Private investigator licensing in Virginia
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Virginia.
DCJS registers individual private investigators and licenses private security services businesses, which must name a compliance agent. Individuals must be at least 18, a US citizen or legal resident alien, and complete the 60-hour 02E entry-level private investigator course, which ends with a written exam. Businesses must carry at least $1 million general aggregate liability insurance.
18
—
Yes
$1,000,000 insurance
How to get licensed
- 1
Complete the 60-hour 02E private investigator entry-level course at a DCJS-certified school, including its written exam
- 2
Apply online through DCJS and pay the registration and criminal history processing fees
- 3
Book fingerprints with Fieldprint Virginia; DCJS is notified automatically
- 4
Add a firearms endorsement if you will carry or have access to a firearm on duty
- 5
Work only through a licensed private security services business, which needs its own DCJS licence and compliance agent
Licensed somewhere else?
See whether you can take a case in Virginia.
How to qualify
- Who holds the licence
- Individuals and agencies
- Training
- 60-hour 02E entry-level private investigator course (partial waivers for qualifying law enforcement or prior training)
- Bond or insurance
- Business licence: comprehensive general liability insurance, $1,000,000 general aggregate minimum
- Citizenship
- US citizen or legal resident alien
- Fees
- Individual: fingerprint processing $50, initial registration $25, renewal $20, firearm endorsement $10. Business: 1-year licence $550 or 2-year licence $800, renewal $500 for 2 years; compliance agent certification $50Fees change often: check the regulator's current schedule before you pay.
- Renewal
- Registration lasts up to 24 months; renew online at least 30 days before expiry after the 8-hour 02I in-service course
- Continuing education
- 8-hour 02I private investigator in-service course before each renewal (every 24 months)
- Firearms
- Separate firearms endorsement needed for anyone who carries or has access to a firearm on duty, renewed every 12 months; concealed carry also needs a concealed handgun permit and the employer's written permission (18.2-308)
- Reciprocity
- Limited reciprocity agreements with Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee let PIs from those states continue investigations that began in their home state.
Rules in the field
Recording conversations
One-party consent
You can generally record a conversation you are part of without telling the others.
GPS trackers
Code 18.2-60.5 makes covert tracking a Class 1 misdemeanour; registered PIs are exempt only with the consent of the owner of the property the device is placed on, and never for clients under a protective order.
Sources
- 1 dcjs.virginia.gov
- 2 dcjs.virginia.gov
- 3 dcjs.virginia.gov
- 4 law.lis.virginia.gov
- 5 law.lis.virginia.gov
- 6 law.lis.virginia.gov
- 7 law.lis.virginia.gov
- 8 law.lis.virginia.gov
- 9 law.lis.virginia.gov
- 10 dcjs.virginia.gov
- 11 law.lis.virginia.gov
Reference information, not legal advice. Confirm with the regulator before taking on work. Out of date? Tell us.
Questions about PI licensing in Virginia
Do you need a licence to be a private investigator in Virginia?+
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Virginia. DCJS registers individual private investigators and licenses private security services businesses, which must name a compliance agent. Individuals must be at least 18, a US citizen or legal resident alien, and complete the 60-hour 02E entry-level private investigator course, which ends with a written exam. Businesses must carry at least $1 million general aggregate liability insurance.
Who licenses private investigators in Virginia?+
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), Private Security Services, under Code of Virginia §§ 9.1-138 to 9.1-150; 6VAC20-172 and 6VAC20-174.
How old do you have to be to become a private investigator in Virginia?+
At least 18.
Is there an exam for a private investigator licence in Virginia?+
Yes, applicants must pass an exam.
Do private investigators in Virginia need a bond or insurance?+
Business licence: comprehensive general liability insurance, $1,000,000 general aggregate minimum
How often does a Virginia PI licence need renewing?+
Registration lasts up to 24 months; renew online at least 30 days before expiry after the 8-hour 02I in-service course
How much does a private investigator licence cost in Virginia?+
Individual: fingerprint processing $50, initial registration $25, renewal $20, firearm endorsement $10. Business: 1-year licence $550 or 2-year licence $800, renewal $500 for 2 years; compliance agent certification $50
How do you get a private investigator licence in Virginia?+
1. Complete the 60-hour 02E private investigator entry-level course at a DCJS-certified school, including its written exam 2. Apply online through DCJS and pay the registration and criminal history processing fees 3. Book fingerprints with Fieldprint Virginia; DCJS is notified automatically 4. Add a firearms endorsement if you will carry or have access to a firearm on duty 5. Work only through a licensed private security services business, which needs its own DCJS licence and compliance agent
Can an investigator licensed elsewhere work a case in Virginia?+
PIs licensed in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma or Tennessee may work in Virginia on investigations that started in their home state, under the terms of each agreement
Does Virginia accept PI licences from elsewhere?+
Limited reciprocity agreements with Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee let PIs from those states continue investigations that began in their home state.
Can a private investigator record phone calls in Virginia?+
Virginia is a one-party consent state: you can generally record a conversation you are part of without telling the others.
Associations for investigators in Virginia
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