Private investigator licensing in New Jersey
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in New Jersey.
The New Jersey State Police Private Detective Unit licenses private detective businesses (individuals, firms or corporations), and employees are registered under the licence rather than licensed themselves. The applicant, or the qualifying officer of a firm, must be a US citizen aged 25 or older with 5 years of experience as an investigator for a licensed agency or as a police officer. Serving law enforcement officers cannot hold a licence, and a credit check forms part of the background investigation.
25
5 years
No
$3,000 bond
How to get licensed
- 1
Check you meet the age (25), citizenship and 5-year experience rules
- 2
Pre-enrol with IdentoGO and get fingerprinted, keeping the receipt
- 3
Complete application SP-171 with employer-signed experience pages, five unrelated references and a notarised release
- 4
Mail the application, fee (cashier's, business cheque or money order), photo, citizenship documents and fingerprint receipt to the Private Detective Unit, West Trenton
- 5
Complete the background investigation, including a credit review
- 6
When the unit sends 'Next Steps', register the business with the NJ Treasury and file the surety bond to receive the licence
Licensed somewhere else?
See whether you can take a case in New Jersey.
How to qualify
- Who holds the licence
- The agency (staff are registered under it)
- 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
- Bond or insurance
- $3,000 surety bond (individual) or $5,000 (firm, association or corporation)
- Citizenship
- US citizen (citizenship documents required; passports not accepted)
- 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 firmFees change often: check the regulator's current schedule before you pay.
- 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
- Continuing education
- Not published by the regulator
- 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
Rules in the field
Recording conversations
One-party consent
You can generally record a conversation you are part of without telling the others.
Sources
- 1 njsp.njoag.gov
- 2 nj.gov
- 3 nj.gov
- 4 njsp.njoag.gov
- 5 njsp.njoag.gov
- 6 njsp.njoag.gov
- 7 njsp.njoag.gov
- 8 njleg.state.nj.us
Reference information, not legal advice. Confirm with the regulator before taking on work. Out of date? Tell us.
Questions about PI licensing in New Jersey
Do you need a licence to be a private investigator in New Jersey?+
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in New Jersey. The New Jersey State Police Private Detective Unit licenses private detective businesses (individuals, firms or corporations), and employees are registered under the licence rather than licensed themselves. The applicant, or the qualifying officer of a firm, must be a US citizen aged 25 or older with 5 years of experience as an investigator for a licensed agency or as a police officer. Serving law enforcement officers cannot hold a licence, and a credit check forms part of the background investigation.
Who licenses private investigators in New Jersey?+
New Jersey State Police – Private Detective Unit, under Private Detective Act of 1939, N.J.S.A. 45:19-8 et seq.; N.J.A.C. 13:55.
How old do you have to be to become a private investigator in New Jersey?+
At least 25.
How much experience do you need to be a PI in New Jersey?+
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
Is there an exam for a private investigator licence in New Jersey?+
No state exam is required.
Do private investigators in New Jersey need a bond or insurance?+
$3,000 surety bond (individual) or $5,000 (firm, association or corporation)
How often does a New Jersey PI licence need renewing?+
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
How much does a private investigator licence cost in New Jersey?+
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
How long does it take to get a PI licence in New Jersey?+
Estimated 4-6 months from receipt of a complete application (NJSP instructions)
How do you get a private investigator licence in New Jersey?+
1. Check you meet the age (25), citizenship and 5-year experience rules 2. Pre-enrol with IdentoGO and get fingerprinted, keeping the receipt 3. Complete application SP-171 with employer-signed experience pages, five unrelated references and a notarised release 4. Mail the application, fee (cashier's, business cheque or money order), photo, citizenship documents and fingerprint receipt to the Private Detective Unit, West Trenton 5. Complete the background investigation, including a credit review 6. When the unit sends 'Next Steps', register the business with the NJ Treasury and file the surety bond to receive the licence
Can a private investigator record phone calls in New Jersey?+
New Jersey is a one-party consent state: you can generally record a conversation you are part of without telling the others.
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