There is a piece of information that most Texas families and most funeral home directors do not know exists. It is not advertised. It is not on any government website in plain language. And yet it has the power to change everything for a family who assumed the window had closed on ever holding their loved one close again.
This is the story of how Forever LT discovered it, how one of our earliest customers figured it out through sheer love and determination, and exactly how any Texas family or funeral home can use it today.
She Wanted to Give a Christmas Present That Would Trump All Others
One of our earliest customers found the Forever LT website with a mission. She wanted to create a fingerprint keepsake for her mother-in-law and sister-in-law using her late father-in-law's fingerprint. It was going to be a Christmas present, the kind that would trump all Christmas presents for the rest of time.
Forever LT walked her through all the normal places to look. She called the funeral home. They did not have his fingerprints on file. She searched through old documents. Every door that usually opens closed in front of her.
But she did not stop.
Her father-in-law had been a high-ranking official who worked on the President's security detail for George H.W. Bush. She contacted the military to request his fingerprints from their records. Because of his level of security clearance, they would not release them. She tracked down his gun permit, knowing he had owned firearms and would have been fingerprinted as part of that process. She came up empty handed there too.
And then she called one of his best friends, a man who had served alongside him. She explained what she was trying to do. And he told her: try the Texas Department of Public Safety.
What She Found at the Texas DPS
What followed was a process that took persistence, patience, and more determination than most people would have given to a Christmas gift. She navigated the Texas DPS Public Information Center, figured out the specific request type, completed the required form, and submitted everything correctly. And then she came back to Forever LT with her father-in-law's digital fingerprints and something even more valuable: a step-by-step guide so that no one else would ever have to work as hard as she did to get there.
She did not just find his fingerprints. She built the road.
That step-by-step process has since been refined as the Texas DPS has updated and streamlined their system. What once required extraordinary effort now takes as little as a few minutes to request and as few as three to five business days to receive, sometimes within the same day. It is completely free of charge. And it is available to any funeral home or family member who knows to ask.
When Families Find Out This Is Possible
Forever LT shares this information with any family or funeral home director who reaches out, whether they are a partner or not. And the reaction is always the same.
They weep.
Because they had assumed the window was closed. Because they had already grieved the loss of a keepsake on top of the loss of a person. And because finding out that their loved one's fingerprint is still accessible, still retrievable, still theirs to hold, is one of the most profound pieces of news a grieving family can receive.
This is one of the most powerful and impactful services Forever LT offers. And it belongs to any Texas family who needs it. We do not gatekeep.
Who Qualifies and What You Need to Know
The Texas DPS fingerprint request is available for any person who held a Texas Driver's License, generally going back to the 1990s and covering the last 20 to 30 years of records. You do not have to be next of kin. You do not have to share the same last name. You simply need to explain who you are and what you intend to do with the fingerprint. Forever LT has personally used this process to obtain a grandmother-in-law's fingerprints, which speaks to how broadly accessible this resource is.
The request can be submitted by either a funeral home or a family member directly. There is no charge. Response time is typically three to five business days, and sometimes the fingerprints arrive within minutes of submission.
For Funeral Home Directors
Knowing about this resource changes what you can offer a family in the arrangement room. When a family tells you they have no fingerprint, your first question can now be: did your loved one have a Texas Driver's License? If the answer is yes, there is a very good chance their fingerprint is still accessible through the Texas DPS, at no cost, within days.
Or maybe there is a case where someone forgot to get fingerprints of a decedent. The pure panic that overcomes the funeral director at the thought of having forgotten to take fingerprints doesn’t have to happen with this wonderful service.
Forever LT is happy to walk any funeral home director through the process and provide the step-by-step guide and the form needed for any family you are serving. You do not have to be a Forever LT partner to access this resource. Reach out to us at info@ForeverLT.com and we will get you everything you need.
How to Get the Full Step by Step Guide
The complete step by step process, including the required form and exact language to use in your request, is available to any family or funeral home director who needs it, completely free of charge, no strings attached.
Send us an email at info@ForeverLT.com and we will get everything to you right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can request a loved one's fingerprint from the Texas DPS?
Both funeral homes and family members can submit the request directly. You do not have to be next of kin or share the same last name as the deceased. You simply need to explain your relationship and your intention. Forever LT has successfully obtained fingerprints for extended family members using this process.
Is there a cost to request fingerprints from the Texas DPS?
No. The fingerprint request is completely free of charge.
How long does it take to receive the fingerprints?
Response time is typically three to five business days. Many requests are fulfilled within minutes of submission. You will receive the fingerprints electronically through the DPS Records Center portal.
How far back do Texas DPS fingerprint records go?
Records are generally available for anyone who held a Texas Driver's License in the last 20 to 30 years, going back to the 1990s. If you are unsure whether your loved one qualifies, contact Forever LT at info@ForeverLT.com and we will help you determine whether the records are likely to be available.
What is the required form and where do I get it?
The form is a required document that must be attached to every fingerprint request. It can be completed by either the funeral home or a family member. Forever LT provides the required form and step by step instructions to any family or funeral home director who reaches out, whether or not they are a current partner. Contact us at info@ForeverLT.com.
What if my loved one did not have a Texas Driver's License?
The Texas DPS process is specific to individuals who held a Texas Driver's License. If your loved one did not have a Texas license, Forever LT can help you explore other options, including photo-based keepsakes, handwriting engravings, ultrasound necklaces, and other alternatives. There is almost always something to work with. Reach out at info@ForeverLT.com.
To learn more about this process or to receive the required form and step by step guide, contact Forever LT at info@ForeverLT.com. To learn more about offering Forever LT keepsakes to the families you serve, visit ForeverLT.com.
