Private investigator licensing in Tennessee
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Tennessee.
Tennessee licenses individual private investigators and private investigation companies through a programme run directly by the Commissioner of Commerce & Insurance. Individual applicants must be at least 21, a US citizen or resident alien, pass a fingerprint background check and pass the state PI exam run by PSI; an investigator no longer has to be affiliated with a licensed company. A company also needs someone with 2,000 hours of investigative experience and must pass a separate company exam.
21
2,000 hours
Yes
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How to get licensed
- 1
Check you meet the age 21 and citizenship rules
- 2
Book and pass the Tennessee Private Investigator exam with PSI
- 3
Complete a fingerprint background check through IdentoGO
- 4
Create a CORE account and submit the Initial Private Investigator Application with the $250 fee
- 5
If you join a licensed company, your ID card is sent to the company once approved
Licensed somewhere else?
See whether you can take a case in Tennessee.
How to qualify
- Who holds the licence
- Individuals and agencies
- Experience
- Individual: none. Company: must have or employ at least one person with 2,000 hours of compensated, verifiable investigative experience, or one year of related experience or education approved by the Commissioner
- Citizenship
- US citizen or resident alien
- Fees
- Individual: application and licence $250, renewal $100. Company: $375 sole practitioner, $750 for 2-5 employees, $1,500 for more than 5, branch office $100; renewal $250 / $500 / $1,000. Late renewal within 30 days $100Fees change often: check the regulator's current schedule before you pay.
- Renewal
- Every 2 years, with 12 hours of continuing education
- Continuing education
- 12 hours before each two-year renewal, from approved providers or courses approved by the program
- Reciprocity
- Limited licence recognition lets PIs licensed in Alabama (30 days per case), Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina and Virginia (15 days per case) do short-term work that starts in their home state. Arkansas and Kentucky licensees can apply for a Tennessee licence without the exam or fingerprints.
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 Tennessee
Do you need a licence to be a private investigator in Tennessee?+
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Tennessee. Tennessee licenses individual private investigators and private investigation companies through a programme run directly by the Commissioner of Commerce & Insurance. Individual applicants must be at least 21, a US citizen or resident alien, pass a fingerprint background check and pass the state PI exam run by PSI; an investigator no longer has to be affiliated with a licensed company. A company also needs someone with 2,000 hours of investigative experience and must pass a separate company exam.
Who licenses private investigators in Tennessee?+
Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance, Private Investigation program (Detection Services Licensing Program), under Tenn. Code Ann. Title 62, Chapter 26, Part 2 (Private Investigators Licensing and Regulatory Act); Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1175-01.
How old do you have to be to become a private investigator in Tennessee?+
At least 21.
How much experience do you need to be a PI in Tennessee?+
Individual: none. Company: must have or employ at least one person with 2,000 hours of compensated, verifiable investigative experience, or one year of related experience or education approved by the Commissioner
Is there an exam for a private investigator licence in Tennessee?+
Yes, applicants must pass an exam.
How often does a Tennessee PI licence need renewing?+
Every 2 years, with 12 hours of continuing education
How much does a private investigator licence cost in Tennessee?+
Individual: application and licence $250, renewal $100. Company: $375 sole practitioner, $750 for 2-5 employees, $1,500 for more than 5, branch office $100; renewal $250 / $500 / $1,000. Late renewal within 30 days $100
How do you get a private investigator licence in Tennessee?+
1. Check you meet the age 21 and citizenship rules 2. Book and pass the Tennessee Private Investigator exam with PSI 3. Complete a fingerprint background check through IdentoGO 4. Create a CORE account and submit the Initial Private Investigator Application with the $250 fee 5. If you join a licensed company, your ID card is sent to the company once approved
Can an investigator licensed elsewhere work a case in Tennessee?+
Only PIs from the recognition states (AL up to 30 days per case per year; FL, GA, KY, LA, NC and VA up to 15 days), for work that starts in the home state; most must be affiliated with a licensed agency and may not solicit business in Tennessee
Does Tennessee accept PI licences from elsewhere?+
Limited licence recognition lets PIs licensed in Alabama (30 days per case), Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina and Virginia (15 days per case) do short-term work that starts in their home state. Arkansas and Kentucky licensees can apply for a Tennessee licence without the exam or fingerprints.
Can a private investigator record phone calls in Tennessee?+
Tennessee is a one-party consent state: you can generally record a conversation you are part of without telling the others.
Associations for investigators in Tennessee
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