Private investigator licensing in Hawaii
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Hawaii.
The Board of Private Detectives and Guards licenses detective agencies and their principal detectives, as well as sole proprietors, and agencies must register the investigators they employ. A principal or sole proprietor must be at least 18 with a high-school education, prove four years of full-time investigative work and pass the Board's exam; education cannot replace experience. Agencies must post a bond of at least $5,000.
18
4 years
Yes
$5,000 bond
How to get licensed
- 1
Confirm four years of qualifying full-time investigative work (supervised PI work, police, government investigator or law-firm investigator)
- 2
Download the application from the Board's application page or request one on +1 808 586 3000
- 3
Get fingerprinted electronically through Fieldprint for the FBI and Hawaii checks
- 4
Submit the application and fees, then sit and pass the Board's exam
- 5
File the agency's $5,000 bond and business registration documents before the licence issues
Licensed somewhere else?
See whether you can take a case in Hawaii.
How to qualify
- Who holds the licence
- Individuals and agencies
- Experience
- 4 years full-time investigative work (supervised PI work, police officer, government investigator or investigator for a law firm); no education substitute
- Bond or insurance
- Agency surety bond of at least $5,000
- Fees
- Application: agency $100, principal or sole proprietor $50; exam $50; licence: agency $344 (or $140 if issued in the second year of the cycle), principal $280 (or $108); renewal: agency $408, principal $344; fingerprint fees paid to FieldprintFees change often: check the regulator's current schedule before you pay.
- Renewal
- Every 2 years; licences expire 30 June of even-numbered years (renewal: agency $408, principal or sole proprietor $344)
- Reciprocity
- None - all applicants must meet Hawaii's licensing and exam requirements
Rules in the field
Recording conversations
One-party consent
You can generally record a conversation you are part of without telling the others.
Sources
Reference information, not legal advice. Confirm with the regulator before taking on work. Out of date? Tell us.
Questions about PI licensing in Hawaii
Do you need a licence to be a private investigator in Hawaii?+
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Hawaii. The Board of Private Detectives and Guards licenses detective agencies and their principal detectives, as well as sole proprietors, and agencies must register the investigators they employ. A principal or sole proprietor must be at least 18 with a high-school education, prove four years of full-time investigative work and pass the Board's exam; education cannot replace experience. Agencies must post a bond of at least $5,000.
Who licenses private investigators in Hawaii?+
Board of Private Detectives and Guards, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, DCCA, under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 463; Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 16-97.
How old do you have to be to become a private investigator in Hawaii?+
At least 18.
How much experience do you need to be a PI in Hawaii?+
4 years full-time investigative work (supervised PI work, police officer, government investigator or investigator for a law firm); no education substitute
Is there an exam for a private investigator licence in Hawaii?+
Yes, applicants must pass an exam.
Do private investigators in Hawaii need a bond or insurance?+
Agency surety bond of at least $5,000
How often does a Hawaii PI licence need renewing?+
Every 2 years; licences expire 30 June of even-numbered years (renewal: agency $408, principal or sole proprietor $344)
How much does a private investigator licence cost in Hawaii?+
Application: agency $100, principal or sole proprietor $50; exam $50; licence: agency $344 (or $140 if issued in the second year of the cycle), principal $280 (or $108); renewal: agency $408, principal $344; fingerprint fees paid to Fieldprint
How do you get a private investigator licence in Hawaii?+
1. Confirm four years of qualifying full-time investigative work (supervised PI work, police, government investigator or law-firm investigator) 2. Download the application from the Board's application page or request one on +1 808 586 3000 3. Get fingerprinted electronically through Fieldprint for the FBI and Hawaii checks 4. Submit the application and fees, then sit and pass the Board's exam 5. File the agency's $5,000 bond and business registration documents before the licence issues
Can an investigator licensed elsewhere work a case in Hawaii?+
None: Hawaii has no reciprocal agreements and all investigators must meet Hawaii's licensing and exam requirements
Does Hawaii accept PI licences from elsewhere?+
None - all applicants must meet Hawaii's licensing and exam requirements
Can a private investigator record phone calls in Hawaii?+
Hawaii is a one-party consent state: you can generally record a conversation you are part of without telling the others.
Associations for investigators in Hawaii
Investigator events in Hawaii
No upcoming events listed in Hawaii right now. Know of one? Submit it free.
Meet investigators in Hawaii
Join Investigator Events free to see who's going to the conferences and AGMs near you.
Join free