Law 300 (Ley 300) fingerprints in western Puerto Rico: where they're taken and how the process works
Guide updated September 5, 2026
If you were asked for a Ley 300 certificate to work at a daycare, Head Start, school, elder-care home, or anywhere that serves children, older adults, or people with disabilities, here is the complete, honest process — including the part almost nobody in the west explains.
Who needs the Ley 300 certificate?
Anyone who works or volunteers at a place that serves children, older adults, or people with disabilities: daycares and child-care centers, Head Start, schools, elder-care homes and centers, in-home care services, camps, and similar programs. The employer normally requires it before hiring you or at renewal.
The process, step by step (2026)
- Your employer (or you) creates the request on the Department of Health platform (salud.pr.gov/CMS/417). You receive an email with your Screening ID.
- Book the appointment and pay online: go to applicantservices.pr.gov › "Departamento de Salud (Residentes de Puerto Rico)", confirm your details, choose the office and date, and pay $69.95 by card.
- Bring to your appointment: the payment email (printed or on your phone), the signed Department of Health authorization form, and a valid REAL ID or passport. Your fingerprints are captured digitally and your photo is taken there. No appointment, no service.
- The result: with no record, it usually comes back within hours or a few days; if something needs review, it can take 30 to 90 days. Your employer downloads the certificate directly from the system.
Where is the nearest office to the west?
There is currently no office in Aguadilla, Mayagüez, or Arecibo. These are the ones that exist:
| Office | Where |
|---|---|
| Ponce — the closest for Aguadilla, Mayagüez, and the whole west | Former Vocational Rehabilitation building, Road 14 (Tito Castro Ave.), corner of Centro Médico Ave. |
| San Juan | Centro Médico, Río Piedras — Building E (OIAT), Calle Maga |
| Fajardo | Near the Northeast Medical Center |
| Lajas | Announced by the Department of Health for 2026; as of this guide there was no confirmed opening. When choosing an office at applicantservices.pr.gov, check whether it already appears. |
How long is the certificate valid?
3 years with the same employer, if during the process you consent to continuous FBI monitoring (Rap Back). In years 2 and 3 you don't repeat the fingerprints: you only submit the Police Criminal Record Certificate ($10 at servicios.pr.gov). If you change employers, the process starts over.
Quick questions
Can PRW Fingerprint take my Ley 300 fingerprints?
No. They are taken exclusively by the Department of Health at its Background Check offices — no private company, police station, or mobile service can take them. We guide you (this page) and take fingerprints for every other purpose.
Can I do Ley 300 with an ink fingerprint card and mail it in?
No. The Department of Health requires digital fingerprint capture and a photo taken in person at its office, with an appointment booked at applicantservices.pr.gov.
How much does it cost?
$69.95, paid online by card when you book the appointment.
How long do results take, and how long is the certificate valid?
With no record, hours or a few days; if something needs review, 30 to 90 days. The certificate is valid for 3 years with the same employer if you consent to Rap Back; in years 2 and 3 you only need the Police Criminal Record Certificate ($10).
I was asked for an "FBI record" or "FBI certificate," not Ley 300. Is that the same thing?
No — and that one we do. The personal FBI record (Identity History Summary) and FD-258 cards for employment, licensing, immigration, or firearms are taken in ink, and we come to you anywhere in the west. See below.
What we do — and we come to you
Ink fingerprinting on the official FBI FD-258 card, at your location anywhere in western Puerto Rico (based in Aguadilla, Arecibo to Ponce). Certified technician with over 18 years of experience.
- Employment and professional licenses
- Immigration (USCIS) and paperwork abroad
- Personal FBI record (Identity History Summary) — with the FBI registration handled by us if you wish
- Firearms license, adoptions, medical cannabis occupational license
- Groups and employers: we come to your center and fingerprint all your staff in one visit
Sources: Law 300-1999 (current text), Department of Health Regulation 9030 (Art. IX-C-3), Administrative Orders 2025-620 and 2025-624, applicantservices.pr.gov and salud.pr.gov. This guide is general public information, not legal advice; the process and offices may change — always confirm with the Department of Health.
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