To shorten the processing time of fingerprint collation concerning a fingerprint collating device for discriminating an individual by reading a fingerprint and collating it with a registered fingerprint.

An image pickup means 2a continuously reads fingerprint images, an extracting means 2b extracts the fingerprint image just after a finger tip touches a reading plane, and a detecting means 4a detects the reference position of fingerprint data from this image. A preparing means 4b prepares fingerprint data from the read fingerprint image by using the reference position as a center, a collating means 4c collates these fingerprint data with registered fingerprint data registered in the past and stored in a storage means 6a, and a discriminating means 5a discriminates whether the fingerprint data and the registered fingerprint data show the same person from the collation results.