As a Private Investigator, some assignments may take you into back alleys, or other risky situations, prowling for leads to uncover evidence to "prove your case".

1. You do not need a license to begin training as a private investigator or to enroll in DTI’s program.
   
   
2. You do not need a license to work as a private investigator in a private organization.
   
   You may work for a private organization as a fraud investigator, retail investigator, corporate investigator, or a legal investigator working under an attorney. Wherever you work though, you will need to be properly trained in a variety of investigative assignments to work effectively as a Private Investigator in the 21st century.
   
   
3. You do not need a license to start and operate a detective agency in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
   
   
4. You do not need a license to work in a detective agency in your local area. As soon as you complete your DTI course (only 3-6 months on average) and can demonstrate that you are competent in a number of key investigative areas, you can immediately start working in a detective agency under the owner's license. You can conduct the very same exciting and interesting assignments that a licensed private investigator does, including surveillances, background checks, undercover assignments, insurance fraud, and testifying in court. You can conduct any assignment while under the supervision of a licensed private investigator. In fact, many investigators prefer to work for an agency than starting their own.
   
   A DTI Diploma can give you an advantage in the hiring process by showing the prospective employer:
   
   - The subjects you covered in the course
   
   - Your scores on school exams and field assignments
   
   - That you took the initiative to enroll in a certified P.I. course and have a strong interest in becoming a private investigator
   
   - That you are a self-motivated individual who can finish what you start
   
   
5. You do not need a license to engage in process serving, on-line research, installation of hidden videos, and similar related activities. You will learn about these in your course. These businesses will allow you to perform many of the same functions as a licensed investigator, including conducting surveillance, serving legal papers, tracking down missing persons for process service, install hidden videos to protect children from abusive baby sitters, etc. These businesses will also give you the opportunity to work closely with other licensed investigators, clients, attorneys and the courts. Thus, you can immediately begin building business skills and contacts that will be very important later in your investigator career.

WHEN WILL YOU NEED A LICENSE?

Starting Your Own Agency: You will need a state license only if you decide to operate your own detective agency and call yourself a licensed private investigator. If you decide that’s for you, you will be required to apply for a state-issued license and meet the number of hours or years required by your state’s statutes, which is usually 36 months without prior experience. In addition, you may be required to pass a written examination. Unfortunately, neither DTI’s course, nor any other course, whether home study or classroom study, is sufficient to meet any state’s experience requirements.

Although you may be tempted to start your own agency immediately upon graduation, there is still much to be learned in this intriguing profession. DTI strongly recommends working for an agency first to master your investigative skills and to prepare yourself to deal with a range of clients, including insurance companies, businesses and private individuals. You also need to learn how to conduct a wide a variety of investigations so you can meet all of your client’s needs and avoid complaints, which could put your license in jeopardy.

Once licensed, you'll be faced with the new challenges of running a detective agency: doing mostly administrative desk work, competing with other detective agencies, trying to get new clients, shopping for insurance and employee benefits, advertising, setting up a bookkeeping and case management system, hiring field investigators, paying bills, etc. That's OK for the future, but right now you have a golden opportunity to train with DTI and immediately begin working as a private investigator in a detective agency, insurance company, attorney firm, or corporation. You can quickly begin to enjoy a great career with a professional salary, independence, and prestige.

To view your state’s licensing requirements, click here. After viewing your state’s requirements, simply click the BACK button to return to your original location on DTI’s website.