A new heterocyclic azo dye was successfully synthesized by diazotization and azo-coupling methods. The molecular structure of the synthesized azo dye was confirmed using FT-IR, ¹H NMR, and mass spectroscopy. The photophysical properties of the dye were studied using UV–visible and fluorescence spectroscopy in different solvents. The dye showed good absorption and fluorescence behavior. Electrochemical studies using cyclic voltammetry at a carbon paste electrode showed stable and reversible redox activity with good electron-transfer properties. Furthermore, the synthesized heterocyclic azo dye also showed strong fluorescence under UV light and was used for latent fingerprint detection on non-porous surfaces. Clear fingerprint ridge patterns were observed with good contrast and sensitivity. The results indicate that the synthesized heterocyclic azo dye has potential applications in fluorescent imaging, sensing, and forensic science.