If a Texas licensing board told you to “get fingerprinted,” you may be wondering whether to book IdentoGO or walk into a private fingerprinting office. The honest answer: it depends on who asked for your prints. Picking the wrong one can cost you a second appointment, a second fee and weeks of delay.
This guide explains when Texas requires IdentoGO, when an ink card is allowed, which boards insist on law enforcement, and what a local private office like ours is the right choice for.
Not sure which you need? Call us at 832-530-3652. If you need IdentoGO, we will tell you, even though it isn’t us.
Quick Answer
- Texas license or certification and you live in Texas (nursing, teaching, insurance, real estate, medical, car dealer, security, TDLR licenses): use IdentoGO. A private office cannot send your prints to Texas DPS for these.
- Texas license but you live out of state: mail an ink fingerprint card through IdentoGO’s card scan process. Some boards require that card to be rolled by law enforcement.
- FBI background check, another state’s license, federal (ATF, FINRA), visa or apostille: a private fingerprinting office is usually the faster, easier choice.
How IdentoGO (Texas FAST) Works
Texas DPS runs its applicant fingerprint program, called FAST (Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas), through an exclusive contract with IdentoGO by IDEMIA. To book you need your agency’s Texas Fingerprint Service Code, which the agency usually sends after you file your application. You schedule online or by phone, bring photo ID, and pay by card or money order. Personal checks and cash are not accepted.
Two rules trip people up:
- Prints are not reusable between agencies. Each agency has its own service code. The Texas Medical Board, TxDMV, TREC, TEA and the Board of Public Accountancy all say prints taken for another purpose won’t count.
- Use one method only. The Medical Board and TxDMV both warn that submitting more than one way delays processing.
What It Costs
| Agency | Published IdentoGO fee |
|---|---|
| Texas Board of Public Accountancy | $38.25 |
| Texas Medical Board | $39.50 |
| TxDMV (dealers, from Oct 1, 2026) | $40.00 plus any location fees |
| TEA (educators) | $39 to TEA plus $10 to IdentoGO |
Check your own agency’s page for its current fee.
Out of State? The Ink Card Path
Electronic submission only works from inside Texas. If you live elsewhere, you pre-enroll with IdentoGO for a “card submission by mail,” get fingerprinted on an ink card, and mail the card and confirmation letter to IdentoGO’s card scan department, not to the board. Always use the address printed on your confirmation letter; older addresses on legacy PDFs can get cards returned or destroyed. Some boards supply their own coded card (TREC, for example), so read your board’s instructions before you buy a blank FD-258.
Boards That Require Law Enforcement to Roll Ink Cards
This is the detail most people miss. For out-of-state ink cards, several Texas agencies say the prints must be taken by law enforcement:
- Texas Board of Nursing: its out-of-state instructions say prints must be captured by a law enforcement agency.
- Texas Department of Insurance: a DPS office, sheriff’s office or police station, with the official’s signature on the card.
- TEA (educators): a local law enforcement agency.
- State Fire Marshal, Optometry Board, License to Carry and Compassionate Use: law enforcement only.
Others are more flexible. The Texas Board of Architectural Examiners accepts private fingerprinting providers, and TxDMV accepts law enforcement “or other agency certified for fingerprinting.” When in doubt, follow your board’s written instructions.
When a Private Fingerprinting Office Is the Right Choice
- Your own FBI background check (Identity History Summary) for a visa, immigration abroad, adoption or personal review. See our FBI background check service.
- Another state’s license that accepts FD-258 cards from a fingerprinting provider. See where to get FD-258 cards.
- Federal applications: ATF and NFA cards, and FINRA, which accepts hard-copy cards.
- Apostilles: FBI results authenticated for use abroad, then apostilled by the U.S. Department of State. See our FBI apostille service.
- Hard-to-read prints that need careful rolling, mobile service at your home or office anywhere in the Houston area, walk-ins and same-day appointments.
One more note: if USCIS scheduled you for biometrics, you must go to your USCIS Application Support Center. A private office does not replace that appointment.
Common Complaints, and How to Avoid Them
IdentoGO handles a huge volume. On Trustpilot, its unclaimed profile showed a 1.5 out of 5 rating from 58 reviews as of October 31, 2026, with recurring complaints about phone holds, rejected prints and closed locations. To be fair, the sample is small, DPS holds the program to a 98% classifiable standard, and some boards say reprints are free. To protect yourself:
- Get your service code first, and don’t book until you have filed your application.
- Keep your IdentoGO receipt and UE ID.
- Moisturize your hands the day before; dry or worn ridges cause most rejections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my FBI check from a private office for my Texas license?
No. Texas boards receive results through their own service code at IdentoGO. A personal FBI report isn’t a substitute.
Can you take prints for my Texas nursing license?
If you live in Texas, you must use IdentoGO. If you live out of state, the Board of Nursing’s instructions call for law enforcement to roll the card.
Do you do ink cards for other states?
Yes. Many states and federal agencies accept FD-258 cards rolled by a professional fingerprinting provider. Check your agency’s instructions, then book a visit.
Get the Right Prints the First Time
Our west Houston office at 6124 Hwy 6 N serves Katy, Cypress, Sugar Land and the Energy Corridor, and we come to you anywhere in the Houston area. Call before you book anything and we will point you to the right place. Book online, request a mobile visit, or call 832-530-3652. See our prices.
Information current as of November 2026. Agency rules and fees change; follow your agency’s current instructions.
Related Services and Guides
- Ink and roll fingerprinting in Houston
- Fingerprinting forms: FD-258, SF-87 and FD-1164
- Texas teaching license fingerprinting