Compare licensing rules
Pick up to three states or countries to see their rules side by side.
| New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| Status | Licence required |
| Regulator | New Jersey State Police – Private Detective Unit |
| Who holds the licence | The agency |
| Minimum age | 25 |
| Experience | 5 years as an investigator (for a licensed agency) or as a police officer with a state, county or municipal police department or a US, state, county or municipal investigative agency |
| Exam | No |
| Bond or insurance | $3,000 surety bond (individual) or $5,000 (firm, association or corporation) |
| Fees | Licence $250 individual or $300 firm (LLC, corporation, partnership) every 2 years; renewal $200 / $250; initial fingerprints $66.05 (renewal $26.05); surety bond $3,000 individual or $5,000 firm |
| Processing time | Estimated 4-6 months from receipt of a complete application (NJSP instructions) |
| Renewal | Every 2 years on form SP-415, with a bond continuation certificate and fingerprints; package due within one month of expiry; renewal fee $200 individual, $250 other |
| Recording calls | One-party consent |
| Firearms | No armed PI licence: a private detective who wants to carry a handgun must obtain a New Jersey permit to carry on the same terms as the general public |
Reference information, not legal advice. Each profile lists its sources and the date it was checked.