Compare licensing rules
Pick up to three states or countries to see their rules side by side.
| Iowa | |
|---|---|
| Status | Licence required |
| Regulator | Iowa Department of Public Safety, Program Services Bureau (Administrative Services Division) |
| Who holds the licence | The agency |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Exam | No |
| Training | 12 hours of continuing education per 2-year licence period |
| Bond or insurance | $5,000 surety bond ($10,000 if licensed for more than one business type) plus proof of financial responsibility (liability insurance certificate) |
| Fees | Agency licence $100 per licence type for 2 years; employee ID card $10 each; fingerprint processing $30 (one licence and one licensee: $140); 90-day temporary permit $100 |
| Renewal | Every 2 years; file renewal form PD3 with fingerprints at least 30 days before expiry, plus 12 hours of continuing education |
| Continuing education | 12 hours every 2-year licence period for private investigation licence holders and ID-card holders (661 IAC 121.22); employees with under 90 days' service at renewal are exempt |
| Reciprocity | Agencies licensed in a state with similar requirements that grants Iowa licensees the same privilege can get a 90-day, non-renewable temporary permit ($100); they must still file the full application, bond, insurance and fingerprints (661 IAC 121.23). |
| Recording calls | One-party consent |
| GPS trackers | Iowa Code 708.11A makes placing a GPS device on a person or object to track them without consent and without a legitimate purpose a serious misdemeanour. |
| Firearms | Investigators who want to carry for work apply for a professional permit to carry weapons under Iowa Code chapter 724 and 661 IAC chapter 4 (661 IAC 121.19) |
Reference information, not legal advice. Each profile lists its sources and the date it was checked.