Private investigator licensing in Slovakia
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Slovakia.
Detective services in Slovakia are a private security service licensed under Act 473/2005: the business needs a licence from the regional police directorate, valid for ten years. Licence holders must be EEA or Swiss citizens aged at least 21 who are of good character, reliable, medically fit and professionally qualified. Each person who carries out investigations must be at least 18 and hold a Ministry of the Interior competence certificate (type S or P), issued after training and a test and valid for ten years.
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Yes
Insurance required
How to get licensed
- 1
Complete accredited professional training and pass the Ministry of the Interior competence test (type S for investigators)
- 2
Obtain the competence certificate (preukaz odbornej spôsobilosti), valid 10 years
- 3
For the business: the holder or responsible person passes the qualification exam and meets the age, reliability, character and medical conditions
- 4
Arrange liability insurance for the security service
- 5
Apply to the regional police directorate for a detective service licence and pay the fees
- 6
The licence is issued for 10 years; medical fitness is reassessed every 2 years
Licensed somewhere else?
See whether you can take a case in Slovakia.
How to qualify
- Who holds the licence
- Individuals and agencies
- Training
- Accredited professional training followed by a Ministry of the Interior test (type S for investigators, type P for operators)
- Bond or insurance
- Liability insurance for the security service required for a licence (s.22(2)(g); s.23a(2)(g) for legal entities); minimum amount not stated in the text read
- Citizenship
- EU/EEA or Swiss citizen
- Fees
- Detective service licence application EUR 140 plus EUR 50 on issue; qualification exam application EUR 100; type S competence test EUR 25 (type P EUR 70); competence certificate EUR 25 (Act 145/1995, item 149, version from 1 January 2026)Fees change often: check the regulator's current schedule before you pay.
- Renewal
- Business licence valid 10 years; individual competence certificate valid 10 years; medical fitness reassessed every 2 years
- Continuing education
- No periodic refresher training; when the 10-year certificate expires, it is renewed through new training and a new test (s.20a(3))
- Firearms
- The licence may set conditions on the number and type of firearms used for investigation (s.28(g)); weapons themselves need a firearms licence under Act 190/2003
- Reciprocity
- Recognition of foreign professional competence provided for in s.21
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
Reference information, not legal advice. Confirm with the regulator before taking on work. Out of date? Tell us.
Questions about PI licensing in Slovakia
Do you need a licence to be a private investigator in Slovakia?+
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Slovakia. Detective services in Slovakia are a private security service licensed under Act 473/2005: the business needs a licence from the regional police directorate, valid for ten years. Licence holders must be EEA or Swiss citizens aged at least 21 who are of good character, reliable, medically fit and professionally qualified. Each person who carries out investigations must be at least 18 and hold a Ministry of the Interior competence certificate (type S or P), issued after training and a test and valid for ten years.
Who licenses private investigators in Slovakia?+
Krajské riaditeľstvo Policajného zboru (regional police directorate); Ministerstvo vnútra SR for certificates and tests, under Zákon č. 473/2005 Z. z. o poskytovaní služieb v oblasti súkromnej bezpečnosti (zákon o súkromnej bezpečnosti).
How old do you have to be to become a private investigator in Slovakia?+
At least 21.
Is there an exam for a private investigator licence in Slovakia?+
Yes, applicants must pass an exam.
Do private investigators in Slovakia need a bond or insurance?+
Liability insurance for the security service required for a licence (s.22(2)(g); s.23a(2)(g) for legal entities); minimum amount not stated in the text read
How often does a Slovakia PI licence need renewing?+
Business licence valid 10 years; individual competence certificate valid 10 years; medical fitness reassessed every 2 years
How much does a private investigator licence cost in Slovakia?+
Detective service licence application EUR 140 plus EUR 50 on issue; qualification exam application EUR 100; type S competence test EUR 25 (type P EUR 70); competence certificate EUR 25 (Act 145/1995, item 149, version from 1 January 2026)
How do you get a private investigator licence in Slovakia?+
1. Complete accredited professional training and pass the Ministry of the Interior competence test (type S for investigators) 2. Obtain the competence certificate (preukaz odbornej spôsobilosti), valid 10 years 3. For the business: the holder or responsible person passes the qualification exam and meets the age, reliability, character and medical conditions 4. Arrange liability insurance for the security service 5. Apply to the regional police directorate for a detective service licence and pay the fees 6. The licence is issued for 10 years; medical fitness is reassessed every 2 years
Does Slovakia accept PI licences from elsewhere?+
Recognition of foreign professional competence provided for in s.21
Can a private investigator record phone calls in Slovakia?+
It depends on the setting in Slovakia; some conversations need everyone's consent.
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