Badge to Business
Most states that license private investigators accept some law enforcement service toward the license, but the terms differ: some count any sworn service, some only investigative assignments, and some count it only at the agency’s discretion. Several states bar current officers from holding a license at all. This page sets out each state’s rule with a link to the official text.
- Type
- Practice guide
- Sources checked
- Part of
- Standards
Who this is for
This guide is for police officers, deputies, federal agents, and military police who are thinking about investigations work after, or alongside, a law enforcement career. It covers four questions for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia: what experience the license requires, whether law enforcement service counts toward it, what waivers or exemptions apply to officers, and whether a current officer may hold a license.
It is general information, not legal advice. The state licensing agency decides whether your experience qualifies. Each entry links to the official statute, rule, or agency page we read, and where a source could not be read we say so.
What usually carries over
Of the 51 jurisdictions, 45 license private investigators at the state level. Six states do not: Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Among the 45:
- 24 name law enforcement service as qualifying experience. In 18 it is in the statute (Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia). In 5 it is in the licensing rules (Georgia, Hawaii, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina). In California it is in the licensing agency’s application; the statute itself could not be read.
- 10 count “investigative experience” without naming police service (Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington). Government investigator work fits, but whether patrol time counts is left to the agency or not stated.
- 2 credit police service another way. Arkansas exempts applicants with 5 consecutive years in law enforcement from the exam. North Dakota’s Board may waive some or all of its experience requirement for equivalent law enforcement experience.
- 8 have no experience requirement (District of Columbia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wisconsin). Some still give officers a break: Missouri on the exam, Oklahoma and Virginia on training.
- Tennessee is not verified. Its official code text could not be read for this guide.
A state naming police service does not mean any service counts. In Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, and North Carolina, police time counts only as investigative work. Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York have two tracks: a shorter one for detective or investigative work (or, in Massachusetts, rank above patrolman) and a longer one for any police service, up to 20 years in New York. Pennsylvania names only certain roles, such as State Police and city officers above patrolman.
Arkansas and Missouri waive the private investigator exam for officers, and Oklahoma exempts active Oklahoma-certified peace officers from the state test for its armed private investigator license. Some states have no state exam at all, including Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Before you leave
Eleven states do not let a current officer hold a private investigator license:
- By statute: Connecticut (29-154c), Delaware (individual license, 24 Del. C. 1316 and 1314(6)), Iowa (80A.4), Kansas (75-7b02(c)), Maine (32 M.R.S. 8112), New Hampshire (RSA 106-F:10, IV, and Saf-C 2203.09(b)), North Carolina (G.S. 74C-21(a)), and North Dakota, where a Board rule bars licensees from any job with police-type powers or access to law enforcement records (NDAC 93-02-01.1-07(2)) and the statute allows a license only if the officer’s POST license is inactive (43-30-05.2).
- By rule: Hawaii bars employees and reserve officers of any law enforcement agency (HAR 16-97-8(b)).
- By agency position: the Massachusetts State Police require that the applicant not be currently POST-certified, and the statute’s police routes name former officers. The New Jersey State Police FAQ says an active officer cannot hold a license; we did not find the statute or rule behind it.
Three more set conditions. Michigan licenses a current officer only with the chief’s or sheriff’s written permission, a department policy permitting it, or a collective bargaining agreement (MCL 338.826(3)). In Nevada, if the Board finds an officer’s private work creates a conflict of interest, it holds the license in abeyance while the officer keeps the public job (NAC 648.330). Missouri allows active officers but bars use of the badge, uniform, vehicle, or police-only information (RSMo 324.1146).
On duty, at least 33 of the 45 licensing jurisdictions exempt government officers performing official duties from the licensing law, and Rhode Island exempts government investigators. In California, Georgia, Hawaii, and Indiana the exemption sections could not be read from an official source. Apart from the exceptions listed below, these exemptions do not cover paid private investigation work. In Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, and Virginia, the off-duty exemption for officers covers only security, guard, or patrol work, not investigations.
A few states give off-duty officers a narrower path:
- Iowa: a peace officer may run a private investigation business with the consent of the agency’s chief executive, without a state license (80A.2(2)).
- Oregon: a full-time peace officer paid for investigator work is exempt if the work is for no more than one client (ORS 703.411(4)).
- West Virginia: state and local officers are outside the private investigator definition while working for a private employer off duty (30-18-1(5)(B)(iii)).
- New Mexico: law enforcement employees may do skip tracing, and certified officers traffic crash reconstruction, without a license (61-27B-4).
- North Dakota: law enforcement officials used as expert witnesses need no license to review gathered information or a scene, as long as there is no personal contact such as interviews and no use of confidential law enforcement records (NDAC 93-02-01.1-07(5)).
Department rules on outside employment were not part of this review. Check them, along with the state law, before you take paid work.
Firearms
A private investigator license is not a carry permit. In 23 of the 45 licensing jurisdictions, the PI licensing law has its own armed permit, endorsement, or authorization; in the other 21 we found none, so carrying falls under general state firearms law (Tennessee is not verified). A few states credit police firearms training: Florida may waive its 28-hour Class G training for currently certified officers, Illinois may waive firearm training for trained officers and LEOSA-qualified retirees, Ohio accepts academy firearms training in place of its 20-hour course, and Oklahoma exempts active certified officers from armed license training. In Wisconsin, current Wisconsin officers, qualified out-of-state officers, qualifying former officers, and concealed carry licensees may carry as private detectives without a separate state firearms permit (SPS 34.01(5) to (8)); everyone else needs one. Since October 1, 2025, North Carolina exempts licensees carrying under LEOSA from the state concealed handgun permit, but they still need the Board’s firearm permit (G.S. 74C-13(p)).
The federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (18 U.S.C. 926C) is a separate law with its own conditions for qualified retired officers; it is not part of any state’s PI license.
Every state
“On duty exempt” means the licensing law does not apply to government officers while performing official duties. “None found” means we found nothing in the sources listed, not that nothing exists. Each state name links to its page in the Licensing Ledger.
| State | Experience requirement | Does police experience count? | Officer waivers or exemptions | Limits on active officers | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 years of experience, education, or training, including 120 hours of field experience related to private investigation | Yes, named in statute: sworn officer service, or detective or investigator work at any level of government | None found; the Act’s exceptions do not mention officers | None found. Licensees may not suggest a connection to a law enforcement agency | Ala. Code 34-25B-12, -24; Ala. Admin. Code 741-X-5 |
| Alaska | No state license (Anchorage issues a local license) | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Anchorage private detective licensing |
| Arizona | Agency qualifying party: 3 years of full-time investigative experience for a private employer or a government. Registered employees need none | Not named. Government investigator work counts; whether patrol service counts is not stated | None found. On-duty peace officers are outside the Act; an off-duty officer paid for PI work needs a license or registration | None found in the statute. The DPS rules could not be read | A.R.S. 32-2422; A.R.S. 32-2401 |
| Arkansas | Investigations company (Class A) manager: 2 consecutive years in an investigations company, or other listed routes. Individual credentialed PIs need none | Not as experience. 5 consecutive years in law enforcement exempts the applicant from the exam | Exam exemption for 5 consecutive years in law enforcement, if currently employed or retired or separated within 5 years. On duty exempt; the off-duty exemption covers only patrolman, guard, or watchman work | None found; the exam rule expects applicants currently employed in law enforcement. Licensees may not show a badge | 17 CAR 350-1103(g), -1105; A.C.A. 17-40-103, -306 |
| California | Qualified manager: 3 years (6,000 hours) of paid investigative experience; or a law degree or four-year course in police science plus 2 years (4,000 hours) | Yes, named in the BSIS application: sworn officers with arrest powers (federal, state, or local) and military police. A year is 2,000 paid hours. Custodial or bailiff work does not count | None found in BSIS materials. The statutory exemptions (Bus. & Prof. Code 7522) could not be read, so on-duty and off-duty rules are not stated here | None found in BSIS materials | BSIS application; BSIS fact sheet |
| Colorado | No state license since August 31, 2021 | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | HB 20-1207 (vetoed) |
| Connecticut | Age 25, and 5 years as a full-time investigator or 10 years as a police officer with a state or organized municipal department | Yes, named in statute: 10 years of police service in any assignment, or (by regulation) 5 years as a detective or investigator with a federal, state, or local agency. The DESPP FAQ also accepts 10 years with a federal department, which the statute does not mention | No waiver beyond the 10-year police route. No on-duty exemption found | Barred by statute: no member of a state or local police force, or other person with police powers, is eligible (Conn. Gen. Stat. 29-154c). Retired officers send a discharge letter | Conn. Gen. Stat. 29-154a, 29-154c; Regs. 29-161-2; DESPP FAQ |
| Delaware | Agency (Class A) license holder: age 25, and 5 years of investigative experience or police service after a certified academy. Individual investigators need none but must work for an agency | Yes, named in statute. By rule, at least 3 years of police service, not counting the academy; patrol counts | Reduced requirement: 3 years of police service instead of 5 years of investigative experience. No exam or fee waiver; no on-duty exemption found | Individual PI licensees must not be members or employees of a law enforcement organization (24 Del. C. 1316, 1314(6)). Whether this applies to the agency license holder is not stated | 24 Del. C. ch. 13; 24 DE Admin. Code 1300, Rule 9.2 |
| District of Columbia | None | No experience requirement | None found | None found. Every private detective license needs the approval of the Chief of Police | D.C. Code 47-2853.208; 17 DCMR ch. 20 |
| Florida | Class C: 2 years of full-time experience or training in investigative or related work | Not named as work experience; counts only if FDACS accepts it as a related field. Law enforcement training counts for at most 1 year | On duty, and approved off-duty security work, exempt; off-duty PI work needs a license. Class G firearm training may be waived for certified state or federal officers. Veterans’ initial fees are waived | None found | Fla. Stat. 493.6203; 493.6102; 493.6105 |
| Georgia | Company license designee: 2 years as a licensed private detective, 2 years in law enforcement, or a 4-year criminal justice degree | Yes, named in Board rule: 2 years of law enforcement with a federal, state, county, or municipal agency, in any assignment, at least 30 hours a week | No exam waiver. POST in-service hours meet continuing education. The statutory exemptions (O.C.G.A. 43-38) could not be read | None found in Board rules | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 509-2; 509-3; 509-4 |
| Hawaii | 4 years of full-time investigative work, or the equivalent | Yes, named in rule, but limited: a police officer needs at least 1 year of full-time investigative work. Government investigators also qualify | None found. The statutory exemptions (HRS ch. 463) could not be read | Barred by rule: an employee or reserve officer of any law enforcement agency may not hold a license (HAR 16-97-8(b)) | HAR 16-97 |
| Idaho | No state license (Coeur d’Alene requires 5 years of law enforcement experience for its detective agency license) | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Coeur d’Alene licenses; Idaho Code Title 54 |
| Illinois | 3 years of full-time experience within the last 5, in listed settings including a law enforcement agency. Degrees count for 1 or 2 years | Yes, named in statute, as full-time investigator work in a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency (including prosecutor and public defender offices). Patrol work is not automatically credited | On duty exempt; paid PI work needs a license. Officers employed by an agency need no employee registration card. Firearm training may be waived for trained officers and LEOSA-qualified retirees | No bar found. Applicants may not have been discharged from a law enforcement agency for reasons relating to conduct as an employee | 225 ILCS 447 |
| Indiana | Firm qualifier: 2 years (4,000 hours, W-2 only) in the investigative or security field, or a criminal justice bachelor’s degree | The licensing agency says experience in the “investigative and/or security guard field”; law enforcement is not named in the sources we could read | None found. The statutory exemptions (IC 25-30-1) could not be read | None found. Firm names and ads may not imply a law enforcement connection | Indiana PLA licensing information |
| Iowa | None | No experience requirement | On duty exempt. A peace officer may run a private investigation business with the consent of the agency’s chief executive, without a state license | A licensee and its employees must not be peace officers (reserve officers allowed). A licensed agency may not have peace officers in ownership or management | Iowa Code ch. 80A; 661 IAC ch. 121 |
| Kansas | None | No experience requirement | On duty exempt. Recent law enforcement training can meet the firearm permit training | Barred by statute: current officers and holders of a special law enforcement commission may not be licensed (K.S.A. 75-7b02(c)) | K.S.A. 75-7b02; 75-7b03; 75-7b17 |
| Kentucky | None | No experience requirement | No exam or fee waiver. On duty exempt; off-duty PI work needs a license | No bar found. An applicant whose peace officer certification was revoked in any state is disqualified | KRS 329A.035; KRS 329A.070 |
| Louisiana | Agency license: 3 years within the last 10 as a PI or in an investigative capacity. Individual license: none, but works only for an agency | Not named; experience “in an investigative capacity” counts | None found. On duty exempt; off-duty work for hire needs a license | None found | La. R.S. 37:3507.2; La. R.S. 37:3503 |
| Maine | 3 years as a state or local officer who met Maine training standards, 3 years as a federal investigator or military detective, or other routes | Yes, named in statute: any state or local officer with 3 years. Federal and military service counts only as an investigator or detective | No exam or fee waiver. On duty exempt | Barred by statute: anyone with plenary or special law enforcement powers from the state or a subdivision (32 M.R.S. 8112) | 32 M.R.S. 8105; 8112; 8104 |
| Maryland | Agency license: 5 years of full-time police service with approved training, 3 years as a police detective or government investigator, or other routes. Individual certification: none, through an agency | Yes, named in statute: patrol service at 5 years, detective or investigative work at 3. Federal and other states’ agencies are included | None found. On duty exempt; off-duty work needs a license or certification | None found | Bus. Occ. & Prof. 13-303; 13-102 |
| Massachusetts | 3 years each as a detective, in federal investigative service, or as a former officer above patrolman (State Police reading); or 10 years as a police officer in good standing | Yes, named in statute. Patrol-rank officers need 10 years; the police routes are for former officers | No fee waiver. On duty exempt | The State Police require that the applicant not be currently POST-certified; the statute’s police routes name former officers | M.G.L. c.147, s.24; s.23; State Police requirements |
| Michigan | 3 years full-time in listed categories, or a qualifying bachelor’s degree. No exam | Yes, named in statute: any certified police officer, as well as government and military investigators and agents | On duty exempt; off-duty officers need a license | Allowed only with the chief’s or sheriff’s written permission, a department policy permitting it, or a collective bargaining agreement (MCL 338.826(3)) | MCL 338.826; MCL 338.824 |
| Minnesota | 6,000 hours as an investigator for a licensed agency, a federal investigative service, a city police department or sheriff’s office, or an equivalent occupation | Yes, named in statute, as investigator work. Other agencies (state patrol, tribal, military) need Board approval as equivalent | Equivalent prior training may meet training requirements. On duty exempt; off-duty work needs a license | None found. Licensees may not use words like “police” or “sheriff” to imply a government agency | Minn. Stat. 326.3382; 326.3341; 326.3361 |
| Mississippi | No state license | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | 2026 legislative measures list |
| Missouri | None; exam required unless exempt | No experience requirement | The Board may waive the exam for currently POST-certified officers; they still pay fees and must show knowledge of the legal limits of PI work. Officers who do private investigations must be licensed. On duty exempt | Allowed with limits: no use of official position, police-only information, uniform, badge, or vehicle; own equipment, insurance, and bond | RSMo 324.1146; 324.1106; 20 CSR 2234-5 |
| Montana | 5,400 hours (up to 2,700 from training or education) and an exam | Yes, named in rule: government or military work as a peace officer, detective, special agent, or other investigator. The Montana academy basic course counts toward training hours | No exam or fee waiver. On duty exempt; off-duty work needs a license | None found | ARM 24.182.512; MCA 37-60-105; 37-60-301 |
| Nebraska | 3,000 hours of investigative experience (2,500 with an associate degree, 2,000 with a bachelor’s in criminal justice) and an exam | Yes, named in rule: city, county, state, or federal officers and military police. The Secretary of State may also approve other investigative experience | None found; no express on-duty exemption in the sections read | None found in the sections read | Sec. of State rules ch. 3; Neb. Rev. Stat. 71-3205 |
| Nevada | 5 years (10,000 hours) as an investigator or the Board-approved equivalent; degrees give partial credit; exam | Not named; the Board decides what is equivalent | None found. On duty exempt | If an officer’s private work creates a conflict of interest, the Board holds the license in abeyance while the officer keeps the public job (NAC 648.330) | NRS 648; NAC 648 |
| New Hampshire | 4 years full-time as a law enforcement officer, or other routes (investigator, security, insurance, fire) | Yes, named in statute: 4 years full-time with a federal, state, county, college or university, or municipal police department, in any assignment | None found. On duty exempt | Barred by statute: no sworn law enforcement officer of New Hampshire, another state, or the federal government may be issued or hold a PI or agency license (RSA 106-F:10, IV; also Saf-C 2203.09(b)) | RSA 106-F; Saf-C 2200 |
| New Jersey | Age 25, and 5 years as an investigator, as a New Jersey police officer, or with a government investigative agency | Yes, named in statute: 5 years with a New Jersey state, county, or municipal police department, or with a federal or state investigative agency | The Act has no exam. On-duty government employees exempt | The State Police FAQ says an active police officer cannot hold a license or be part of a licensed corporation. We did not find the statute or rule behind it | N.J.S.A. 45:19 (Act text); NJSP FAQ |
| New Mexico | 3 years (6,000 hours) within the last 5 in listed investigative work; jurisprudence exam | Not named; counted by the type of work, such as investigating crimes or securing evidence. Patrol time does not clearly count | On duty exempt. Since July 1, 2023, state or local law enforcement employees may do skip tracing, and certified officers crash reconstruction, without a PI license | None found. Business names may not use terms like “police” or “sheriff” | HB 384 (Laws 2023, ch. 190); 16.48.2 NMAC |
| New York | Age 25, an exam, and 3 years of investigative work in listed roles, or 20 years as a police officer or fire marshal | Yes, named in statute: 3 years of investigative work as a sheriff, police officer, or government investigator, or 20 years of police service in any assignment | No exam waiver. On duty exempt; off-duty work for hire needs a license | None found in the statute | Gen. Bus. Law 72; GBL 83; Department of State |
| North Carolina | 3 years (3,000 hours) of investigations, including law enforcement in an investigative capacity, or military investigation | Yes, named in rule, only in an investigative capacity (most duties investigative). Patrol service does not clearly qualify | Firearms training exemption for officers with Basic Law Enforcement Training and for officers retired or separated within 3 years; they must still qualify. No exam or fee waiver. On duty exempt | Barred by statute: no law enforcement officer of the U.S., any state, or a subdivision may be licensed (G.S. 74C-21(a)). Off-duty officers may do security work, not PI work | G.S. ch. 74C; 14B NCAC 16 |
| North Dakota | An exam and 2,000 hours as a registered employee of a licensed agency | Not counted directly. The Board may waive some or all of the requirement for equivalent law enforcement or military investigation experience | Discretionary equivalency waiver. Law enforcement officials used as expert witnesses are exempt when reviewing records or a scene, with no interviews and no confidential law enforcement records (NDAC 93-02-01.1-07(5)). On duty exempt | An officer may be licensed only if the officer’s POST license is inactive (N.D.C.C. 43-30-05.2). Licensees may not hold jobs with police-type powers or access to law enforcement records | NDAC 93-02-01.1; N.D.C.C. ch. 43-30 |
| Ohio | Class B: 4,000 hours of investigatory work within the last 24 months | Yes, named in statute: work for a law enforcement or other public agency engaged in investigations. By rule, the director may accept significant law enforcement or military police experience | Academy firearms training replaces the 20-hour firearms course. An officer in the PI business needs a license. On duty exempt | None found | ORC 4749.03; ORC 4749.01; OAC 4501:7-1 |
| Oklahoma | None; CLEET training for the license type | No experience requirement. With 1 year of full-time law enforcement work in the last 3, CLEET may waive training (except armed security guard firearms training) | Armed PI: active and retired officers skip the psychological exam; active CLEET-certified Oklahoma officers skip the training phases and state test and pay 20% of the fee. On duty exempt | None found; the law expects active officers to hold armed licenses | 59 O.S. 1750.2 to 1750.6 (Title 59) |
| Oregon | 1,500 hours of investigatory work, an approved course, or a mix | Not named; DPSST decides whether police work counts. Military training and experience are named | On duty exempt. A full-time peace officer paid for PI work is exempt if working for no more than one client | None found. Licensees may not imply a law enforcement connection | ORS ch. 703; OAR 259-061 |
| Pennsylvania | Business license from the county court: 3 years as a detective or in listed law enforcement roles | Yes, named in statute, for certain roles only: federal investigative service, sheriff, State Police, or city police above patrolman | No state exam. On duty exempt; off-duty work needs a license | None found in the Act | Private Detective Act of 1953 |
| Rhode Island | 5 years as an investigator or police officer, a criminal justice degree, or equivalent training or experience | Yes, named in statute: any state, county, or municipal police officer, or a federal or state investigative agency | The equivalent-experience route. Government investigators are exempt; the wording names investigators, not uniformed officers | None found in the statute | R.I. Gen. Laws 5-5-3; 5-5-20 |
| South Carolina | Business license: 3 years as a PI, an investigator, or a sworn officer | Yes, named in statute: 3 years as a sworn officer with a federal, state, county, or municipal agency, in any role | None found. On duty exempt; the moonlighting exemptions cover only patrolman, guard, or watchman work | None found | S.C. Code ch. 40-18 |
| South Dakota | No state license | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | SD Attorney General |
| Tennessee | Not verified for this guide: the official code text could not be read | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | HB 1709 (2026) |
| Texas | Company manager: 3 consecutive years of investigation-related experience, or degree and other combinations. Individual PI: none | Not named; DPS reviews whether the experience is adequate | Officers need not submit fingerprints. On duty exempt; the off-duty exemption covers only patrolman, guard, extra job coordinator, or watchman work | None found | Tex. Occ. Code ch. 1702; DPS rules (2024) |
| Utah | Since September 1, 2026: agent 5,000 hours (the statute also counts private-sector investigator work; the emergency rule’s form asks for hours within 10 years as a licensed PI or government investigator); registrant 2,000 hours; apprentice none | Government investigator hours count; police are not named. Under the Division’s emergency rule, Utah POST basic training may earn a 1,000-hour credit | The 1,000-hour POST credit; no exam or fee waiver. An employee investigating for an employer that is not a PI is outside the definition (Utah Code 58-92-101(5)(b)(iv)) | No express bar. Applicants attest to no conflict of interest, which includes public duties they cannot carry out at the same time | S.B. 149 (2026); R156-92 (emergency rule) |
| Vermont | 2 years of investigative experience as the Director decides, a 40-hour course, and an exam | Yes, named in statute: a sworn member of a federal, state, or municipal law enforcement agency | None found. On duty exempt; the off-duty carve-out covers only security guard work | None found | 26 V.S.A. ch. 59 |
| Virginia | None; 60 hours of entry-level training | No experience requirement. Former officers with 5 years of service who left within the last 5 years, not for misconduct, may be exempted from entry-level training | Training exemption. On duty exempt; the moonlighting exemption covers only security work | None found | 6VAC20-174-190; Code 9.1-140; 9.1-141 |
| Washington | Agency: an exam, or 3 years of investigative work (2,000 hours a year). Individual: none, but works for an agency | Not named; the director decides what is equivalent. The exam is an alternative to experience | On duty exempt; no off-duty exemption | None found. The director asks the local chief law enforcement officer for comments before a permanent license | RCW 18.165 |
| West Virginia | 1 year of experience, education, or training in listed areas | Yes, named in statute: any member of a federal investigative agency or a state or local law enforcement agency, a sheriff, or military service | West Virginia officers are outside the PI definition on duty and while working for a private employer off duty | None found | W. Va. Code 30-18-1; 30-18-2 |
| Wisconsin | None by rule; an exam | No experience requirement | None found. On duty exempt; off-duty PI work needs a license | None found | Wis. Stat. 440.26; SPS 34 |
| Wyoming | No state license (some cities license detective businesses) | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Wyoming Statutes Title 33 |
Changes since 2023
Changes that touch these rules, in order of effective date. Where a date could not be confirmed, we say so.
- Alabama: Act 2023-397 (HB 75) amended the experience requirement in Ala. Code 34-25B-12. It took effect on the first day of the third month after the Governor’s approval; the approval date is not shown in the enrolled text we read.
- New Mexico, July 1, 2023: Laws 2023, ch. 190 (HB 384) restated the 3-year experience requirement and let law enforcement do skip tracing and crash reconstruction without a PI license.
- Montana, December 9, 2023: the experience rule, ARM 24.182.512, was amended.
- Illinois, January 1, 2024: P.A. 103-309 amended 225 ILCS 447/15-5 and 15-10 without changing the law enforcement experience wording. The Act is scheduled to be repealed January 1, 2029.
- Hawaii, January 1, 2024: chapter 463 licensees became exempt from the rule that a carry license applicant be the firearm’s registered owner (HRS 134-9(d)(2)). This comes from our licensing tracker; the statute site blocked access when we rechecked it for this guide.
- Maryland, June 1, 2024: 2024 chapters 737 and 738 changed the application process. The police experience routes in 13-303 did not change.
- North Carolina, September 1, 2024: the PI experience rule, 14B NCAC 16 .0401, was amended.
- Iowa, October 23, 2024: 661 IAC chapter 121 was re-adopted, keeping its rules on peace officers.
- Kansas, May 1, 2025: L. 2025, ch. 98 (HB 2342) amended the definitions in 75-7b01. The bar on current officers in 75-7b02(c) did not change.
- South Carolina, May 12, 2025: 2025 Act No. 36 (history notes in S.C. Code ch. 40-18) amended 40-18-60, 40-18-80, and 40-18-140; the government exemption now excludes school districts. The sworn-officer experience route did not change.
- District of Columbia, October 1, 2025: D.C. Code 47-2853.208 applies, requiring a DLCP license and Chief of Police approval.
- North Carolina, October 1, 2025: S.L. 2025-51 exempts licensees who carry under LEOSA from the state concealed handgun permit; the Board firearm permit is still required.
- Montana: Ch. 279, L. 2025 added a statutory provisional license (MCA 37-60-303(4)). Our licensing tracker lists October 1, 2025 as its effective date; we did not confirm that date from the session law.
- Ohio, May 1, 2026: OAC 4501:7-1-06, which lets the director accept law enforcement or military police experience, was re-adopted. We did not compare it with the prior version.
- Tennessee: Pub. Ch. 955 (HB 1709) was signed May 7, 2026, with effective dates of May 7 and July 1, 2026. The bill as introduced deleted the citizenship requirements in 62-26-206(a)(2) and 207(a)(2). The enacted section numbers and the effective date for those deletions are not confirmed.
- Minnesota: Laws 2026, ch. 83, presented to the governor May 11, 2026, mainly removed partnership references; the 6,000-hour requirement did not change. The chapter has no effective-date section, so the August 1, 2026 default date is not confirmed.
- Maine, July 29, 2026: PL 2025, c. 704 repealed the Board of Licensing of Professional Investigators. The law enforcement route and the bar on current officers did not change.
- Missouri, August 28, 2026: S.B. 1421 (see RSMo 324.1100) renamed the Board and amended 324.1100, 324.1102, and 324.1134. The officer section, 324.1146, did not change.
- Utah, September 1, 2026: S.B. 149 moved PI licensing to the Division of Professional Licensing and authorized the Division to give experience credit for Utah POST basic training (Utah Code 58-92-310); the Division’s emergency rule sets that credit at 1,000 hours.
- Arkansas, October 24, 2026: amendments to 17 CAR Part 350, filed October 14, 2026, take effect. We have not confirmed whether the law enforcement exam exemption in 350-1103(g) changed.
Keep up with changes
Rules change. Get an email when your state’s rules change, or see the full requirements for each state in the Licensing Ledger.
This page is general information, not legal advice. The state licensing agency decides whether your experience qualifies and whether you need a license. Department rules on outside employment, local ordinances, and federal law can also apply, and laws change. How we verify entries.
Last updated October 20, 2026Source: United States Council for Law & InvestigationCite as: United States Council for Law & Investigation, “Badge to Business: law enforcement experience and private investigator licensing by state,” uscli.org/guides/badge-to-business (last updated October 20, 2026). Text licensed CC BY 4.0.