Private Investigator License Requirements by State
Compare requirements across all states to find out what you need.
| State | Education Hours | Est. Total Cost | Exam | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Alabama Private Investigation Board | View Guide |
| Alaska | 0 | $500 - $1,500 | No State Licensing Requirement | View Guide |
| Arizona | 0 | $1,500 - $2,500 | Arizona Department of Public Safety | View Guide |
| Arkansas | 0 | $1,300 - $2,300 | Arkansas Board of Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies | View Guide |
| California | 6000 | $3,000 - $4,000 | California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) | View Guide |
| Colorado | 0 | $700 - $1,700 | Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) | View Guide |
| Connecticut | 0 | $2,000 - $3,000 | Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) | View Guide |
| Delaware | 0 | $1,500 - $2,500 | Delaware State Police — Private Investigator Licensing | View Guide |
| Florida | 40 | $2,000 - $3,000 | Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services — Division of Licensing | View Guide |
| Georgia | 0 | $1,700 - $2,700 | Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies | View Guide |
| Hawaii | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs — Board of Private Detectives and Guards | View Guide |
| Idaho | 0 | $500 - $1,500 | No State Licensing Requirement | View Guide |
| Illinois | 0 | $2,000 - $3,000 | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) | View Guide |
| Indiana | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency | View Guide |
| Iowa | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Iowa Department of Public Safety | View Guide |
| Kansas | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Kansas Attorney General — Private Detective Licensing Unit | View Guide |
| Kentucky | 0 | $1,300 - $2,300 | Kentucky Board of Licensure for Private Investigators | View Guide |
| Louisiana | 0 | $1,500 - $2,500 | Louisiana State Board of Private Investigator Examiners | View Guide |
| Maine | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Maine Department of Public Safety — Maine State Police Licensing Division | View Guide |
| Maryland | 0 | $2,000 - $3,000 | Maryland State Police — Licensing Division | View Guide |
| Massachusetts | 0 | $1,500 - $2,500 | Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) | View Guide |
| Michigan | 0 | $1,300 - $2,300 | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) | View Guide |
| Minnesota | 0 | $1,300 - $2,300 | Minnesota Board of Private Detective and Protective Agent Services | View Guide |
| Mississippi | 0 | $500 - $1,500 | No State Licensing Requirement | View Guide |
| Missouri | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Missouri Division of Professional Registration | View Guide |
| Montana | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Montana Department of Labor and Industry — Board of Private Security | View Guide |
| Nebraska | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Nebraska Secretary of State — Private Detective Division | View Guide |
| Nevada | 0 | $2,000 - $3,000 | Nevada Private Investigator's Licensing Board (PILB) | View Guide |
| New Hampshire | 0 | $700 - $1,700 | New Hampshire Department of Safety — Division of State Police | View Guide |
| New Jersey | 0 | $2,000 - $3,000 | New Jersey State Police — Private Detective Unit | View Guide |
| New Mexico | 0 | $1,500 - $2,500 | New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department — Private Investigations Advisory Board | View Guide |
| New York | 0 | $2,500 - $3,500 | New York Division of Licensing Services — Department of State | View Guide |
| North Carolina | 0 | $1,700 - $2,700 | North Carolina Private Protective Services Board (PPSB) | View Guide |
| North Dakota | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | North Dakota Private Investigation and Security Board | View Guide |
| Ohio | 0 | $1,700 - $2,700 | Ohio Department of Public Safety — Private Investigator Security Guard Services | View Guide |
| Oklahoma | 0 | $1,500 - $2,500 | Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) | View Guide |
| Oregon | 0 | $1,300 - $2,300 | Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) | View Guide |
| Pennsylvania | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Pennsylvania State Police — Lethal Weapons Training Act | View Guide |
| Rhode Island | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Rhode Island Department of Public Safety | View Guide |
| South Carolina | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) | View Guide |
| South Dakota | 0 | $500 - $1,500 | No State Licensing Requirement | View Guide |
| Tennessee | 0 | $1,500 - $2,500 | Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance — Private Protective Services | View Guide |
| Texas | 0 | $2,000 - $3,000 | Texas Department of Public Safety — Private Security Bureau (PSB) | View Guide |
| Utah | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Utah Department of Public Safety — Bureau of Criminal Identification | View Guide |
| Vermont | 0 | $700 - $1,700 | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation | View Guide |
| Virginia | 60 | $1,700 - $2,700 | Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) | View Guide |
| Washington | 0 | $1,300 - $2,300 | Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) | View Guide |
| West Virginia | 0 | $1,300 - $2,300 | West Virginia Secretary of State — Private Investigator Licensing | View Guide |
| Wisconsin | 0 | $1,000 - $2,000 | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) | View Guide |
| Wyoming | 0 | $500 - $1,500 | No State Licensing Requirement | View Guide |