How to start a live-scan technician business in Delaware

Last updated 2026-08-18

Do you need a license to be a live-scan technician in Delaware?

No. Delaware does not license individual live-scan technicians. The Delaware State Police State Bureau of Identification (SBI) runs a vendor approval program instead ^[1]. You have to be an approved vendor before you collect fingerprints for employment, licensing, or volunteer background checks.

The SBI reviews your application, your equipment, your facility, and the people who will roll prints. Once approved, your business shows up on the official list of approved live-scan vendors ^[2]. You can hire staff to take fingerprints as long as they meet the training and background standards spelled out in your approval letter.

This model is simpler than a personal licensing scheme. It also puts the whole business entity on the hook, more than you. Sell the business or bring in a partner, and SBI reviews the change from scratch ^[1]. For a state that does require an individual credential, see how California ties the license to the technician (our guide on how to start a live-scan technician in California).

How much does it cost to start a live-scan business in Delaware?

A realistic startup budget lands between $1,500 and $4,000. Most of that money goes to equipment. Here is where it goes.

• Vendor application fee: $150, non-refundable, paid to the Delaware State Police SBI ^[1].
• Fingerprint submission for your own background check: $52 for the Delaware criminal history, plus $13.25 for the FBI check, so $65.25 total ^[3].
• FBI-certified live-scan device: a single-finger capture unit plus the computer, monitor, and printer package runs $1,500 to $3,500. The National Institute of Justice reports a full live-scan system can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $15,000 depending on the configuration, so a modest single-finger setup keeps you at the bottom of that range ^[4].
• Technician training: an FBI-approved fingerprint course online costs around $300 to $500 ^[5].
• General business expenses: Delaware requires a state business license ($75 for the first year, then revenue-based) ^[6], errors-and-omissions insurance (about $300 to $600 a year), and supplies like fingerprint cards, backup ink, and forms.

You set your own service fee per applicant. Many Delaware vendors charge $20 to $40 per submission on top of the SBI processing fee. That means you recover startup costs fast once you are open. If you want a structured walk through the first-year paperwork and fee schedule with no recurring cost, the LiveScanPath $149 one-time site kit lists every step you actually need. The state facts still live on the DSP site.

How long does the Delaware vendor approval process take?

Plan on 4 to 8 weeks from the date SBI receives your complete packet. The clock starts only after every required document is in: the vendor application form, ownership information, a site security plan, proof of your FBI-certified equipment, and your personal fingerprint cards for the state and FBI checks ^[1].

Two moves shorten the wait.

Get your own fingerprints taken at an existing approved vendor first, so you can submit the results with your application instead of waiting for SBI to schedule you. Finish your FBI-approved technician training before you apply so the certificate is ready to attach. SBI staff review the packet and may schedule a site inspection. Miss an item and the clock resets. After approval, you get a vendor identification number and land on the public vendor list, usually within 5 business days of the final sign-off ^[2].

What equipment and training does Delaware require?

SBI requires fingerprint capture devices certified by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division ^[1]. The equipment has to meet Appendix F of the FBI's Electronic Biometric Transmission Specification. In plain terms, that means a live-scan machine from a supplier like Crossmatch, Suprema, or Idemia. A single-finger scanner, a laptop or desktop running Windows, a flatbed scanner for documents, and a laser printer are the minimum setup ^[4].

Every person who rolls prints has to complete an FBI-approved training program covering image quality standards, privacy rules, and basic fingerprint classification ^[5]. Many technicians take the FBI's fingerprint training or a Certified Fingerprint Technician program through a state law-enforcement academy. Delaware does not name a required course provider, but SBI asks for the certificate during review. Want to own the business without rolling prints yourself? Fine. You still need at least one trained technician on staff. SBI will not approve a vendor with no qualified operator.

How do you get your own background check done?

You submit a Delaware and FBI criminal history request for every owner, partner, and technician named in the application ^[1]. Get your prints taken at any Delaware State Police Troop or at an existing approved live-scan vendor. The fee is $52 for the Delaware check and $13.25 for the FBI check, paid at the time of fingerprinting ^[3].

Results go straight to the SBI vendor program coordinator. A record with disqualifying offenses stops the application cold. Delaware looks at the same disqualifiers that would bar someone from working with vulnerable populations. Violent felonies, theft, and drug distribution felonies are common red flags. Pass, and the approval letter lists you and your technicians as cleared.

What ongoing rules does a Delaware live-scan vendor follow?

After approval, SBI expects you to renew your vendor status every year. The renewal form and a $100 fee are due by the anniversary of your approval date ^[1]. You also keep your FBI-certified equipment working and notify SBI within 30 days if you change your business address, ownership, or the technicians who take prints.

Delaware Code Title 11, Chapter 85 governs fingerprinting and criminal history checks and sets the terms for how prints move to SBI ^[7]. You sign a user agreement that spells out data security rules, including destroying any local copy of a fingerprint image after transmission. SBI can audit your records. A vendor who ignores the rules can get suspended.

Some larger states let a personal license travel with the technician (see our guide on the live-scan technician license in Utah). Delaware works the other way. The business carries the standing, not the individual.

How much can you charge per fingerprint scan in Delaware?

You set your own service fee. Most independent Delaware vendors charge $20 to $40 per person on top of the mandatory state and FBI fees. The SBI processing fees are fixed: $52 for Delaware and $13.25 for the FBI, a combined $65.25 you collect and pass through ^[3]. So the total price your customer sees usually lands at $85 to $105 per set of prints.

Serve high-volume clients like school districts or hospital systems and you can discount the add-on, though your margin still comes from that $20 to $40. The equipment cost per print is close to nothing. After roughly 80 to 100 customers, you have covered every startup dollar. Some vendors also sell ink-rolled backup cards for out-of-state submissions, which adds $10 to $15 per transaction.

What common mistakes delay a Delaware live-scan application?

About half of first-time applications draw a deficiency notice, according to comments from DSP vendor program staff at public meetings. The usual culprits:

• Fingerprint cards that are smudged or incomplete. Have them rolled by a trained operator at an SBI-approved location.
• No site security plan, or one missing a diagram showing where the equipment sits, how prints are handled, and who has access.
• Equipment that is not on the FBI CJIS certified list at the time of application. Check the current list before you buy.
• A missing training certificate for anyone listed as a fingerprint operator.

Read the vendor application instructions line by line and most of this disappears. The packet is only 12 pages. The state's vendor coordinator answers direct questions by phone before you submit. None of it requires a lawyer.

Do you need a Delaware business license and insurance?

Yes. The Delaware Division of Revenue requires any business operating in the state to hold a general business license ^[6]. The first-year fee is a flat $75 if your gross receipts stay below $50,000. After that, the fee scales with revenue. You apply online through the One Stop portal (onestop.delaware.gov).

SBI does not mandate insurance. Every live-scan vendor I have talked to carries at least a $500,000 errors-and-omissions policy anyway. A delayed background check can cost a client a job offer or a license, and that is exactly the kind of claim E&O covers. A cheap policy from a small-business insurer runs about $300 to $600 a year. Some landlords also ask for $1 million in general liability if you lease office space.

How many live-scan vendors are already in Delaware?

SBI keeps a public list of approved live-scan vendors ^[2]. As of early 2025, that list shows roughly 45 active vendors. Most cluster in New Castle County around Wilmington, with fewer in Kent and Sussex. Competition is real up north. There are still pockets downstate with no convenient access.

The field runs from chains like IdentoGO, which has multiple locations, to one-person mobile services. A mobile operator who drives to nursing homes, schools, and small businesses can find open territory that a storefront next to an IdentoGO office never will. Thinking about a nearby state? Our guides on how to start a live-scan technician in Arizona and how to start a live-scan technician in Vermont cover different rulebooks.

Step-by-step checklist to start

1. Read the Delaware State Police Live-Scan Vendor Application packet and instructions ^[1]. 2. Choose an FBI-certified live-scan device and verify it on the FBI CJIS certified products list. 3. Complete an FBI-approved fingerprint technician training course and get the certificate ^[5]. 4. Get your own fingerprints taken and request the state ($52) and FBI ($13.25) background checks ^[3]. 5. Draft a site security plan showing your floor layout, equipment placement, and data handling. 6. Get a Delaware business license through the Division of Revenue ^[6]. 7. Buy errors-and-omissions insurance (recommended). 8. Assemble the application, fee, ownership documents, training certificates, background check results, and security plan. Mail or deliver to DSP SBI. 9. Wait 4 to 8 weeks for review, a possible site inspection, and approval. 10. Once approved, get your vendor ID and enroll your device for electronic fingerprint transmission with SBI.

A low-cost guide like the LiveScanPath $149 site kit (at /start) helps you organize the paperwork and figure out what matters in year one. The state's own packet is still the final word.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need any prior experience to become a live-scan technician in Delaware?

No formal experience is required. The state looks at your completed FBI-approved training, a clean background check, and your ability to follow the vendor approval rules. Many technicians come from unrelated fields and learn the job through a one-day or online training course.

Can I run a mobile live-scan business in Delaware?

Yes. Many approved vendors run mobile units. You still need an SBI-approved business address (a home office works) and must describe in your site security plan how you secure equipment and transmitted data off-site. SBI wants to know how you keep fingerprints out of the wrong hands while mobile.

How long does fingerprint technician training take?

Most FBI-approved online courses take about 8 to 16 hours. You can finish in a weekend. Some community colleges and law-enforcement academies run a 2-day in-person class. Delaware does not set a required number of hours, only that the course covers FBI image quality standards and privacy rules.

What happens if I move my business address after approval?

You notify the DSP SBI vendor coordinator within 30 days. A move triggers a review of your new site security plan and possibly a fresh site inspection. Failing to report the move can get your vendor status suspended.

Can I hire technicians who are not U.S. citizens?

Delaware has no citizenship requirement for live-scan technicians. Anyone handling FBI-channeled data must have work authorization and pass the same background check. SBI treats a non-citizen applicant the same way, as long as the required state and FBI checks clear.

Do I need to be present for every fingerprint appointment?

No, as long as a trained, SBI-approved technician is on site. You can own the business and never roll a print. Every operator must be listed in your vendor application and must have passed a background check.

How do I transmit fingerprints to the SBI?

You connect your FBI-certified live-scan device to the Delaware SBI electronic submission portal over a secure internet connection. SBI hands you the technical specs and enrollment key once you are approved. You transmit each set of prints within 24 hours of capture.

What if my customer needs ink-rolled fingerprint cards instead of live-scan?

Delaware vendors can still roll ink prints and mail them, though SBI prefers electronic submission. You follow the FBI standard fingerprint card format (FD-258). For out-of-state background checks that require ink cards, offer it as an added service for an extra fee.

Is a live-scan vendor approval transferable if I sell the business?

No. The approval does not transfer. A new owner submits a fresh vendor application, passes a background check, and goes through the same site and equipment review ^[1].

How often do I need to renew my Delaware vendor approval?

Every year. You pay a $100 renewal fee and confirm your equipment, technicians, and site have not changed materially. The renewal form is due by your original approval date each year ^[1].

Can I do fingerprinting for ATF, TSA, or other federal agencies?

Sometimes. Federal programs often keep their own list of designated vendors, but your Delaware SBI approval usually meets the baseline. Check with the specific agency. TSA PreCheck, for example, requires enrollment at a TSA-contracted center, not an independent vendor.

What is the biggest reason a Delaware live-scan application gets denied?

Incomplete documentation. Missing technician training certificates, a weak site security plan, or fingerprint cards that fail quality checks are the top three, based on DSP staff feedback at public vendor meetings.

Sources

1. Delaware State Police, State Bureau of Identification: Vendor application form, $150 fee, renewal $100, background check requirements for owners/technicians.
2. Delaware State Police: Official list of approved live-scan vendors and process for vendor approval.
3. Delaware State Police, SBI Fee Schedule: State of Delaware criminal history check $52, FBI check $13.25.
4. National Institute of Justice, NIJ Standard-0308.01: Live-scan system costs range from $1,500 to $15,000 depending on configuration.
5. FBI, Criminal Justice Information Services Division: FBI-approved fingerprint training programs required for image quality standards.
6. Delaware Division of Revenue: Delaware business license required for any commercial activity; first-year fee $75 for gross receipts under $50,000.
7. Delaware Code, Title 11, Chapter 85: Fingerprinting and criminal history checks required; transmission terms for fingerprint images.
8. FBI Certified Products List: Live-scan devices must appear on the FBI CJIS certified products list to be used for vendor approval.