Fees and Fingerprinting

Fees and Fingerprinting

California Education Code Sections 44340 & 44341 require that all individuals who seek to obtain California credentials, certificates, permits, and waivers issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing receive fingerprint clearance from the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Commission.

Please Note:

• Individuals who have received fingerprint clearance through other agencies, employers, other states, or government agencies are not exempt from this process and must fingerprint for the Commission.
• Fingerprint history is not reviewed by the Commission unless an application and the appropriate fees are received from the applicant.
• You must use your legal name at all times. Your Educator profile, fingerprints and application must match, or it may cause significant delays in the processing of your application.
• Pursuant to CA State Law, you must have a valid United States Social Security Number (SSN), or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) in order to obtain a valid teaching credential in the State of California. 
• We strongly encourage applicants to review this webpage and the following FAQ’s prior to completing your prints and/or emailing the Commission with any fingerprint-related questions.

To obtain fingerprint clearance, please follow the instructions below.

California Residents or those using Livescan Process (Automated Process)

California residents or non-residents who are able to travel to California must complete section 3 of the form 41-LS and print it out. Take the completed form into a live scan location, where you will pay a fee at the time of service and be scanned. Do not email your form to the Commission, the scans are sent directly to the CTC.

You can find a list of Live Scan locations in the State of California on the official state website.

Non-Resident-Out-Of-State/Country (Manual Process)

Fingerprint cards must be ordered from the Commission by completing the Submit New Fingerprint Card Request form.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) will only accept fingerprint cards (FD-258) for teachers whose home address is outside of California.  

When completing fingerprint cards, please submit your direct online application first. After paying for your online application, you will receive a confirmation email that states your unique 10-digit “Stamp Number” at the top of the email. Write your Stamp Number on a cover letter and mail it with your completed fingerprint cards and $49 fingerprint processing fee (check or money order, payable to ‘CTC’) to the address listed below to ensure your fingerprints are paired with your online application. 

*We cannot pair your fingerprint cards and online application together without the corresponding Stamp Number.* 

May Lee State Office Complex 
Commission on Teacher Credentialing 
Division of Licensure Certification 
651 Bannon Street, Suite 601
Sacramento, CA 95811 

See Fingerprint Clearance Information (CL-271) for more details.

ALERT:  The Department of Justice (DOJ) is not able to process any out-of-state or out-of-country fingerprint submissions unless completed on the FD-258 cardstock provided by CTC.  If the agency completing your fingerprints alters or changes the cardstock or type of paper used, DOJ will reject the submission and return your paperwork without processing.

Also see:  Fingerprint FAQ

For more information on fingerprinting, please select the appropriate status.

Standard Timeframe*

The “Standard Timeframe” noted above refers to DOJ’s processing of fingerprint forms once DOJ receives a form 41-LS or FD-258, but may be significantly longer. Please do not email the Commission within 30 days from the end of the above timeframe. When a “Fingerprint Response” is received from DOJ the applicant will either be granted or notified by the Commission of any fingerprint issues. 

The Commission does not have control regarding DOJ’s processing timeframe. Applicants who used the Live Scan automated process may check the status of their fingerprint submission by visiting DOJ website. You will need your ATI number from your LS form and your date of birth when checking your status.

Before You Fingerprint – Avoiding Errors

Fingerprint Errors can be caused by the applicant or the fingerprint operator and will delay the issuance of a credential or document that you seek from the Commission. To help reduce errors, the Commission recommends the following: 

• Complete the required fields on your form (see instructions)
• Type your form or print legibly
• Use your legal name at all times
• Your name on your form must match your name on your application.
• Ensure your SSN and other personal information is correct on your form
• California residents – ensure your personal information is uploaded correctly by the Live Scan Operator