Fingerprinting Rule Requirements for Out-of-State Attorneys
Attorneys residing outside of California are required to complete their fingerprint submission by having their fingerprints taken by a licensed fingerprinting service and submitting the hard copy fingerprint cards to the State Bar. To complete your fingerprint submissions, please refer to the instructions below.
Pay a one-time fee of $49 to the State Bar for the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) processing fees. (Payment methods are explained at My State Bar Profile.)
Confirm the mailing address before completing the transaction.
Retain a copy of the payment for your records.
Submit your preferred mailing address. You can request a fingerprint card as many as three times via My State Bar Profile.
The State Bar will mail you two prepopulated fingerprint cards to your preferred mailing address or the address on record. Once the payment is received, the fingerprints cards will be mailed to you within 15 business days from the date of the initial payment. The type of payment used affects how quickly the State Bar receives confirmation of a successful payment. Credit card payments result in a shorter processing time. You will receive notification through an email notice whether the payment transaction was completed or rejected.
Out-of-state and out-of-country attorneys have two options to comply with the fingerprinting requirements. They can obtain a fingerprint card and proceed with the steps outlined above, or they can use a Live Scan vendor in California if they visit the state.
However, in the event an attorney’s Live Scan fingerprints are rejected by the DOJ and/or FBI, the attorney must return to a Live Scan vendor in California to resubmit their fingerprints without new processing charges. If the attorney chooses not to return to a California Live Scan vendor, they must be fingerprinted using a fingerprint card, which will result in additional costs.
Re-ordering Fingerprint CardsBack to top
Attorneys who have already paid for their fingerprint cards and misplaced, damaged, or never received their cards may request an additional set of cards online via their My State Bar Profile. Attorneys will enter their My State Bar Profile, locate the Fingerprinting Rule Compliance Documents link on the main page and then select Request Fingerprint Card for Out-of-State Residents Only. It is encouraged that attorneys confirm their mailing address before submitting their fingerprint cards request. The fingerprints cards will be mailed to attorneys within 15 business days from the date of the request. If you need assistance with your fingerprint card order, please fill out the Licensee Records and Compliance Inquiry form.
Obtain Fingerprints from a Law Enforcement Agency or VendorBack to top
Once you have received the two prepopulated fingerprint cards, you must take the following steps to ensure that your fingerprints are properly submitted to the DOJ and FBI:
Contact a local law enforcement agency or fingerprint vendor in advance for their operating hours, fees, payment methods, and walk-in policy.
Take the two State Bar-issued fingerprint cards to the licensed fingerprint vendor of your choice, along with valid photo identification.
Complete the fingerprint impressions on the two fingerprint cards as instructed by the vendor.
Pay any fees for completing the fingerprint impressions.
Mail the two completed fingerprint cards to the State Bar at the address below. The State Bar recommends using trackable mailing services when submitting your fingerprint cards.
State Bar of California
Office of Admissions - Re-Fingerprinting Submission
845 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017-2515
Obtain a Receipt for Fingerprint Cards Purchased on My State Bar ProfileBack to top
A receipt can be obtained via your My State Bar Profile. Please follow the steps below:
Under the fee summary section on the bar card and other documents webpage, download an invoice that starts with F.
Open the downloaded finger printing payment summary.
Please note: A $50.10 payment represents a credit card transaction and a $49 payment represents bank routing transaction.
Rejection of Fingerprints Cards SubmittedBack to top
Once received, the State Bar will review the fingerprint cards for accuracy and completion. Once assessed and approved for submission, one fingerprint card will be mailed to the DOJ and another card will be kept on file at the State Bar. The DOJ coordinates with the FBI to conduct background checks. In the event of DOJ and/or FBI rejection, the State Bar will send the DOJ the second fingerprint card on file.
State Bar policy is to destroy fingerprint cards on file for attorneys that satisfy the fingerprint rule requirement. Once the State Bar is notified of the attorney’s criminal history information or clearance, the second fingerprint card on file will be destroyed.
Refunds are available for fingerprint card request purchases when the attorney has chosen to travel to California and submit fingerprints through a California Live Scan vendor. An attorney must request a refund prior to submitting completed fingerprint cards to the State Bar. If fingerprint cards were sent to the State Bar, the attorney must contact the State Bar's Division of Regulation as soon as possible and inquire whether the fingerprint cards were mailed to the state DOJ. Once fingerprint cards are sent to the DOJ, the attorney is no longer eligible to receive a refund.
