Obtained from Subject

An electronic fingerprint submission must account for all Type-4 fingerprint images to complete a Fingerprint SAC. When some fingerprint images cannot be obtained due to injury, amputation, deformity, etc., your vendor’s software should allow for coding in data field 2.084 to account for the fingerprint that is missing.

Code “XX” can be used to account for a finger that is physically missing due to amputation, missing at birth, severed, etc.

Code “UP” can be used for a finger that is physically present but unable to print due to injury, burn, deformity, bandage, etc.

Note: If your vendor’s software does not allow for such coding, you must contact your vendor.

A hard card fingerprint submission using an SF 87 or FD-258 must also account for all Type-4 fingerprints to complete a Fingerprint SAC. The SF 87 or FD-258 must be documented to reflect fingerprints that cannot be obtained by using the same “XX” and “UP” codes.

A Fingerprint SAC cannot be scheduled from an electronic or hard card fingerprint submission when no Type-4 fingerprint images can be obtained due to injury, amputation, deformity, etc. Do not submit an electronic fingerprint submission with all image blocks reflecting “XX” and/or “UP” codes.

Fingerprint submission requirements may be met under these circumstances by requesting an FBI CJIS Name Check (FBFN item). The request may be submitted without the SF 87 or FD-258 if the request includes all information requested on the top portion of the SF 87 or FD-258 along with the SON, SOI, IPAC, and the reason the fingerprints cannot be obtained. The request may be sent to DCSA via the NP2 Secure Portal at “(S) FISCTR Boyers Corrections Tech (NTC)”.

The following template may be used to provide required information for FBFN item scheduling:

[Name of Agency] is processing a subject who cannot physically be fingerprinted because [detailed explanation why all Type-4 fingerprints cannot be obtained]. [Name of Agency] requests DCSA schedule an FBFN item for the following subject to satisfy the FBI Fingerprint Check requirement for the background investigation:

SON/SOI/IPAC: Subject’s full name:
SSN:
DOB:
POB:
Height:
Weight:
Eye Color:
Hair Color:
Name of Requestor:
Requestor SON (contact must be an authorized contact on the SON provided above) :
Requestor email:
Requestor phone number:

Note: This request cannot be used to fulfill fingerprint submission requirements when fingerprints cannot be obtained due to problems obtaining legible fingerprints or due to subject’s unavailability. Attempts must be made to capture legible fingerprints. Please refer to the FBI website for tips on obtaining legible fingerprints.