Can the fingerprint card itself be e-signed?

No. Fingerprint impressions on a physical card require original impressions; the prints themselves cannot be e-signed. You may e-sign a scanned cover letter or authorization but verify the receiving office’s rules for originals.

What legal standards support electronic signatures for related documents?

Electronic signatures for cover sheets and authorizations are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.

When is notarization required for name-change filings?

Notarization requirements vary by state and county. Some courts accept unsigned verification under oath; others require notarized affidavits. Confirm with the county clerk before submission.

What should I do if prints are rejected for quality?

Arrange a re-take with a certified technician, ensure rolled impressions are complete, update the cover sheet if any identifying data changed, and resend per the recipient’s instructions.

How long should I wait for background-check results?

Electronic submissions often clear within 48–72 hours; paper cards may take several weeks. Check with the specific repository or county clerk for expected timelines.

How do I protect privacy when storing scanned records?

Use encrypted storage, role-based access controls, and retain only necessary copies. If protected health information is involved, ensure HIPAA compliance and a BAA with your service provider.

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Texas Submission of Fingerprint Cards for Legal Name Change

Texas Submission of Fingerprint Cards for Legal Name Change

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Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Records Service

Access & Dissemination Bureau

SUBMISSION OF FINGERPRINT CARDS TO DPS/FBI FOR LEGAL NAME CHANGE

The Texas Family Code, Section 45.102, requires that each petition include a legible and complete set of the petitioner's fingerprints on a fingerprint card format acceptable to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

WHERE TO GET FINGERPRINTS TAKEN: The petitioner may call 1-888-467-2080 to schedule an appointment to be fingerprinted at a “Print and Go” FAST location or access the website at www.identogo.com and select Option B – Fingerprint Cards. Fingerprints cannot be transmitted to DPS electronically. The fee for this fingerprinting service is $9.95. Petitioner must submit fingerprint cards and all required information to DPS by mail.

FEES: Under the authority of Chapter 411.088, Texas Government Code, DPS charges a $15.00 fee and the FBI a $14.75 fee for processing State and Federal background checks. A cashier’s check, certified check, personal check or money order made payable to Texas DPS in the amount of $29.75 must be attached to the fingerprint card(s).

INFORMATION ON THE CARD: All cards submitted to DPS by mail must include a complete set of legible fingerprints and the following information about the petitioner and court being petitioned:

- Full Printed Name

- Race

- Signature

- Petitioner’s Mailing Address

- District Court Name/Number and City (in the ORI field)

- District Court Originating Agency Number (in the ORI field)

- Reason Fingerprinted (Legal Name Change - Family Code Section 45.001)

- Sex

- Date of Birth

- Social Security Number

- Cause/Case Number (in the OCA field)

- Driver License Number (in the MNU field)

*A copy of the petition MUST be attached to the fingerprint card(s).

WHERE TO SEND COMPLETED CARD: Mail completed fingerprint card(s) and payment to:

Texas Department of Public Safety

Central Cash Receiving

P. O. Box 15999

Austin, Texas 78761-5999

WHERE RESPONSES WILL BE SENT: Responses, other than rejects, will be sent from DPS directly to the court.

QUESTIONS: For questions, call the Criminal History Inquiry Unit at (512) 424-5079, Option 3.

Extreme care should be taken in following the directions above to alleviate any delay in processing the request.

Full Printed Name

Sex

Race

Date of Birth

Social Security Number

Driver License Number

Cause/Case Number

District Court Name/Number and City

District Court Originating Agency Number

Petitioner’s Mailing Address

Reason Fingerprinted

Signature

Signature Section

Date Signed

What the Texas Submission of Fingerprint Cards for Legal Name Change Is

The Texas Submission of Fingerprint Cards for Legal Name Change is a document package used to provide fingerprint impressions and identification data as part of a court petition or administrative background check when seeking a legal name change in Texas. It typically combines standard FBI-style fingerprint cards (e.g., FD-258 format or state fingerprint forms) with a cover sheet that lists the petitioner’s identifying details, case number, and purpose for submission. Courts, county clerks, or law-enforcement agencies may require fingerprints to verify identity, check criminal-history records, or satisfy statutory eligibility checks before the name-change is finalized.

Why submitting accurate fingerprint cards matters

Accurate fingerprint submissions help courts and agencies confirm identity, complete criminal-history checks, and avoid processing delays that can extend a name-change case. Properly prepared cards reduce the chance of rejection and speed background checks that a judge may require before granting a petition.

Who commonly completes and receives these fingerprint submissions

The form is prepared by petitioners or their attorneys and received by county clerks, courts, or law-enforcement background-check units.

Petitioners and their attorneys — prepare identity details, case number, and cover documentation for submission.
County clerk or court staff — accept or return fingerprint cards based on county filing procedures and local standing orders.
Law-enforcement / background-check units — run the prints through state or federal repositories to return a criminal-history response.

Different recipients have different acceptance rules; confirm the receiving office’s requirements before you submit fingerprint cards.

Sequential steps to prepare and submit fingerprint cards

Follow this sequence to reduce errors and streamline court review.

01

Gather IDs: Collect government ID and existing court papers.
02

Get fingerprints: Have prints taken by an authorized technician.
03

Complete cover sheet: Fill petitioner details and case references.
04

Deliver to recipient: Send to county clerk, court, or agency per instructions.

How fingerprint card processing typically flows

Understand the processing chain so you can anticipate timing and follow-up steps.

Intake: Receiving office logs the card and verifies completeness.
Submission: Cards are routed to state or federal repositories for checks.
Result return: Background report or clearance is returned to the requester.
Court action: Judge or clerk uses the report in name-change proceedings.

Digital workflow options for managing a physical fingerprint submission

Although fingerprint impressions are often physical, you can use a digital workflow to manage documents, cover letters, and tracking information.

Field	Configuration
Document storage	Scan cover sheet to PDF and store in secure folder
Task routing	Assign steps to attorney, technician, and filer
Notifications	Email updates when cards are accepted or returned
Audit tracking	Record timestamps and actions for chain-of-custody

Tools and technical needs for digitizing the submission process

Use secure document storage and role-based access to manage scanned cover sheets and correspondence before or after submitting physical prints.

File formats: PDF and DOCX for scanned cover sheets
Storage security: AES-256 encrypted at rest
Integrations: Connects with case-management or cloud storage

Typical timelines and processing expectations

Turnaround varies by submission method and jurisdiction; plan ahead to avoid delaying court dates.

Electronic checks:

Often return within 48–72 hours for e-submissions to repositories

Card-based processing:

Paper fingerprint cards can take 2–6 weeks to process

Court filing window:

Submit prints early so results reach the court before the hearing

Follow-up timeframe:

Anticipate additional 1–2 weeks for corrected or re-taken prints

County variance:

Some counties have local deadlines for attachments to petitions

Key milestones from fingerprints to final court action

A sequential milestone view to map the process from impressions to judgment.

01

Fingerprint capture

Technician completes rolled and flat impressions and technician block

02

Submission to repository

Cards forwarded to state or federal background-check systems

03

Report returned

Background-check response delivered to requesting office

04

Court resolution

Judge reviews results as part of the name-change decision

Security considerations for handling fingerprint records

Transmission: TLS 1.2/1.3 encryption in transit

At-rest encryption: AES-256 encryption for stored files

Access control: Role-based access and MFA recommended

HIPAA readiness: BAA required when protected health data involved

Audit trail: Detailed logs capture who accessed what and when

Integrity: Tamper-evident storage and versioning

Risks and consequences of improper fingerprint submissions

Processing delays: Incomplete or poor-quality prints cause returned submissions

Court rejection: Missing required fields can prompt denial or continuance

Identity mismatch: Incorrect personal data can produce erroneous background matches

Privacy exposure: Insecure handling risks unauthorized disclosure

Repeat costs: Re-printing and re-submission add time and fees

Perjury exposure: Falsified identity information may lead to criminal penalties

Common preparation mistakes to avoid

Submitting scans of poor-quality ink impressions rather than fresh, certified rolled prints leads to rejections and delays.
Using inconsistent name formats across the petition, cover sheet, and fingerprint card creates identity-matching errors in background checks.
Failing to include technician identification or agency details on the card can make the impressions unusable for official repositories.
Assuming all courts accept electronic images of fingerprint cards; many jurisdictions require original physical cards or specified submission methods.

Typical use cases for the fingerprint-card submission package

Two representative scenarios illustrate common approaches for petitioners and attorneys when fingerprint cards are required.

County Clerk Submission

A petitioner obtains rolled fingerprints from a local police station and completes a cover sheet.

The clerk logs receipt and forwards prints for a background check.
The petitioner retains scanned copies in a secure case file and confirms the background result was received before the hearing to avoid continuance.

Attorney-Assisted Filing

An attorney directs a certified technician to capture impressions and fills the cover sheet with exact client identification.

The attorney tracks the repository response.
The attorney attaches the background-check report to the petition and files with the court, documenting chain-of-custody for compliance and recordkeeping.

eSignature vendor comparison for managing cover letters and scanned records

Many teams use an eSignature platform to manage scanned cover sheets and correspondence while physical fingerprint cards are handled separately.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	Yes, 7-day free trial	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	No cap	No cap	No cap

Frequently asked questions and practical answers

Answers to common questions about fingerprint card submission, acceptance, and how digital tools can help with ancillary documents.

Need help? Contact support

Can the fingerprint card itself be e-signed?
No. Fingerprint impressions on a physical card require original impressions; the prints themselves cannot be e-signed. You may e-sign a scanned cover letter or authorization but verify the receiving office’s rules for originals.
What legal standards support electronic signatures for related documents?
Electronic signatures for cover sheets and authorizations are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.
When is notarization required for name-change filings?
Notarization requirements vary by state and county. Some courts accept unsigned verification under oath; others require notarized affidavits. Confirm with the county clerk before submission.
What should I do if prints are rejected for quality?
Arrange a re-take with a certified technician, ensure rolled impressions are complete, update the cover sheet if any identifying data changed, and resend per the recipient’s instructions.
How long should I wait for background-check results?
Electronic submissions often clear within 48–72 hours; paper cards may take several weeks. Check with the specific repository or county clerk for expected timelines.
How do I protect privacy when storing scanned records?
Use encrypted storage, role-based access controls, and retain only necessary copies. If protected health information is involved, ensure HIPAA compliance and a BAA with your service provider.

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