Alert:

Effective 11/06/2023: R Avenue, the main road that leads from Highway 20 to the NWESD Anacortes building, is closed from 34th Street to 22nd Street for the next several weeks. While detours are marked, give yourself some extra time to deal with the increased traffic this project is causing.


NWESD fingerprinting services are currently limited in order to give us sufficient time in-between appointments to sanitize properly. If accompanied by children, arrangements must be made for someone to supervise them in the lobby during the appointment.

Fingerprinting Services

Fingerprinting is required of all individuals who have regular, unsupervised access to children, including those seeking certificates, and those employed in a certified or classified position. NWESD provides fingerprinting services using digital technology. This creates high-quality digital prints that are transmitted directly to the Washington State Patrol. After additional review by the FBI, fingerprint records are held by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in Olympia.

To be fingerprinted at NWESD, you will need:

  • Picture ID (driver’s license)
  • Appropriate payment as outlined below
  • Expect the process to take approximately 15-30 minutes

Fingerprinting is available by appointment, only, and on weekdays between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Fingerprinting Fees

Washington State Patrol processing fee – $50.00

The NWESD fingerprint fee – $35.00

Total Fee – $85.00

The forms of payment accepted are:

  • Credit or Debit Cards
  • School District Purchase Order
  • NO CASH, CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS

NWESD uses Live Scan digital system to scan fingerprints. If your fingerprints are of good quality, Live Scan reduces the turnaround time to obtain the results. If your fingerprints are of poor quality (worn or fine ridges) and we cannot get a satisfactory result, your prints could be rejected by the Washington State Patrol (WSP) and/or the FBI. If your prints are rejected for poor quality, we will reprint up to two times free of charge. If quality prints cannot be obtained after the second reprint attempt, you will have to travel to the WSP in Olympia where WSP takes and guarantees your prints.

Individuals who wish to request a copy of their fingerprint results must submit a request to OSPI in Olympia. OSPI Fingerprint Records Forms and Resources

If you believe the results of your background check from the FBI are not complete or are wrong, you have an opportunity to complete or challenge the accuracy of the information. Send a written challenge request to the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division by writing to the following address: FBI CJIS Division, Attention: Correspondence Group, 1000 Custer Hollow Road, Clarksburg, WV 26306 Your written request to the FBI should clearly identify the information that you feel is inaccurate or incomplete and should include copies of any available proof or documents that support your claim. The correspondence group will contact appropriate agencies to try to verify or correct challenged entries for you. When the FBI receives official communication from the agency with jurisdiction over the matter, the FBI will make appropriate changes and notify you of the outcome. (This process is described in 28 C.F.R. § 16.34)