Why the BBS Requires Live Scan
Because therapists work with vulnerable clients, the BBS is required to vet every applicant’s criminal history before granting a registration or license. Fingerprinting is how that vetting happens: your prints are run against the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) databases, and the results are reported directly to the BBS.
This applies to all associates, whether you are registering as an AMFT, ASW, or APCC. Complete Live Scan within thirty days before you submit your application, and include the Live Scan request form copy the application instructions ask for. For California residents, this is done through Live Scan, the state’s electronic fingerprinting system. Applicants outside California use mailed fingerprint hard cards instead.
Time it right
The BBS recommends completing Live Scan no more than thirty days before you submit your application. If you complete Live Scan but never file an application, the results expire after six months, so don’t get fingerprinted far in advance.
How to Complete Live Scan
- 1.Get the BBS Request for Live Scan form. Download it from bbs.ca.gov and fill it out before you go.
- 2.Find an authorized Live Scan location. Use the California Attorney General’s directory at oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations to find an authorized site.
- 3.Bring the form and your ID. Check the site’s ID requirements when you book, and bring your completed Request for Live Scan form.
- 4.Pay the fees. A $49 processing fee plus the site’s separate rolling fee (the charge for actually taking your prints), which varies by location. Ask the site what proof of fingerprinting it gives you.
- 5.Let the results reach the BBS. Your prints are submitted electronically to the DOJ and FBI, and the results are forwarded directly to the BBS for review with your application.
What Live Scan Costs
There are two distinct charges, and it helps to understand them separately:
- ✓$49 processing fee, the amount the BBS lists for fingerprint processing.
- ✓Site “rolling” fee: what the Live Scan location charges to physically take your prints. This varies by location, so confirm it with the provider before your appointment.
Your total out-of-pocket cost is the $49 processing fee plus the site’s rolling fee. Because rolling fees differ from site to site, it can be worth calling a couple of nearby locations to compare before you book.
What Could Delay Your Registration
The background check runs alongside the rest of your application review. Things that can delay it:
- ✓Getting fingerprinted too early: results expire after six months with no application on file.
- ✓Out-of-state hard-card submissions, which the BBS estimates take roughly 6 to 8 weeks to process.
You can check the status of your DOJ submission at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov.
Don’t let Live Scan stall your 90-day window. If you are registering as an associate after graduation, your application, Live Scan included, must reach the BBS on time. If you graduated on or after January 1, 2020 and want hours from before your number to count under the 90-day rule, your workplace must also have required Live Scan before you gained them. That is separate from your own Live Scan. See our AMFT registration process guide for how the deadline works.
What If You Have a Prior Record?
A prior record does not automatically disqualify you. The Board can deny on a conviction substantially related to the profession (generally within seven years) or on certain formal discipline (BPC 480(a)). It weighs the nature and gravity of the crime, the time that has passed, and evidence of rehabilitation (16 CCR 1813).
The law also limits what the Board can deny on. An arrest that did not lead to a conviction cannot be the basis for denial, and neither can a conviction that was dismissed or expunged (BPC 480(c), (d)). The Board cannot deny a license solely because you did not disclose something that would not have been cause for denial (BPC 480(e)). Answer the application questions as written, and read the BBS instructions on what to report. If you are unsure what to report, ask the BBS or a licensing attorney before you apply.
When in doubt, ask
The BBS cannot require you to disclose criminal history; it may ask for mitigating information, and giving it is voluntary (BPC 480(f)(2)). A knowingly false statement on the application can be grounds for denial (BPC 480(e)). If you are unsure, ask the BBS or a licensing attorney.
Live Scan is step one. Tracking your hours is the long game.
Once you are registered, you log hours on the BBS weekly log for the rest of your 3,000. HourJourney checks your weekly supervision ratio as you log, flags weeks that fall short, and fills the BBS weekly log and Experience Verification forms from your entries. 30-day free trial.
Start counting your hours freeFrequently Asked Questions
How much does BBS Live Scan cost in California?
There are two charges. The BBS lists a $49 processing fee. On top of that, the Live Scan site charges a separate "rolling" fee for taking your fingerprints, and that amount varies by location. Confirm the rolling fee with the location before your appointment.
Where do I get Live Scan done for the BBS?
Use the California Attorney General's authorized Live Scan site directory at oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations to find an authorized site near you, and bring your BBS Request for Live Scan form.
What do I need to bring to my Live Scan appointment?
Bring your completed BBS Request for Live Scan Service form (downloaded from bbs.ca.gov), the ID the site asks for, and payment for the $49 processing fee plus the site's rolling fee. Ask the site what proof of fingerprinting it gives you.
How long do BBS Live Scan results take?
The Board does not publish a turnaround for electronic Live Scan results. If you submit fingerprints by hard card (for applicants outside California), the BBS estimates approximately 6 to 8 weeks. You can check your DOJ submission status at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov. Confirm current timing directly with the BBS.
Does a prior record disqualify me from BBS registration?
Not automatically. The Board can deny on a conviction substantially related to the profession (generally within seven years) or on certain formal discipline (BPC 480(a)). It weighs the nature and gravity of the crime, the time that has passed, and evidence of rehabilitation (16 CCR 1813). An arrest that did not lead to a conviction cannot be the basis for denial, and neither can a conviction that was dismissed or expunged (BPC 480(c), (d)). Answer the application questions as written and read the BBS instructions on what to report. If you are unsure, ask the BBS or a licensing attorney before you apply.
Do I have to redo Live Scan when I apply for my license?
You do not need to resubmit fingerprints if, when the BBS receives your Application for Licensure, you hold a current or delinquent associate registration, or your registration was cancelled less than 30 days earlier. Otherwise the BBS needs your prints again.
Related Guides
AMFT Registration Process in California
The Application for AMFT Registration, Live Scan, the $75 fee (reduced from $150 through June 30, 2030), and the 90-day deadline, step by step.
ASW Registration in California
How to register as an Associate Clinical Social Worker with the BBS.
APCC Registration in California
Registering as an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor toward your LPCC.
This guide is for informational purposes only. Always verify requirements directly with the BBS at bbs.ca.gov. Fees, processing times, and procedures may change.