Compare licensing rules
Pick up to three states or countries to see their rules side by side.
| Washington | |
|---|---|
| Status | Licence required |
| Regulator | Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) |
| Who holds the licence | Individuals and agencies |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Experience | Agency principal: pass the agency exam or show 3 years' investigative experience (2,000 compensated hours per year); none for employed investigators |
| Exam | Yes |
| Training | Pre-assignment training of at least 4 hours plus a test of at least 30 questions, signed off by a certified trainer (WAC 308-17-300) |
| Bond or insurance | Agency: $10,000 surety bond, or general liability insurance of at least $25,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage |
| Fees | Unarmed PI licence $220 (renewal $193, late $228); armed endorsement $110 extra; agency $640 with unarmed principal or $740 with armed principal (renewal $385/$390) plus Business Licensing Service fees; fingerprinting extra |
| Renewal | Every year; individual renewal $193, agency renewal $385 |
| Reciprocity | No reciprocity agreements; investigators from states with equivalent training may apply for a Washington licence card (RCW 18.165.140). |
| Recording calls | All-party consent |
| Firearms | Separate armed private investigator licence needed: age 21, an unarmed PI or principal licence, a current Criminal Justice Training Commission firearms certificate and a concealed pistol licence |
Reference information, not legal advice. Each profile lists its sources and the date it was checked.