Licensing requirements by state
What it takes to get and keep a private investigator license in each state the tracker covers, taken from the licensing authority’s own pages, statutes, and rules. Where official sources disagree, the entry says so.
At a glance
Requirements for an individual investigator. Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan license only the agency or firm; for those states the table shows what the qualifying individual or agency must meet. See each state’s entry for the details and sources.
| State | Minimum age | Experience | Exam | Insurance or bond | Continuing education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 21 | 3 years (degree can substitute up to 2) | Yes | $1,000,000 general liability | 8 hours a year |
| Indiana | 21 | 2 years (4,000 hours) or a bachelor’s degree | No | $100,000 general liability | None |
| Iowa | 18 | None | No | $5,000 bond plus liability insurance | 12 hours per 2 years |
| Kentucky | 21 | None | Yes | $250,000 liability | 12 hours per 2 years |
| Michigan | 25 | 3 years or a relevant degree | No | $10,000 bond or liability insurance | None |
| Minnesota | 18 | 6,000 hours | No | $10,000 bond plus financial responsibility | 6 hours a year |
| Missouri | Not set | None (experience can waive the exam) | Yes, unless waived | $250,000 liability | 16 hours per 2 years |
| Nebraska | 21 | 3,000 hours (2,000 with a bachelor’s) | Yes | $10,000 bond | None |
| Ohio | Not set | 2 years (4,000 hours) | Yes | $100,000 / $300,000 liability | None |
| Wisconsin | 18 | None | Yes | $2,000 bond or liability policy | None |
State by state
Illinois
- Licensing authority
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)
- Licenses
- Private detective (individual); private detective agency, which needs a licensee in charge; branch office. Agency employees hold a Permanent Employee Registration Card.
- Minimum age
- 21
- Experience
- 3 years of full-time investigative work within the 5 years before applying, for a licensed agency, an attorney, a corporate investigative unit of 100 or more employees, the armed forces, or a law enforcement agency. A bachelor’s degree counts for 2 of the 3 years and an associate degree for 1. A year means at least 1,500 hours.
- Exam
- Required, given by Continental Testing Services under contract with IDFPR; 70 passes, and a pass is valid for 3 years.
- Background check
- Fingerprints through the Illinois State Police or a licensed vendor, taken within 60 days of applying. A felony bars licensing until 10 years after the sentence ends.
- Insurance or bond
- Commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 in the licensee’s name. No bond.
- Fees
- $500 application (exam fee paid separately to the testing service); $500 agency; $200 branch. Renewal $150 for each year of the 3-year cycle; agency renewal $450.
- License term
- 3 years. Individual licenses expire May 31 and agency licenses August 31 of the renewal year.
- Continuing education
- 8 hours of training each year.
- Firearms
- A separate Firearm Control Card is required to carry a firearm on the job, with a 48-hour course and an 8-hour annual refresher (225 ILCS 447/35-40).
- Law
- 225 ILCS 447; 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1240. The Act is scheduled to be repealed January 1, 2029 unless extended.
IDFPR private detective page 225 ILCS 447 Fees, 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1240.570
Indiana
- Licensing authority
- Indiana Private Investigator and Security Guard Licensing Board, Professional Licensing Agency
- Licenses
- Private investigator firm license only. An individual can hold it as the firm’s qualifier; there is no separate individual license.
- Minimum age
- 21
- Experience
- The qualifier needs 2 years (at least 4,000 hours) of investigative work, such as for a licensed firm, a law enforcement or federal investigative agency, an insurer, or an attorney; or a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a related field. The agency accepts W-2 employment only.
- Exam
- None in the statute or rules.
- Background check
- Criminal history checks from every place lived in the past 7 years, plus an Indiana State Police fingerprint check.
- Insurance or bond
- General liability insurance of at least $100,000 naming the State of Indiana as additional insured, covering false arrest, malicious prosecution, and wrongful entry. No bond.
- Fees
- $300 to issue ($150 within a year of the common expiration date); $300 renewal.
- License term
- 4 years. Firm licenses expire October 1 every fourth year (2027 next).
- Continuing education
- None in the statute or rules.
- Firearms
- No armed permit. The Act says it does not authorize any licensee to carry a weapon (IC 25-30-1-19).
- Law
- IC 25-30-1; 874 IAC 1.
Indiana licensing information Indiana Code Title 25 874 IAC 1
Iowa
- Licensing authority
- Iowa Department of Public Safety
- Licenses
- Iowa licenses the agency (business). Individual investigators carry a state employee identification card through a licensed agency.
- Minimum age
- 18
- Experience
- None in Iowa Code chapter 80A or the rules.
- Exam
- None. The exam rules were rescinded in 2005.
- Background check
- Department background investigation with fingerprints sent to the FBI. Any felony or aggravated misdemeanor conviction disqualifies, as does serving as a peace officer.
- Insurance or bond
- $5,000 surety bond ($10,000 for more than one license type), plus general liability insurance covering false arrest, defamation, privacy, and wrongful entry, with no minimum amount set.
- Fees
- $100 per license type for 2 years, plus $30 for fingerprints; $10 per employee ID card.
- License term
- 2 years from issue.
- Continuing education
- 12 hours per 2-year license period, for licensees and employees.
- Firearms
- Armed work requires a professional permit to carry weapons.
- Law
- Iowa Code ch. 80A; 661 IAC ch. 121.
Kentucky
- Licensing authority
- Kentucky Board of Licensure for Private Investigators
- Licenses
- Private investigator; private investigating company. A company with only one investigator needs only that person’s license.
- Minimum age
- 21
- Experience
- None. Applicants need a high school education or equivalent and good moral character.
- Exam
- Required, given by Schroeder Measurement Technologies; $156 paid to the vendor.
- Background check
- Fingerprints for state and FBI checks. A felony bars licensing until 10 years after release or restoration of civil rights.
- Insurance or bond
- Liability insurance of at least $250,000 combined single limit, unless the investigator works only for a Kentucky attorney. No bond.
- Fees
- $400 for an individual: $100 on applying and $300 after passing the exam. Company $100 (sole proprietor) or $400. Renewal $250 every 2 years.
- License term
- 2 years; renewals due June 30, with a grace period to September 1.
- Continuing education
- 12 hours per 2-year licensing period.
- Firearms
- No armed permit for private investigators in KRS 329A.
- Law
- KRS 329A.010 to 329A.095; 201 KAR 41.
- Pending change
- A proposed amendment to 201 KAR 41:040, filed October 1, 2026, would restructure the initial fee and change the late and reinstatement fees. The fees shown are the ones in effect now.
Michigan
- Licensing authority
- Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA)
- Licenses
- Professional investigator agency license, issued to a person or to a firm through its qualifying officer; branch licenses.
- Minimum age
- 25
- Experience
- 3 years full time as a licensed investigator elsewhere, an investigative employee of a Michigan agency, a government investigator or police officer, or an in-house investigator for a business or attorney; or a bachelor’s degree in police administration, security management, investigation, law, criminal justice, or computer forensics.
- Exam
- None in the Act.
- Background check
- LARA investigates each applicant; any felony and listed misdemeanors disqualify. Five notarized references are required. The Act requires fingerprints for employees but not for the applicant.
- Insurance or bond
- $10,000 surety bond, or insurance naming the licensee and the state: $10,000 property damage, $100,000 for injury to one person, $200,000 for more than one.
- Fees
- $150 application plus $600 initial license; $300 renewal; $125 per branch.
- License term
- 3 years.
- Continuing education
- None in the Act.
- Firearms
- No armed permit in the Act.
- Law
- Professional Investigator Licensure Act, MCL 338.821 to 338.851.
Minnesota
- Licensing authority
- Minnesota Board of Private Detective and Protective Agent Services
- Licenses
- Private detective license for an individual or a corporation or LLC with a qualified representative.
- Minimum age
- 18
- Experience
- 6,000 hours as an investigator for a licensed agency, a federal investigative service, a police department or sheriff’s office, or an equivalent occupation. Unlicensed work does not count.
- Exam
- None in the statute, rules, or board requirements.
- Background check
- Fingerprints through the BCA to the FBI and five references; felonies and listed offenses disqualify. A 2026 law (ch. 83) also requires a business applicant’s CEO, CFO, qualified representative, and Minnesota manager to meet licensing requirements.
- Insurance or bond
- $10,000 surety bond, plus proof of financial responsibility by insurance certificate, net worth statement, or letter of credit.
- Fees
- $1,000 individual, $1,900 corporation or LLC. Renewal from $540 to $1,220 depending on number of employees.
- License term
- 2 years.
- Continuing education
- 6 hours of board-certified training each year, plus 6 more if armed.
- Firearms
- Carrying a weapon requires board-certified training and annual range certification.
- Law
- Minn. Stat. 326.32 to 326.339; Minn. R. ch. 7506; Laws 2026, ch. 83.
Missouri
- Licensing authority
- Missouri Board of Private Investigator and Private Fire Investigator Examiners
- Licenses
- Private investigator; agency investigator employee; private investigator agency, held by a licensed investigator who manages it.
- Minimum age
- No minimum age in the statute or rules.
- Experience
- No fixed requirement. Experience can exempt an applicant from the exam; see below.
- Exam
- 100 questions, $80, given in Jefferson City. Law enforcement officers and reciprocity applicants are exempt.
- Background check
- Fingerprints through the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s vendor for state and FBI checks, and a board background investigation.
- Insurance or bond
- Liability insurance of at least $250,000, plus workers’ compensation where required. No bond.
- Fees
- $500 investigator application; $400 agency; $80 exam. Renewal $400 investigator, $300 agency.
- License term
- 2 years.
- Continuing education
- 16 hours every 2 years (8 for agency investigator employees); none in the first renewal cycle.
- Firearms
- No firearm permit for private investigators in the statute or rules.
- Law
- RSMo 324.1100 to 324.1148; 20 CSR 2234.
Sources disagree: Grounds for waiving the exam. The statute (RSMo 324.1110) bases it on 2 years of good-standing Missouri business registration plus $250,000 business liability insurance. The rule (20 CSR 2234-5.010) bases it on 2 years of lawful practice within the past 3 years.
Nebraska
- Licensing authority
- Nebraska Secretary of State, Licensing Division
- Licenses
- Private detective (sole proprietor with no employees); private detective agency; plain clothes investigator (agency employee).
- Minimum age
- 21
- Experience
- 3,000 hours of verifiable investigative experience (2,500 with an associate degree in criminal justice or a related field, 2,000 with a bachelor’s). Plain clothes investigators need none.
- Exam
- Required, given monthly in Lincoln by the Secretary of State; 80% passes.
- Background check
- Nebraska State Patrol investigation with fingerprints for state and FBI checks. A felony, or a misdemeanor involving a sex offense or moral turpitude, disqualifies unless pardoned.
- Insurance or bond
- $10,000 surety bond for private detective and agency licenses. No liability insurance requirement.
- Fees
- $50 private detective, $100 agency, $25 plain clothes investigator, plus a $38 background fee on first application. The same fee applies at renewal.
- License term
- Expires June 30 of the first even-numbered year after issue (2-year cycle).
- Continuing education
- None in the Act or rules.
- Firearms
- No separate armed permit; general state law governs carry.
- Law
- Neb. Rev. Stat. 71-3201 to 71-3213; Neb. Admin. Code, Secretary of State, ch. 3.
Ohio
- Licensing authority
- Ohio Department of Public Safety, Private Investigator Security Guard Services (PISGS)
- Licenses
- Class B (private investigator) or Class A (investigator and security guard provider), held by an individual or by a business through a qualifying agent. Employees hold registration ID cards.
- Minimum age
- No minimum age in the statute or rules.
- Experience
- 2 continuous years of investigative work immediately before applying; the rule sets this at 4,000 hours, or 2,000 with specialized criminal justice education.
- Exam
- Required, given monthly in Columbus; $25. Waived for an applicant who qualified a business within the prior 6 months (OAC 4501:7-1-07(F)).
- Background check
- Ohio BCI fingerprint results no older than 30 days when the application is submitted, plus an FBI check if the applicant will carry a firearm; five character references.
- Insurance or bond
- General liability insurance of at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence for bodily injury, and $100,000 for property damage (ORC 4749.03). No bond. A PISGS instructions page lists different limits; the statute controls.
- Fees
- $200 license, $25 exam, $10 fingerprint database enrollment, $100 per branch. Renewal $550 every 2 years.
- License term
- 2 years from issue for licenses issued since April 9, 2025.
- Continuing education
- None in the statute or rules.
- Firearms
- A firearm-bearer notation requires a 20-hour approved handgun course and annual requalification.
- Law
- ORC ch. 4749; OAC ch. 4501:7-1.
Wisconsin
- Licensing authority
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)
- Licenses
- Private detective (must own or work for a licensed agency); private detective agency.
- Minimum age
- 18
- Experience
- None. DSPS says there are no pre-application requirements such as education.
- Exam
- Required, given by DSPS on Wisconsin law and investigative practice; 84% passes.
- Background check
- State and federal criminal record checks with fingerprints. An unpardoned felony is a permanent bar.
- Insurance or bond
- Bond or liability policy approved by DSPS: $2,000 for a private detective, $100,000 for an agency.
- Fees
- $8 initial credential fee and $8 renewal, for a private detective or an agency. The exam fee is separate.
- License term
- 2 years.
- Continuing education
- None. DSPS says there is no continuing education requirement for this credential.
- Firearms
- A DSPS permit to carry a firearm is required, with training and a proficiency certificate.
- Law
- Wis. Stat. 440.26; Wis. Admin. Code chs. SPS 30 to 35.
Sources disagree: Renewal date. The statute (Wis. Stat. 440.26(3)) says a private detective’s license expires on the agency license’s renewal date. DSPS lists private detective renewals on August 31 of even years and agency renewals on August 31 of odd years.
DSPS private detective page DSPS fees and renewal dates Wis. Stat. 440.26
This page is general information, not legal advice. Fees and requirements change; confirm the current amounts with the licensing authority before you apply. How we verify entries.
Last updated October 16, 2026Source: United States Council for Law & InvestigationCite as: United States Council for Law & Investigation, “Private investigator licensing requirements by state,” uscli.org/licensing-tracker/requirements (last updated October 16, 2026). Text licensed CC BY 4.0.