Mississippi
Mississippi has no state private investigator licensing law or agency, and no bill to create one was filed from 2023 through 2026. Two laws matter for investigators: a 2025 law made impersonating a law enforcement officer a felony, and a 2026 law that limits driver records and motor vehicle reports to the permissible uses in the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, effective July 1, 2026.
At a glance
- Authority
- None statewide
- Statute
- None. Licensing bills failed in 2015 and 2017, and the Legislature’s 2023 to 2026 lists of all measures contain no investigator licensing bill.
- Local licensing
- Not confirmed; city codes could not be checked from official sources on October 18, 2026. General municipal business licenses may apply.
- Continuing education
- None
- Firearms
- No investigator permit. A license is not required to carry a pistol or revolver in a holster, purse, bag, or fully enclosed case by a person not otherwise prohibited, outside prohibited locations (Miss. Code 45-9-101(24)).
Changes, 2023 to 2026
Driver records limited to DPPA permissible uses
Adds Miss. Code 63-1-45(4): driver records, certified driver records, and motor vehicle reports are available only for the permissible uses in the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, and the Department of Public Safety must establish how they may be obtained.
For licensees: Mississippi issues no investigator license, so requests must rest on another permissible use, such as litigation or insurance.
Impersonating a law enforcement officer becomes a felony
Adds Miss. Code 97-7-44(2): willfully assuming or pretending to be a law enforcement officer is a felony punishable by up to $5,000, up to 3 years, or both. Impersonating any other state, county, or municipal officer or employee remains a misdemeanor under 97-7-44(1).
For licensees: Pretexts may never involve posing as an officer or other public official.
Checked and unchanged
- No tracking device crime, consumer data privacy, data broker, or stalking amendment was enacted from 2023 through 2026; consumer data privacy and stalking bills died in committee.
Last updated October 18, 2026Source: United States Council for Law & InvestigationCite as: United States Council for Law & Investigation, “Mississippi private investigators: Licensing Law Tracker,” uscli.org/licensing-tracker/mississippi (last updated October 18, 2026). Text licensed CC BY 4.0.