Private investigator licensing in Delaware
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Delaware.
Delaware's Board of Examiners, administered by the State Police Professional Licensing Section, licenses private investigative agencies and issues five-year licences or ID cards to individual investigators. Individuals must be at least 21 and employed by a licensed agency, and agency licence holders must be at least 25 with five years' investigative experience or police service after a certified academy. Agencies post a $10,000 bond ($5,000 for sole proprietors) and carry $1 million of liability insurance.
21
5 years
—
$10,000 bond + insurance
How to get licensed
- 1
Get hired by (or set up) a licensed private investigative agency - individuals must be employed by one
- 2
Book an IdentoGO fingerprint and photo appointment using the Delaware service code
- 3
Email the Private Investigator Individual Application to dsp_plapplicant@delaware.gov after fingerprinting
- 4
For an agency: submit the agency application, licence-holder application with experience proof, bond, insurance certificate and fee in time for the quarterly Board meeting
- 5
Receive the ID card or licence by post once approved
Licensed somewhere else?
See whether you can take a case in Delaware.
How to qualify
- Who holds the licence
- Individuals and agencies
- Experience
- Agency licence: 5 years investigative experience, or service as a police officer who graduated from a certified academy (age 25 for agency)
- Bond or insurance
- Agency: $10,000 surety bond ($5,000 for sole proprietors) and $1,000,000 commercial general liability insurance per occurrence
- Fees
- Class A agency licence $300 (in-state), $500 (out-of-state), $250 (sole proprietor with no employees); agency licence holder application $105 paid through IdentoGO (fingerprints included, varies outside Delaware)Fees change often: check the regulator's current schedule before you pay.
- Processing time
- Individual applications are processed once background results arrive; agency applications wait for the Board's quarterly meeting
- Renewal
- Individual licences and ID cards every 5 years (on the fifth birthday after issue); agency renewals are sent by notification letter and approved by the Board
- Firearms
- Licensees may carry a weapon only if the Board approves that weapon and they are trained by a Board-approved instructor; concealed carry also needs a Delaware concealed deadly weapons permit (24 Del. C. 1321)
Rules in the field
Recording conversations
Depends on the setting
Whether you need everyone’s consent depends on how and where the conversation happens.
Sources
- 1 delcode.delaware.gov
- 2 dsp.delaware.gov
- 3 regulations.justia.com
- 4 dsp.delaware.gov
- 5 dsp.delaware.gov
Reference information, not legal advice. Confirm with the regulator before taking on work. Out of date? Tell us.
Questions about PI licensing in Delaware
Do you need a licence to be a private investigator in Delaware?+
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Delaware. Delaware's Board of Examiners, administered by the State Police Professional Licensing Section, licenses private investigative agencies and issues five-year licences or ID cards to individual investigators. Individuals must be at least 21 and employed by a licensed agency, and agency licence holders must be at least 25 with five years' investigative experience or police service after a certified academy. Agencies post a $10,000 bond ($5,000 for sole proprietors) and carry $1 million of liability insurance.
Who licenses private investigators in Delaware?+
Delaware State Police, Professional Licensing Section (for the Board of Examiners of Private Investigative, Private Security and Armored Car Agencies), under Delaware Code Title 24, Chapter 13; 24 Del. Admin. Code 1300.
How old do you have to be to become a private investigator in Delaware?+
At least 21.
How much experience do you need to be a PI in Delaware?+
Agency licence: 5 years investigative experience, or service as a police officer who graduated from a certified academy (age 25 for agency)
Do private investigators in Delaware need a bond or insurance?+
Agency: $10,000 surety bond ($5,000 for sole proprietors) and $1,000,000 commercial general liability insurance per occurrence
How often does a Delaware PI licence need renewing?+
Individual licences and ID cards every 5 years (on the fifth birthday after issue); agency renewals are sent by notification letter and approved by the Board
How much does a private investigator licence cost in Delaware?+
Class A agency licence $300 (in-state), $500 (out-of-state), $250 (sole proprietor with no employees); agency licence holder application $105 paid through IdentoGO (fingerprints included, varies outside Delaware)
How long does it take to get a PI licence in Delaware?+
Individual applications are processed once background results arrive; agency applications wait for the Board's quarterly meeting
How do you get a private investigator licence in Delaware?+
1. Get hired by (or set up) a licensed private investigative agency - individuals must be employed by one 2. Book an IdentoGO fingerprint and photo appointment using the Delaware service code 3. Email the Private Investigator Individual Application to dsp_plapplicant@delaware.gov after fingerprinting 4. For an agency: submit the agency application, licence-holder application with experience proof, bond, insurance certificate and fee in time for the quarterly Board meeting 5. Receive the ID card or licence by post once approved
Can a private investigator record phone calls in Delaware?+
It depends on the setting in Delaware; some conversations need everyone's consent.
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