This study describes the synthesis and characterization of a new sulfamethazine azo dye prepared by a diazotization and azo-coupling reaction. The structure of the synthesized azo dye was confirmed using FT-IR, ¹H NMR, and mass spectroscopy techniques. The photophysical properties of the azo dye were studied using UV–visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. The dye showed solvent-dependent absorption and fluorescence behavior. Electrochemical studies carried out by cyclic voltammetry (CV) at a carbon paste electrode (CPE) showed good electrochemical behavior. The synthesized azo dye was also applied in forensic science for latent fingerprint visualization using the powder dusting method. Clear and high-quality fingerprint ridge details were observed under UV light. These results suggest that the synthesized sulfamethazine azo dye has potential applications in fluorescent materials, electrochemical, and forensic fingerprint detection.