Requirement 4a — Official Fingerprint Cards

This requirement is straightforward but important: you’re going to create a real, official fingerprint record just like the ones that go into law enforcement databases. You’ll make both rolled and plain impressions, which are the two standard ways fingerprints are recorded. Let’s learn the process.

Getting Your Fingerprint Card

An 8-by-8-inch fingerprint identification card (also called an FD-258 form in the FBI’s system) is the standard fingerprint card used by law enforcement agencies across the United States. Your options for getting a card:

From Your Police Department

Visit your local police station or sheriff’s office and ask for a fingerprint card. Most departments are happy to provide them, sometimes free or for a small fee. Ask if they have information about fingerprinting procedures—some officers enjoy talking to Scouts about the process.

From Your Merit Badge Counselor

Your fingerprinting merit badge counselor may have cards on hand, especially if they work in law enforcement or have worked with Scouts on this badge before.

Online

The FBI and some fingerprint supply companies sell blank FD-258 cards online. Search for “FD-258 fingerprint cards” to find vendors.

From a Forensic Science Program

If your school or local university has a forensic science or criminal justice program, they might have spare cards or know where to get them.

Understanding the Card Layout

A standard fingerprint card has spaces for:

• Personal information: Your name, date, signature, and other identifying information
• Rolled impressions: Ten numbered boxes for each rolled fingerprint (1 through 10, representing all ten fingers)
• Plain impressions: Two larger boxes for plain impressions (usually both thumbs and all other fingers in one impression)
• Agency information: Which police department or organization is collecting the fingerprints

The rolled impressions show one finger at a time, fully extended. The plain impressions show multiple fingers pressed at once. Both are important because they provide different information and can be used for different purposes.

Rolled Impressions: The Step-by-Step Process

A rolled impression captures your entire finger, from one side of the fingernail to the other, showing all the ridge patterns.

What You Need

• A fingerprint card
• An ink pad (typically black fingerprint ink)
• Paper towels or alcohol wipes (for cleaning between fingers)
• A smooth, flat surface (like a desk or table)

Step 1: Prepare the Ink

Have your ink pad ready. If it’s a pad that’s been used before, make sure the surface is even and the ink is distributed evenly. If the ink is too dry, it won’t transfer well; if it’s too wet, you’ll get a heavy smudge instead of clear ridges.

Step 2: Start with the Right Index Finger

Begin with your right index finger (your right pointing finger). Position yourself at the fingerprint card so the “1. RIGHT THUMB” space is in front of you.

Wait—that’s actually wrong. Let me correct that: the standard order is:

1. Right Thumb
2. Right Index
3. Right Middle
4. Right Ring
5. Right Little
6. Left Thumb
7. Left Index
8. Left Middle
9. Left Ring
10. Left Little

Step 3: Roll the Finger

This is the critical technique. Place your right thumb in the box labeled “1. RIGHT THUMB”:

1. Place your thumb on the ink pad with your nail facing straight up and your thumb positioned at roughly a 90-degree angle to the pad.
2. Roll it from side to side: Using gentle pressure, roll your thumb from the outer edge (pinky side) to the inner edge (index finger side), capturing the entire ridge pattern. You should rotate your thumb about 180 degrees during the roll.
3. Maintain pressure: Don’t lift your thumb while rolling—keep steady pressure so the ink transfers evenly.
4. Roll it onto the card: Once you’ve rolled your thumb on the ink pad, immediately transfer it to the card in the box labeled “1” and repeat the rolling motion. From outer edge to inner edge again.

Step 4: Clean Your Finger

Before moving to the next finger, wipe your thumb and the edge of your hand with a paper towel or alcohol wipe to remove excess ink. This prevents smudging on the card.

Step 5: Repeat for All 10 Fingers

Follow the same rolling process for all fingers: right index, right middle, right ring, right little, then left thumb, left index, left middle, left ring, and left little.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Rolling too slowly or too quickly: A smooth, controlled roll works best.
• Not rolling all the way: If you don’t roll from the outer edge to the inner edge, you’ll miss part of the ridge pattern.
• Pressing too hard: This causes smudging. Light to medium pressure is best.
• Forgetting to clean between fingers: Ink buildup on your hands can smudge the next impression.
• Rolling the wrong direction: Always roll from the pinky-side edge toward the thumb-side edge (outer to inner).

Plain Impressions: The Step-by-Step Process

Plain impressions are different from rolled impressions. Instead of rolling, you press your fingers straight down onto the card. This captures a different view of your fingerprints—useful for comparison and for pattern analysis.

Step 1: Position Yourself

Locate the section on your card labeled “PLAIN IMPRESSIONS” or “PLAIN PRINTS.” There are usually two boxes: one for “RIGHT HAND” and one for “LEFT HAND.”

Step 2: Take the Right Hand Plain Impression

1. Ink all five fingers of your right hand by pressing them, side by side, onto the ink pad.
2. Press them onto the card in the “RIGHT HAND” box. Press straight down—don’t roll. All five fingers should appear side by side on the card.
3. Make sure all fingers are visible: Ideally, you should see all five fingerprints (thumb, index, middle, ring, little) in one impression.

Step 3: Clean Your Hand

Wipe all the ink off your right hand with paper towels or an alcohol wipe.

Step 4: Take the Left Hand Plain Impression

Repeat the process for your left hand: ink all five fingers, press them straight down (no rolling) onto the “LEFT HAND” box on your card.

Step 5: Add Your Signature

Most fingerprint cards require your signature. Sign where indicated on the card.

What You’ve Created

You now have a complete, official fingerprint record—the same type used by law enforcement agencies. Your card shows:

• Your rolled impressions (useful for database searches and detailed ridge analysis)
• Your plain impressions (useful for comparison and field reference)
• Your signature (confirms you authorized the fingerprinting)

If your card goes into a law enforcement database, a latent fingerprint from a crime scene could be compared to your prints. If you enroll in a biometric system at a bank or phone, the system is capturing similar ridge information digitally.