Private investigator licensing in Colorado
No. Colorado has no specific private investigator licence.
Colorado no longer licenses private investigators at state level. Governor Polis vetoed HB20-1207 in July 2020 after a 2019 sunset review recommended ending regulation, and the Office of Private Investigator Licensure was wound down. No reinstatement bill has been found since, so investigators only need ordinary business registration.
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How to get licensed
- 1
Register your business with the Colorado Secretary of State (and a trade name if you use one)
- 2
Check city and county rules where you will work for any local business or occupational licence
- 3
Get business insurance; no state bond or licence applies
Licensed somewhere else?
See whether you can take a case in Colorado.
How to qualify
- Firearms
- No PI-specific firearms permit exists; general Colorado firearms law applies
Rules in the field
Recording conversations
One-party consent
You can generally record a conversation you are part of without telling the others.
Sources
Reference information, not legal advice. Confirm with the regulator before taking on work. Out of date? Tell us.
Questions about PI licensing in Colorado
Do you need a licence to be a private investigator in Colorado?+
No. Colorado has no specific private investigator licence. Colorado no longer licenses private investigators at state level. Governor Polis vetoed HB20-1207 in July 2020 after a 2019 sunset review recommended ending regulation, and the Office of Private Investigator Licensure was wound down. No reinstatement bill has been found since, so investigators only need ordinary business registration.
How do you get a private investigator licence in Colorado?+
1. Register your business with the Colorado Secretary of State (and a trade name if you use one) 2. Check city and county rules where you will work for any local business or occupational licence 3. Get business insurance; no state bond or licence applies
Can an investigator licensed elsewhere work a case in Colorado?+
No state licence exists, so investigators licensed elsewhere can work Colorado cases without a Colorado licence
Can a private investigator record phone calls in Colorado?+
Colorado is a one-party consent state: you can generally record a conversation you are part of without telling the others.
Associations for investigators in Colorado
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