The Executive Suite: Requirements to Be a Private Investigator in Florida

Monday, September 23, 2013

Requirements to Be a Private Investigator in Florida

Florida private investigators work with attorneys, business leaders and individuals to help them uncover and analyze information. The median annual wage for these professionals was $41,760 as of May 2008, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Before they start earning wages, Florida's private investigators must meet certain requirements to receive an individual or agency license, depending on the type of organization (e.g. private office, agency) in which they operate.

Before Florida will issue private investigators a license, applicants must have completed at least two years of full-time investigative work experience. Private investigator applicants can also complete at least one year of undergraduate study at an accredited college or university to help meet the work experience requirement. They must major in courses like criminal justice, law enforcement or criminology.

If people who want to work as private investigators in Florida do not have a college education or two years of full-time investigate work experience, they can work for two years as an intern. Internships are completed at licensed private investigative agencies in the state. Before they start their internship, private investigator applicants must complete at least 24 hours of a 40-hour training program at a public or private academic institution that is supervised by the Florida Department of Education. Interns must complete the remaining 16 hours of training within 180 days of starting the internship.

Application

Private investigators must complete an individual or an agency license before they start working in Florida. Applicants who are younger than 18 are not allowed to receive a private investigator license in the state. Work history over the past five years, addresses where the applicant lived during the past five years, education and training experience and criminal history are required on private investigator license applications. The application fee is $50 and the licensing fee is $75 for a total of $125 as of March 2011. People who plan to hire other investigators to conduct work for them must get an agency license. The same information required on individual licenses (e.g. criminal history, work history) is required for agency licenses. In addition, agency owners are required to submit the name under which their business will operate to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services along with their license application. Agency license fees are $450 as of March 2011, in addition to the $50 application fee.

Before they submit their license applications to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, applicants must take and pass an examination. Individual license examinations cover information contained in the Florida Private Investigator Handbook. Applicants must contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to schedule an examination. It takes about two hours to complete the test. Sponsorship of interns, badges, divulging investigative information and use of force are some of the topics covered in the handbook.

Individuals and agencies are required to submit proof that they have commercial liability insurance when they submit their license applications. Furthermore, individuals and agencies must have at least $300,000 in commercial liability insurance. The name and contact information for the insurance company that provided the coverage is required on applications.

All private investigators in Florida get fingerprinted. Fingerprint cards are available at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services website; they are included with license application forms. Applicants can also complete and submit their fingerprint cards online so that the department can work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to conduct a national background investigation on them. Felony and misdemeanor convictions are types of items that are reported on the background investigations.