Compare licensing rules
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| Maine | |
|---|---|
| Status | Licence required |
| Regulator | Maine State Police, Weapons and Professional Licensing Unit (Special Investigations Unit) |
| Who holds the licence | Individuals |
| Minimum age | 21 |
| Experience | One of: investigative-assistant sponsorship (1,200 hours) plus 60 relevant college credits; 3 years as a federal or military investigator; 3 years as a law enforcement officer; 3 years licensed in a substantially equivalent reciprocal state; or 6 years of combined work and education |
| Exam | Yes |
| Training | Investigative assistants: 1,200 hours of training within the 2-year assistant licence |
| Bond or insurance | Surety bond of $10,000 (resident), $50,000 (non-resident) or $20,000 (investigative assistant); liability insurance of at least $10,000 property damage, $100,000 per person and $200,000 per occurrence |
| Fees | Application $50 plus $21 criminal history check ($71); $450 on issue of the 2-year licence; 4-year renewal $521 ($500 plus $21 check); investigative assistant licence $600 |
| Renewal | Initial licence 2 years, then renewable every 4 years |
| Reciprocity | 3 years' licensing in another state with substantially equivalent requirements meets the experience requirement, provided that state grants Maine licensees the same treatment. |
| Recording calls | One-party consent |
| GPS trackers | No specific tracker law; under the stalking statute (17-A M.R.S. s.210-A) a course of conduct that tracks or monitors a person by any device can be stalking. |
| Firearms | A licensed investigator may carry a handgun on duty only after getting a Maine concealed handgun permit from the Chief and passing the Chief's written firearms exam (32 M.R.S. s.8120-A). |
Reference information, not legal advice. Each profile lists its sources and the date it was checked.