What Causes Fingerprint Rejection in Florida?

FDLE requires fingerprints to meet minimum quality standards before processing a background check. If the submitted prints don't meet those standards, FDLE will reject the submission and notify the submitting provider.

A rejection doesn't mean your background check found something negative — it simply means your print quality was insufficient. You will need to be re-fingerprinted.

Worn or damaged fingerprints: Many workers in healthcare, construction, cleaning, and food service have worn fingertip ridges from manual work and chemicals.

Dry or cracked skin: Dry or dehydrated skin can prevent the scanner from reading ridge detail. Hydrating your hands before your appointment can help.

Excessive moisture: Overly sweaty or moist fingertips can smear on the scanner glass, creating blurry prints.

Skin conditions: Psoriasis, eczema, and other skin conditions affecting the fingertips can reduce print quality.

Age-related ridge loss: Some older adults naturally have less defined fingerprint ridges.

Preparing for your fingerprinting appointment can significantly reduce your chances of rejection. Follow these steps for the best results.

Drink water and moisturize your hands several hours before fingerprinting. Avoid applying lotion immediately before — it can coat the scanner glass and blur your prints.

Well-hydrated skin has more defined ridge detail, which makes it easier for the Live Scan scanner to capture a clear, complete image of your fingerprints.

If possible, avoid heavy manual labor on the day of your appointment. Hard physical work can temporarily wear down ridge definition and make prints harder to read.

Ridge definition refers to the sharpness and depth of the tiny ridges that form your unique fingerprint pattern — flattened ridges produce incomplete scans.

Pressing too hard or rolling your finger yourself can smear or smudge prints. Allow the technician to guide the process — they are trained to capture the clearest possible image.

Our technicians apply the correct amount of pressure and guide finger placement for each person, adjusting for differences in finger size, skin texture, and ridge depth.

Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before your appointment. Avoid nail polish or coatings on the fingertips, which can interfere with scanner readings.

Oils, dirt, or residue can fill in the ridges and cause the scanner to produce a blurry or incomplete print, increasing the likelihood of rejection.

If your fingerprints are rejected by FDLE, you will receive a rejection notice with a new Transaction Control Number (TCN). You'll need to be re-fingerprinted with the same ORI number.

Sky Bright LiveScan re-prints rejected submissions at no additional charge when the rejection is due to print quality at time of service. Contact us at (786) 322-3109 to schedule a re-print appointment.