# Alabama

Alabama licenses private investigators, apprentices, and agencies through the Alabama Private Investigation Board. A 2023 overhaul added agency licensing, an apprentice license, an experience requirement, and a two-year continuing education cycle. The same year Alabama created electronic stalking crimes for tracking devices, with no investigator exception, and a consumer privacy law takes effect in May 2027.

Source: https://uscli.org/licensing-tracker/alabama

## At a glance

- **Authority:** [Alabama Private Investigation Board](https://apib.alabama.gov/)
- **Statute:** [Code of Alabama Title 34, Chapter 25B](https://apib.alabama.gov/PDF/2025/Chapter25BLawPIRegulatoryAct%208.8.2024%28REVISED%29.pdf) (Alabama Private Investigation Regulatory Act)
- **Rules:** [Ala. Admin. Code chapter 741-X](https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/api/chapter/741-X-4)
- **Who is licensed:** Individual private investigators; apprentices, who work only under a Board-certified sponsor (34-25B-12.1); and agencies that employ or subcontract with investigators (34-25B-50). Cities and counties may not require a separate license, fee, or bond, but may charge a bona fide occupational tax or business license fee (34-25B-19).
- **Qualifications:** At least 21, a criminal history background check, no felony or crime of moral turpitude, a passing Board exam, and at least 2 years of experience, education, or training, including 120 hours of practical field experience (34-25B-12). Apprentices must be at least 18 with a high school diploma or GED. Fingerprint checks through the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency; its fee is $40 from October 1, 2026 ([Board instructions](https://apib.alabama.gov/PDF/2026/FinalApplication2026ApplicationInstructionsandChecklistLicensedPrivateInvestigator.pdf)).
- **Renewal:** Every 2 years. $100 application, $300 license, $300 renewal, $200 late penalty; renewals are not accepted more than 30 days after expiration unless the Board waives for good cause (34-25B-17; Rule 741-X-A1-1).
- **Continuing education:** 16 hours, including 2 hours of ethics, in each 2-year license period (34-25B-26(a)). Apprentices complete at least 8 hours a year, including 2 of ethics.
- **Bond or insurance:** None.

## Changes, 2023 to 2026

- May 1, 2027 — **Alabama Personal Data Protection Act** — Act 2026-552 (HB351) · Enacted April 17, 2026; effective May 1, 2027 — Applies to businesses that control or process personal data of more than 25,000 Alabama consumers, or get more than 25 percent of gross revenue from selling personal data. Publicly available information is not personal data, and businesses with fewer than 500 employees that do not sell personal data, FCRA-regulated activity, and others are exempt. Controllers may still investigate, establish, exercise, or defend legal claims. — **For licensees:** The Act is a consumer privacy law, not a data broker registry, and has no investigator-specific provision. — [Act 2026-552](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB351-enr.pdf)
- Oct 1, 2026 — **Background check fee rises to $40** — Board application instructions · Effective October 1, 2026 — The Board’s 2026 instructions say the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency criminal history fee becomes $40 on October 1, 2026; the 2025 instructions listed $37. — **For licensees:** New applicants pay $40 for the background check. — [2026 instructions](https://apib.alabama.gov/PDF/2026/FinalApplication2026ApplicationInstructionsandChecklistLicensedPrivateInvestigator.pdf)
- Oct 1, 2026 — **Repeat second-degree stalking becomes a felony** — Act 2026-535 (SB273) · Enacted April 16, 2026; effective October 1, 2026 — A second or later violation of stalking in the second degree (Code 13A-6-90.1) is a Class C felony; a first violation remains a Class B misdemeanor. The offense elements did not change, and there is no investigator exception. — **For licensees:** The stalking law has no investigator exception; only the penalty for repeat violations rose. — [Act 2026-535](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB273-enr.pdf)
- Jun 1, 2026 — **Board continued to October 1, 2028** — Act 2026-135 (SB126) · Enacted February 26, 2026; effective June 1, 2026 — Under the Alabama Sunset Law, continues the Private Investigation Board until October 1, 2028, without changing licensing requirements. An earlier act, Act 2024-140 (SB118, effective June 1, 2024), had continued the Board to October 1, 2026. — **For licensees:** The act continues the Board until October 1, 2028, when it faces sunset review again, and does not change licensing requirements. — [Act 2026-135](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB126-enr.pdf)[Act 2024-140](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2024RS/SB118-enr.pdf)
- Aug 14, 2025 — **Fees added for agencies, apprentices, and inactive status** — Final rule, Appendix 741-X-A1-1 · Effective August 14, 2025 — Adds an agency fee of $50 (2 or fewer investigators) or $200 (3 or more) per two-year renewal; apprentice application $50, license $100, and yearly renewal $100; a one-time sponsor fee of $50; a $25 inactive fee and $200 reinstatement; and a $25 change or replacement fee. Individual license fees did not change from the 2017 schedule. — **For licensees:** Individual license, renewal, and late fees are unchanged. — [Rule filing](https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/api/filing/673670b6756d8cacd1c2ed0b/filing)
- Mar 17, 2025 — **Rules for apprentices, sponsors, and inactive status** — Final rules, 741-X-4-.01.01, -.01.02, 741-X-4-.03(9), 741-X-2-.01 · Effective March 17, 2025 — New rules require apprentices to complete 40 classroom hours and 260 field hours to qualify for licensure, and let a licensed investigator with 2 years of experience be certified as a sponsor of up to five apprentices at a time. A licensee may request inactive status in writing; inactive licensees may not work as investigators and must keep completing continuing education. — **For licensees:** A license can be placed on inactive status, but continuing education still applies. — [Chapter 741-X-4](https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/api/chapter/741-X-4)
- Feb 18, 2025 — **Limited license recognition agreement with Florida** — Board agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Division of Licensing) · Signed February 17 and 18, 2025 — An Alabama resident licensed by the Board, or a Florida resident licensed by Florida, may work a case that originated in their home state in the other state for up to 30 days per agency per case per year, if in good standing and affiliated with a licensed agency. The exemption does not allow soliciting business or carrying firearms there, and anyone whose license was suspended or revoked in any state is ineligible for 10 years. — **For licensees:** The exemption applies only to residents licensed in their home state and working a home-state case. — [Agreement](https://apib.alabama.gov/PDF/2025/LtdLicRecognitionAgreementFlorida.pdf)
- Dec 2024 — **License numbers required on online advertising** — Board notice · Posted December 2024 (notice undated) — The Board told licensees and agencies that the license number requirement from the 2023 law covers websites, social media, and internet advertising, and that invoices must list the license number of each licensee billed (34-25B-52(c)). — **For licensees:** Websites and social media accounts count as advertising that must show the license number. — [Board notice](https://apib.alabama.gov/PDF/2024/Required%20License%20Numbers%2012-18-2024.pdf)
- Sep 1, 2023 — **Licensing overhaul: agencies, apprentices, experience, two-year continuing education** — Act 2023-397 (HB75) · Effective September 1, 2023 — Adds at least 2 years of experience, education, or training, including 120 hours of field experience, to the license requirements, and lists the criminal history background check, already required of all applicants since 2013 (34-25B-3, -13), as a criterion (34-25B-12). Creates the apprentice license and sponsor certification (34-25B-12.1) and agency licensing, with agencies required to be licensed from January 1, 2024 (34-25B-50). Requires license numbers on advertising and business materials (34-25B-14(c)); spells out the penalty for unlicensed practice, already a Class A misdemeanor, as up to $6,000 and 1 year, extends it to apprentices, and adds an administrative fine of up to $1,000 a day (34-25B-10(a), 34-25B-18(d)); and changes continuing education from 8 hours each calendar year to 16 hours, including 2 of ethics, per two-year period (34-25B-26(a)). — **For licensees:** Continuing education is now counted over the two-year license period, and agencies need their own license. — [Act 2023-397](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2023RS/HB75-enr.pdf)
- Sep 1, 2023 — **Electronic stalking crimes for tracking devices** — Act 2023-481 (HB153) · Effective September 1, 2023 — Placing an electronic tracking device on another person’s property without the owner’s consent, or except as otherwise authorized by law, is electronic stalking in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor (13A-6-96). Doing so with intent to surveil, stalk, or harass, or for any other unlawful purpose, is electronic stalking in the first degree, a Class C felony, or a Class B felony if it violates a court order (13A-6-95). — **For licensees:** Neither offense has an investigator exception; the only carve-outs are the owner’s consent or other authorization by law. — [Act 2023-481](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2023RS/HB153-enr.pdf)

## Checked and unchanged

- Act 2023-397 is the only 2023–2026 act codified in Chapter 34-25B. Its title mentions reporting arrests within 72 hours, but no such provision is in the enacted text.
- Board rules 741-X-4-.03(1) and 741-X-7-.01(1) still require 8 hours in each calendar year, while the statute sets 16 hours per two-year period with no yearly split; the rules’ two-year total (741-X-4-.03(1), 741-X-7-.01(4)(a)) matches the statute.
- Alabama has no data broker registry law.