Licence required

Private investigator licensing in San Marino

Yes. Private investigators need a licence in San Marino.

San Marino licenses private investigation firms (Istituti di investigazione privata) and registers individual investigators under Decree-Law 148/2009. A firm needs a licence whose holders and directors have no pending prosecution or conviction for intentional offences, do not also run security guarding, are of good conduct and have no close family in the San Marino police (Art. 3). Investigators must be entered in the Register of Authorised Investigators kept by the Gendarmeria, which requires the same checks plus a paid course and an exam set by the Police Department; registration lasts one year (Art. 5).2

Minimum age

—

Experience

None

Exam

Yes

Bond / insurance

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How to get licensed2

  1. 1

    Complete the compulsory paid course set by the Gendarmeria (run with the Centro di Formazione Professionale)

  2. 2

    Pass the exam set by the Police Department

  3. 3

    Be entered in the Register of Authorised Investigators at the Comando della Gendarmeria after the background checks, and obtain the Gendarmeria ID document (Arts. 5, 7)

  4. 4

    To run a firm, obtain a licence for private investigation as the sole business purpose (as an individual, an SRL or an SpA owned by qualifying individuals), with requirements checked by the Ufficio Industria, Artigianato e Commercio (Arts. 3, 9)

  5. 5

    Keep the case register and present it to the Gendarmeria every three months (Art. 8)

Licensed somewhere else?

See whether you can take a case in San Marino.

How to qualify

Who holds the licence
Individuals and agencies2
Training
Compulsory paid course, with content set by the Gendarmeria and run with the Centro di Formazione Professionale, before the exam (Art. 5)2
Citizenship
Non-residents may also register, subject to the rules on hiring staff not on the employment lists (Art. 5)2
Renewal
Registration in the Register of Authorised Investigators lasts one year and is renewed on request after the Gendarmeria checks the requirements are still met (Art. 5); the Gendarmeria also re-checks owners, directors, partners and staff every year (Art. 8)3
Firearms
Investigation services must be provided without weapons (Art. 3).2

Sources

Reference information, not legal advice. Confirm with the regulator before taking on work. Out of date? Tell us.

Questions about PI licensing in San Marino

Do you need a licence to be a private investigator in San Marino?+

Yes. Private investigators need a licence in San Marino. San Marino licenses private investigation firms (Istituti di investigazione privata) and registers individual investigators under Decree-Law 148/2009. A firm needs a licence whose holders and directors have no pending prosecution or conviction for intentional offences, do not also run security guarding, are of good conduct and have no close family in the San Marino police (Art. 3). Investigators must be entered in the Register of Authorised Investigators kept by the Gendarmeria, which requires the same checks plus a paid course and an exam set by the Police Department; registration lasts one year (Art. 5).

Who licenses private investigators in San Marino?+

Comando della Gendarmeria (Register of Authorised Investigators) and Ufficio Industria, Artigianato e Commercio (business licence), under Decree-Law No. 148 of 26 October 2009, ratifying Decree-Law No. 137 of 29 September 2009 on private security and private investigation activities (Disciplina delle attività di vigilanza e di investigazione private), amended by Law No. 159 of 21 September 2010.

Is there an exam for a private investigator licence in San Marino?+

Yes, applicants must pass an exam.

How often does a San Marino PI licence need renewing?+

Registration in the Register of Authorised Investigators lasts one year and is renewed on request after the Gendarmeria checks the requirements are still met (Art. 5); the Gendarmeria also re-checks owners, directors, partners and staff every year (Art. 8)

How do you get a private investigator licence in San Marino?+

1. Complete the compulsory paid course set by the Gendarmeria (run with the Centro di Formazione Professionale) 2. Pass the exam set by the Police Department 3. Be entered in the Register of Authorised Investigators at the Comando della Gendarmeria after the background checks, and obtain the Gendarmeria ID document (Arts. 5, 7) 4. To run a firm, obtain a licence for private investigation as the sole business purpose (as an individual, an SRL or an SpA owned by qualifying individuals), with requirements checked by the Ufficio Industria, Artigianato e Commercio (Arts. 3, 9) 5. Keep the case register and present it to the Gendarmeria every three months (Art. 8)

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