Abstract: A fast position tolerant and economical fingerprint verification algorithm and software implementation is disclosed. The algorithm has very important advantages in comparison to existing fingerprint verification algorithms like minutia extraction or full image analysis based on a series of two dimensional fast Fourier transforms (FFT's) and two dimensional cross correlation in speed, compactness of the biocript and finger positioning for verification. It is based on a small "yardstick" pattern being moved inside the image to be verified, and when a match is found the rest of the verification process is started. The software code implements the algorithm in the most efficient way for utilization on a digital signal processor architecture. A main area of application is in fingerprint identification and verification, but it could be implemented with same success in other image verification systems like iris, eye, face etc., where two images should be compared.