Private investigator licensing in Florida
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Florida.
FDACS licenses individual private investigators (Class C), interns (Class CC), agencies (Class A) and agency managers. A Class C licence needs two years of verifiable full-time investigative experience, which can be gained as a sponsored Class CC intern, plus a pass in the state exam on Chapter 493. Applicants must be 18 or over and a US citizen, legal resident or work-authorised.
18
2 years
Yes
—
How to get licensed
- 1
Build two years of qualifying experience (or work as a sponsored Class CC intern after a 40-hour course)
- 2
Register with Everblue and pass the Chapter 493 exam ($70), online or at a test centre
- 3
Complete the Class C application and get fingerprinted electronically
- 4
Submit the application with proof of passing the exam, experience affidavit and fees to a regional office or by mail to the Division of Licensing in Tallahassee
- 5
To carry a gun on duty, also obtain a Class G statewide firearm licence
Licensed somewhere else?
See whether you can take a case in Florida.
How to qualify
- Who holds the licence
- Individuals and agencies
- Experience
- 2 years full-time verifiable investigative experience (college study can count for up to 1 year; Class CC internship counts)
- Training
- Class CC intern: 40-hour professional training course from a Florida DOE-supervised school, plus exam and sponsorship by a Class C, M or MA licensee
- Citizenship
- US citizen, legal resident alien or holder of USCIS work authorisation
- Fees
- Class C: application $50, fingerprint processing $42, fingerprint retention $10.75, licence $75 (total $177.75) plus $70 exam fee to Everblue; renewal $75 + $16.75. Class CC total $162.75. Class A agency: $50 application + $42 fingerprints + $450 licence. Class G firearm licence $164.75Fees change often: check the regulator's current schedule before you pay.
- Renewal
- Class C and CC every 2 years ($75 plus $16.75 fingerprint retention); Class A agency every 3 years ($450)
- Continuing education
- No continuing education for Class C renewal; Class G firearm licensees need 4 hours of firearms requalification each year
- Firearms
- Class G statewide firearm licence needed to carry on duty; Class C and CC licensees aged 21+ with a Class G may carry concealed while working (F.S. 493.6115)
- Reciprocity
- Limited reciprocity with Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia: investigators may follow a home-state case for up to 30 days per case (15 for Tennessee)
Rules in the field
Recording conversations
All-party consent
Everyone in the conversation must agree before you record it.
Sources
- 1 fdacs.gov
- 2 fdacs.gov
- 3 flsenate.gov
- 4 flsenate.gov
- 5 fdacs.gov
- 6 fdacs.gov
- 7 fdacs.gov
- 8 flsenate.gov
- 9 fdacs.gov
Reference information, not legal advice. Confirm with the regulator before taking on work. Out of date? Tell us.
Questions about PI licensing in Florida
Do you need a licence to be a private investigator in Florida?+
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Florida. FDACS licenses individual private investigators (Class C), interns (Class CC), agencies (Class A) and agency managers. A Class C licence needs two years of verifiable full-time investigative experience, which can be gained as a sponsored Class CC intern, plus a pass in the state exam on Chapter 493. Applicants must be 18 or over and a US citizen, legal resident or work-authorised.
Who licenses private investigators in Florida?+
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Division of Licensing, under Florida Statutes Chapter 493.
How old do you have to be to become a private investigator in Florida?+
At least 18.
How much experience do you need to be a PI in Florida?+
2 years full-time verifiable investigative experience (college study can count for up to 1 year; Class CC internship counts)
Is there an exam for a private investigator licence in Florida?+
Yes, applicants must pass an exam.
How often does a Florida PI licence need renewing?+
Class C and CC every 2 years ($75 plus $16.75 fingerprint retention); Class A agency every 3 years ($450)
How much does a private investigator licence cost in Florida?+
Class C: application $50, fingerprint processing $42, fingerprint retention $10.75, licence $75 (total $177.75) plus $70 exam fee to Everblue; renewal $75 + $16.75. Class CC total $162.75. Class A agency: $50 application + $42 fingerprints + $450 licence. Class G firearm licence $164.75
How do you get a private investigator licence in Florida?+
1. Build two years of qualifying experience (or work as a sponsored Class CC intern after a 40-hour course) 2. Register with Everblue and pass the Chapter 493 exam ($70), online or at a test centre 3. Complete the Class C application and get fingerprinted electronically 4. Submit the application with proof of passing the exam, experience affidavit and fees to a regional office or by mail to the Division of Licensing in Tallahassee 5. To carry a gun on duty, also obtain a Class G statewide firearm licence
Can an investigator licensed elsewhere work a case in Florida?+
Investigators licensed in Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Virginia may pursue a case that began in their home state for up to 30 days per case (15 for Tennessee), without soliciting business or setting up in Florida
Does Florida accept PI licences from elsewhere?+
Limited reciprocity with Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia: investigators may follow a home-state case for up to 30 days per case (15 for Tennessee)
Can a private investigator record phone calls in Florida?+
Florida requires everyone's consent: all parties must agree before a conversation is recorded.
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