Fingers are often cleaned with alcohol to remove sweat, oil, and dirt to ensure a clear print.

Each finger is pressed onto an ink pad to cover the entire area from one edge of the nail to the other, and from the tip to below the first joint.

The technician rolls each finger on a specialized card (often an FBI FD-258 form) from one side of the fingernail to the other to capture the full ridge pattern.

After all ten fingers are rolled individually, a flat "45-degree" impression of all four fingers on each hand is placed at the bottom of the card.

The completed cards are signed and mailed to the requesting agency OR RECEIVE CARD PERSONALLY