# North Dakota

North Dakota licenses private investigators through the Private Investigative and Security Board. A 2025 law raised the Board’s fees and fixed them in statute, and the State Auditor’s 2026 performance audit of the Board found five problem areas. A 2025 stalking amendment added tracking by robot, including drones; the defense for licensed investigators acting within the scope of employment was not changed.

Source: https://uscli.org/licensing-tracker/north-dakota

## At a glance

- **Authority:** [Private Investigative and Security Board](https://www.pisb.nd.gov/); no other state or local license may be required (N.D.C.C. 43-30-03, 43-30-05)
- **Statute:** [N.D.C.C. chapter 43-30](https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t43c30.pdf)
- **Rules:** [NDAC article 93-02](https://ndlegis.gov/information/acdata/pdf/93-02-01.1.pdf), unchanged since 2022
- **Who is licensed:** Individual investigators, detective agencies, and registered employees or contractors of agencies, who work under a licensed investigator’s supervision (NDAC 93-02-01.1-02 to -04). Attorneys and their paralegals, government investigators, and public-records-only searchers, among others, are exempt (N.D.C.C. 43-30-02). A licensee may not hold a position with police-type powers; a peace officer may be licensed if the officer's peace officer license is inactive (NDAC 93-02-01.1-07(2); N.D.C.C. 43-30-05.2).
- **Qualifications:** At least 18, a high school diploma, a Board exam passed within 12 months before applying, and 2,000 hours of investigative work as a registered employee of an agency (NDAC 93-02-01.1-01, -02). State and FBI fingerprint checks (N.D.C.C. 43-30-06). Felonies and listed offenses are disqualifying unless the Board finds the offense lacks a direct bearing and the person is rehabilitated, or the person has a full pardon (NDAC 93-02-01.1-01(3)).
- **Renewal:** Every year; all licenses expire September 30 (N.D.C.C. 43-30-11). Individual license or renewal $225, late fee $75 a month; agency $450; registration $45; exam $150 (43-30-16).
- **Continuing education:** None; the Board may adopt rules but has not (43-30-04.1)
- **Bond or insurance:** $300,000 in general liability insurance with errors and omissions coverage (NDAC 93-02-01.1-08).
- **Firearms:** Carrying a firearm while working requires peace officer firearms training, at least 1,000 hours of experience, and an annual armed certificate, $45 (NDAC 93-02-01.1-05; N.D.C.C. 43-30-16).

## Changes, 2023 to 2026

- Oct 1, 2026 — **Criminal history check fee rises to $43** — Board notice · Effective October 1, 2026 — The FBI fingerprint fee rose by $3, so the criminal history record check now totals $43 and a new registration application $88. New forms must be used. — **For licensees:** Use the new forms. For applications already submitted on the old page 2 form, the Board says it will work with applicants by email to update them. — [Board notice](https://www.pisb.nd.gov/news/new-fee-criminal-history-record-check-fbi-october-1st-2026)
- Jul 1, 2026 — **2026 renewal letter; late fee differs from the statute** — Board letter · Dated July 1, 2026 — All licenses and registrations expire September 30, 2026, and the Board asked for renewals by September 1. The letter lists a $100 monthly late fee for investigator licenses, while N.D.C.C. 43-30-16 sets $75 a month. Errors and omissions coverage must appear on the insurance certificate. — **For licensees:** The statute sets the late fee at $75 a month. — [Renewal letter](https://www.pisb.nd.gov/sites/default/files/documents/forms/ND%20PISB%202026%20Renewal%20Letter%20to%20License%20Holders.pdf)
- Mar 16, 2026 — **State Auditor’s performance audit of the Board** — State Auditor report, required by SB 2051 (2025) · Released March 16, 2026 — Covering January 2019 through June 2025, the audit found five problem areas: no documented policies or procedures; licensing inefficiencies, including no accurate list of licensees and registrants; manual pocket-card production; an impractical renewal period with application backlogs; and not using Attorney General legal services. — **For licensees:** Confirm another investigator’s license directly with the Board. — [State Auditor](https://www.nd.gov/auditor/news/legislatively-mandated-audit-private-investigative-and-security-board-finds-five-areas)
- Aug 1, 2025 — **Stalking and harassment by robot, including drones** — HB 1429, 2025 S.L. ch. 126 · Approved April 21, 2025; effective August 1, 2025 — Defines a robot to include remotely piloted aircraft, adds acts conducted with a robot to the stalking course of conduct, and adds robots to the tracking prong of stalking alongside the existing global positioning and electronic means (N.D.C.C. 12.1-17-07.1). The defense for an investigator licensed under chapter 43-30 acting within the scope of employment (12.1-17-07.1(4)) was not changed. — **For licensees:** For investigators, the stalking defense applies only to those licensed under chapter 43-30 acting within the scope of employment; the harassment statute (12.1-17-07), including its new robot prong, has no such defense. — [HB 1429](https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/bill-overview/bo1429.html)
- Jul 1, 2025 — **Fees for online apprentice courses and nonlicensed agency owners** — HB 1045, 2025 S.L. ch. 398 · Approved March 14, 2025; effective July 1, 2025 — Adds fees of up to $60 for online apprentice security officer courses and up to $60 a year, with a late fee up to $20 a month, for nonlicensed officers and owners of at least 10% of an agency (N.D.C.C. 43-30-16). — **For licensees:** Individual investigator fees are not affected. — [HB 1045](https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/bill-overview/bo1045.html)
- Apr 22, 2025 — **Board fees raised and fixed in statute** — SB 2051, 2025 S.L. ch. 399 · Fee section effective April 22, 2025 (emergency) — Replaces the statutory fee caps, under which the Board set fees by rule, with fixed amounts (N.D.C.C. 43-30-16): individual license or renewal from up to $150 to $225, with a late fee of $75 a month; exam from up to $100 to $150; agency license from up to $300 to $450; registration from up to $30 to $45; armed certificate from up to $30 to $45. Also directs the State Auditor to audit the Board. — **For licensees:** The Board’s fee rule (NDAC 93-02-03-06) still lists the old amounts; the statute controls. — [SB 2051](https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/bill-overview/bo2051.html)

## Checked and unchanged

- No 2023 law amended chapter 43-30, and the Board adopted no rule from July 2023 through October 2026.
- North Dakota enacted no data broker, comprehensive consumer privacy, recording, or motor vehicle records law affecting investigators in 2023 or 2025.