Private Investigator Facts

Private Investigator Facts

• Nearly every state requires persons performing investigative functions to hold a valid private investigator license. Licenses are issued by a state regulatory board.
• The definition of “investigative functions” can vary from state to state. For example, some states will require a license for persons who conduct database searches. Some states require fire investigators, forensic auditors, and forensic computer specialists to hold a license.
• The requirements to become a licensed private investigator vary from state to state.
• The procedures incidental to license application usually include presenting evidence of having met certain educational requirements, evidence of having completed entry-level training, an application, fingerprint cards for background checking, and a license fee that may or may not be refundable.
• Usually, private investigators that perform work in other states must hold a license for each state. A few states have reciprocity agreements that allow licensed investigators to conduct work across state lines, but usually for a limited period of time.
• Persons that conduct private investigation work without possession of a license are violating the law. Punishments can range from prohibition to work as an investigator for a specified period of time, including permanently, fine and prosecution.
• Generally, the requirements of licensure include being above a certain age, possessing a high school or GRE diploma, being free of a felony conviction, and being free of a severe physical disability, including a mental health problem.
• Nearly every state requires entry-level persons to complete a training course of a certain length and having topical content designated by the state regulatory board.
• Some states administer entry-level exams. These are not exams administered in a training program.
• Few states will not allow a newly licensed investigator to perform investigative duties until a background check has been completed and passed.
• Most newly licensed investigators are initially assigned work of a non-critical nature such as surveillance.
• The number of females entering the private investigation field is increasing.
• Generally, private investigation work is not severely affected by economic downturns.
• The private investigation field has many niches and specialties, for example; cases involving child abuse, divorce, employee theft, criminal defense investigation, workers’ compensation fraud, insurance fraud, bank fraud, forensic auditing, eavesdropping detection and prevention, recovery of computer data, undercover operations, surveillance, loss prevention, executive protection, pre-employment screening, assets tracking, skip tracing, missing persons, service of warrants and background investigation.
• The beginning pay for a private investigator is in the mid-level range. It increases as a function of quality work. Some investigators become affluent over time.
• Referrals and word-of-mouth advertising is the mainstay of private investigation agencies.

For further information concerning licensure in all 50 states, go to our link entitled Private Investigator Licensing Boards. You will find there phone numbers, website addresses and e-mail addresses.