Montana
Every law and rule change USCLI tracks for Montana, across the professions, on one page. Each entry links to its full write-up and official sources.
- Status
- Generated from the trackers
- Part of
- State Hub
Licensing Law Tracker
Montana licenses private investigators through the Department of Labor and Industry’s Private Security Program. Since 2023 the Legislature abolished the Board of Private Security, the Department repealed investigator continuing education and cut fees to $80, a 2025 law added provisional licenses and tougher discipline, and a 2026 rule lists states treated as substantially equivalent.
Full Montana page: every change, its sources, and what has not changed (13 entries).
Substantial equivalency list for out-of-state applicants
Implements HB 246 (Ch. 76, L. 2025, effective October 1, 2025) by incorporating the Department’s 2025 substantial equivalency list for the Private Security Program. Applications from people licensed in a listed state are treated as routine as to education,…
Investigator fees cut to $80; photo ID rule
Sets application and renewal fees at $80 for all license types (ARM 24.182.401); a private investigator previously paid $250 plus a $20 exam fee to apply and $175 to renew. The armed endorsement stays $50. Licensed investigators and supervised trainees…
Duty to report actions; fines up to $5,000; client confidences protected
Licensees must report actions bearing on their qualifications within 30 days of final disposition (MCA 37-1-150). The maximum fine for program licensees rises from $1,000 to $5,000 per violation (37-1-406), and revealing a client’s confidential information…
Provisional licenses for applicants still completing requirements
Allows a provisional license for an otherwise eligible applicant with pending conditions such as the exam or supervised experience (MCA 37-1-144), and lets a PI applicant who has not met the training and exam requirements apply for one (37-60-303(4)).
Consumer Data Privacy Act thresholds lowered
The act now applies to businesses controlling or processing data of 25,000 or more consumers (down from 50,000), or 15,000 or more (down from 25,000) if over 25% of revenue comes from selling personal data (MCA 30-14-2803).
Officer Certification Tracker
The Officer Certification Tracker has not published a Montana page yet. See the states it covers.
Forensic Science Tracker
The Forensic Science Tracker has not published a Montana page yet. See the states it covers.
Last updated October 18, 2026Source: United States Council for Law & Investigation