How Much Does Fingerprinting Cost in UK

When you are searching for fingerprinting services in UK, their costing and pricing becomes a very big part of your research process. You open one website and see one price, then you open another and see something completely different, and neither of them really tells you why. So you are left comparing numbers without knowing what is actually behind them.

So instead of leaving you to guess, this blog shows exactly what decides your fingerprinting cost in UK, what you can expect to pay depending on where you go, and what to check before you book so the price you see is the price you actually pay.

If you have started looking into this, you have probably already noticed that one place quotes £75 and another quotes £180 for what sounds like the same thing. This is not random and it is not one place ripping you off. A few clear factors decide the final price for fingerprinting services in UK. It depends on:

• Where You Go: Police stations, private providers, and mobile services all set their own prices. A police station is running a public service alongside everything else they do, so their fees are set and fairly fixed. A private provider is running a business built around this one service, so they price it to reflect speed and convenience.
• How Many Sets You Need: Most providers charge a full price for your first set of fingerprints and a lower price for every additional set. So if you only need one set for one application, you pay less than someone who needs two or three sets for multiple applications or multiple countries.
• Which Country You Are Sending Them To: In the UK, fingerprinting fees can include VAT, and whether VAT applies depends on which country you are sending your fingerprints to, not on where you are having them taken. Certain countries are VAT exempt, which brings the price down.
• What Happens After the Fingerprinting: Depending on what your application needs, you might also need your documents notarised, apostilled, or legalised before they are accepted abroad. None of this is included in the basic fingerprinting cost, so if your application needs these extra steps, your real total will be higher than just the fingerprinting fee alone.

Local Police Stations

Below are a few police stations in the UK offering fingerprinting services for international background checks, along with their fees*.

City of London Police

• First Set: £74.80  
• Each Additional Set: £37.50.

Sussex Police

• First Set: £126.00
• Each Additional Set: £63.12

Avon and Somerset Police

• First Set: £121.68  
• Each Additional Set: £60.84

Surrey Police

• First Set: £126.00
• Each Additional Set: £63.12

West Mercia Police

• First Set: £126.24
• Each Additional Set: £63.12  

Norfolk Constabulary

• First Set: £121.68
• Each Additional Set: £60.84

Suffolk Constabulary

• First Set: £121.68
• Each Additional Set: £60.84

Thames Valley Police

• First Set: £126.24
• Each Additional Set: £63.12

Northumbria Police

• First Set: £119.16
• Each Additional Set: £59.64

*The details above are correct as of 2026. Police forces can change their fee at any time. Confirm with the relevant force before travelling to an appointment.

Private Fingerprinting Providers

Private providers usually charge more than the lowest police station rates, but you are paying for faster appointments and staff who deal with international forms every day. Prices vary from company to company, but you can expect to pay somewhere in this range.

• First Set: £65 to £150, plus VAT
• Each Additional Set: £30 to £65, plus VAT

Mobile / Doorstep Fingerprinting Service

Mobile services cost more than the other two options since you are also paying for someone to travel to you. The price depends on your location and how far the technician needs to travel.

• First Set: £140 to £265, plus VAT
• Each Additional Set: £50 to £100, plus VAT

Yes, you do need to pay VAT on fingerprinting in UK, in most cases. The fee you pay is not a flat number for everyone. It depends on which country you are sending your fingerprints to, since HMRC treats some countries differently for VAT purposes. Most police forces build VAT straight into their advertised price, so what you see is usually the full amount you pay. A small list of countries are exempt from VAT, which means the price for those applications comes out lower.

VAT Exempt Countries List

The following countries are currently exempt from VAT on UK fingerprinting fees:

• Canada
• Fiji
• United Arab Emirates
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
• Nigeria
• Qatar
• Jamaica
• Japan

St Vincent and the Grenadines

If your background check is going to any of these countries, you should be charged the lower, VAT free rate. If it is going anywhere else, VAT will most likely be added to your fee.

Why VAT Status Depends on the Destination Country, Not the Provider

The fee is set nationally and depends on whether the country you are sending your fingerprints to is subject to VAT or exempt from it. This means the same police station can charge you two different prices for two different applications, because one is going to a VAT exempt country and the other is not. It has nothing to do with the provider being more or less expensive, and everything to do with how HMRC classifies the service for that specific destination.

This is usually why providers describe it as certain fingerprint fees being subject to VAT, except for certain HMRC exemptions rather than saying the provider itself decides. The provider is simply following the rate that HMRC has set for your specific destination country. So before you book, check where your VAT exempt or non exempt country falls, since it directly changes your final price no matter which provider you choose.

The base fee is only part of the story. A few extra things can push your total cost up or down, like:

• Number of fingerprint sets you need.
• Whether your destination country is VAT exempt or not.
• Ink and roll or digital livescan fingerprints.
• Evening or weekend appointments.
• Same day or urgent appointment requests.
• Travel charges if someone comes to your home or office.
• Notarisation of your fingerprint document, if your application needs it.
• Apostille or legalisation of your document.
• Courier or postage costs if your documents need to be sent back to you or abroad.
• Cancellation or rebooking fees if you miss your appointment

• Check What Their Fingerprinting Service Includes - Ask if the price covers the fingerprint set, the correct card or digital format for your destination country, and ID verification. Some providers include a receipt or confirmation letter, others do not.
• Ask How Much Extra You Pay For Additional Services - If you need more than one set, palm prints, notarisation, or an apostille, these usually cost extra. Get the full price for everything you need in one go, not just the base fingerprinting fee.
• Confirm How They Accept Payment - Most places take debit or credit cards, but a few police stations only accept cash and some private providers still take cheque. Confirm this before your appointment.
• Ask About Their Cancellation and Rescheduling Policy - Some police forces charge a minimum administrative fee if you cancel, even with notice, and private providers often have their own rules too.
• Check if Same Day or Urgent Appointments Cost More - If you are working to a tight deadline, ask upfront whether faster appointments come with an extra charge. This is common with private and mobile providers.
• Ask What Happens if Your Fingerprints Are Rejected - Poor quality prints can lead to your application being rejected. Some providers will retake your prints for free if the fault is theirs, while others may charge you again if the issue is due to your ID or documents.

Picking a provider is not just about who charges the least. Price, speed, and convenience pull in different directions, and the right choice depends on your deadline and how much you value not having to travel.

Our Honest Advice

If you are not in a rush and do not mind waiting for an appointment, a local police station is the cheapest way to get this done. Just check which day of the week they offer fingerprinting, since it is often just one or two slots a week.

If you have a deadline, a private provider is usually worth the extra cost. Most of them know exactly what each country needs, which lowers the chance of your prints being rejected and you having to start over. That alone can save you more time than the police station route, even with a slightly higher fee.

Go for a mobile service if getting to an office is genuinely difficult for you, whether that is because of your schedule, your health, or you simply cannot spare the travel time. It costs more, but you are paying to remove that one obstacle entirely.

One last tip. Whichever option you pick, always ask for the total price upfront, including VAT and any extra charges. This avoids any surprises on the day of your appointment.

If you want your fingerprinting done properly and without any issues, Globeia makes the whole process simple. Whether you need it done at your home or office, or you would rather come to us, we have you covered across the UK.

• Mobile fingerprinting services across the UK.
• In-office fingerprinting services in London at 2 Eastbourne Terrace, Paddington Station.
• Simple online booking portal, book your appointment in minutes.
• Same day or next day appointment, based on associate availability.
• Support for both individual and corporate clients in the UK.
• Fingerprinting services for multiple international checks, including USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, UAE, Bahrain, Philippines, and more.
• Submission coordination to relevant authorities, like the FBI or RCMP, through global processing offices.
• On-site strict quality checks to reduce errors to a minimum.
• Strict identity verification protocols followed throughout.
• Apostille, legalisation, and translation services are also available.

Book your UK fingerprinting appointment now!

So before you book your fingerprinting appointment anywhere in UK, take a minute to check these details for your own case. Ask what the price actually includes, whether VAT applies to your destination country, and if there are any extra charges waiting for you later. A few minutes of asking the right questions now can save you from an unpleasant surprise on the day of your appointment.