Compare licensing rules
Pick up to three states or countries to see their rules side by side.
| Maryland | |
|---|---|
| Status | Licence required |
| Regulator | Maryland Department of State Police, Licensing Division |
| Who holds the licence | Individuals and agencies |
| Minimum age | 25 |
| Experience | Agency: 5 years as a full-time licensed or certified private detective, 5 years as a full-time police officer, 3 years as a police detective or government investigator (with police training), or 5 years as a fire investigator; individual certification (age 18) needs no experience |
| Exam | No |
| Bond or insurance | $1,000,000 aggregate commercial general liability insurance (including errors and omissions) for agencies employing 5 or more private detectives |
| Fees | Agency licence $200 (individual) or $375 (firm), renewal $200 or $400; firm or representative member $42; individual private detective certificate $15, renewal $10; LiveScan fingerprint fee set by the vendor |
| Processing time | Decision within 90 days of a complete application and fee (MSP also says to allow 90 business days); completeness review 5-10 business days |
| Renewal | Every 3 years (agency licence and individual certification) |
| Recording calls | All-party consent |
| GPS trackers | No standalone tracker law; since October 2022 stalking (Crim. Law s.3-802) includes using a device to track someone's location without their knowledge or consent, with an exception for a specific lawful commercial purpose. |
| Firearms | Carrying a handgun needs a separate Maryland wear-and-carry permit (Public Safety s.5-306), which requires 16 hours of approved training for a first application and 8 hours for renewal. |
Reference information, not legal advice. Each profile lists its sources and the date it was checked.