Electronic Fingerprints for Concealed Weapons - Division of Licensing, FDACS
      Adam H. Putnam, Commissioner  -  Grea Bevis, Director

Electronic Fingerprint Submissions for the

Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm License

The following questions and answers will help guide you through the process of submitting your fingerprints electronically in applying for the Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm License. Please read this material carefully in its entirety. If you have any questions or need additional clarification, please call our Public Inquiry Section at 850-245-5691.

 

Q. Where can I get my fingerprints digitally scanned?

Q. What is the cost of the electronic fingerprint submission?

Q. How do I submit payment for my electronic fingerprint submission?

Q. What do I submit to the Division of Licensing after I have submitted payment?

Q. Where can I get my fingerprints digitally scanned?

A: Florida law requires applicants for the concealed weapon license to have their fingerprints taken at a LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. Electronic fingerprint devices are available at almost all of the 67 county sheriffs' offices throughout the state. Most county sheriffs have one unit; the sheriffs in some larger counties have more than one such device. You can find out if your local sheriff has an electronic fingerprint scanning device by viewing this List of Sheriff's Offices. This list includes telephone numbers for each sheriff's office so that you can find out precise locations and times when the fingerprint service is available.

We strongly recommend you telephone your sheriff's office in advance to confirm that particular office provides electronic fingerprint scanning services and to reserve an appointment time if one is necessary.

IMPORTANT TIP: When your fingerprints are scanned, the fingerprint technician who takes your prints will give you a RECEIPT and/or a PHOTOCOPY of the fingerprint scan.

Please keep these documents. They contain your Transaction Control Number, which is needed if you pay for the fingerprinting service on line, rather than at the sheriff's office. Also, copies of the documents should be submitted with your application.

Back to Top

Q. What is the cost of the electronic fingerprint submission?

A: The cost of submitting your fingerprints electronically via digital image is approximately $35.00. Keep in mind that some sheriff's offices may charge an additional nominal fee for providing the fingerprinting service. Usually, this is no more than a few dollars.

(If you submit your fingerprints using the traditional “hard-card” fingerprint method, the cost for the fingerprint submission is $42.)

Back to Top

Q. How do I submit payment for my electronic fingerprint submission?

A: The answer to this question depends upon where you have your fingerprints taken. A few sheriffs’ offices can accept payment by check or money order at the time and at the place where your fingerprints are scanned.

However, other sheriff's offices cannot accept such payments. If you have your prints scanned at a sheriff's office that cannot accept payment, you will have to submit payment online using a secure web site created by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Here is the link for the Civil Applicant Payment System, or CAPS.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IF PAYING ONLINE

It is important to remember that you will need to go online to submit payment for your fingerprint submission WITHIN 30 DAYS OF HAVING YOUR FINGERPRINTS SCANNED or your electronic response will be deleted by FDLE from the CWCS database.

You will need a CREDIT CARD in order to submit payment online using the Civil Applicant Payment System.

The RECEIPT that the fingerprint technician gave you will include a Transaction Control Number (TCN) and your name. (The TCN will begin with 70SX, 70LX, 70SO, or 70C and be followed by a number that will consist of as many as 18 digits.)

You must enter the TCN and your name in the appropriate spaces provided on the web site EXACTLY AS THEY APPEAR ON THIS RECEIPT.

Upon completion of payment submission, be sure to print a receipt indicating that you have completed your online payment.

Back to Top

Q. What do I submit to the Division of Licensing after I have submitted payment?

A: When you send your application to the Division of Licensing, be sure that you include copies of all RECEIPTS and the PHOTOCOPY of the electronic fingerprint submission given to you by the fingerprint technician. Please be sure that you include all of the following items:

  • a completed application;
  • a passport-style color photograph;
  • copies of training documentation;
  • a check or money order in the amount of $75 for the licensing fee made payable to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WHEN SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

Remember that you need only submit payment for the LICENSING FEE. You do not have to submit any additional payment for the electronic fingerprint scan.

You should submit your application to the Division of Licensing WITHIN 90 DAYS of your fingerprint-scan to avoid inconvenience and additional expense. Be sure to include the following items with your application: photocopies of your fingerprint scan and all receipts (including the CWCS receipt), a photograph, training documentation and a check or money order for the license fee.

Here is how the 90-day time limit can spare you additional expense and inconvenience. The Federal Bureau of Investigation will allow TWO FINGERPRINT SUBMISSIONS for the fee remitted if both submissions occur within 180 days. If a problem occurs with your first fingerprint submission AND we do not receive your application until after 90 days has passed, we may not have adequate time in which to analyze the problem and notify you so that you can submit a second set of fingerprints within the 180-day time frame. In this circumstance, we would have no alternative but to require you to have your fingerprints scanned again, and this would require the payment of an additional fingerprint fee.

Back to Top

REMINDER

Our Division strives to provide prompt and professional service to our applicants and licensees, but we are able to do so only insofar as the requirements of the law are complied with. Failure to follow these instructions precisely may result in the unnecessary delay of the processing of your application for licensure.

Back to Top