Florida Private Investigator License

In Florida, it is legal to operate as a private investigator only after getting Florida private investigator license.

In March 2020 an article was published by Law.com, according to which, a private investigator is a trustworthy and legal person in the state. He deals with the lawyers and helps them to reveal some criminal cases.

So, if you find this topic interesting and want to gain more information in detail, keep reading the article!

Who is responsible for the licensing process?

As stated by Chapter 493 of Florida’s state statutes, the FL Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services handles the licensing process of PIs. On their website, you can find the information you need referring to how to apply for, obtain, or renew the license.

Here is the address and phone number of the office. There are also a mailing address and website where you can directly ask your question and get quick response:

FL Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
P.O. Box 5767
Tallahassee, FL 32314-5767
1-800- HELP-FLA (1-800- 435-7352)
Website: fdacs.gov

What are the requirements?

Here investigation is a growing and expanding field. There are many vacant positions that are waiting for good specialists. People who are interested in revealing criminal cases; such as personal injury, breaking a contract, fraud, and so on, have to get a license and start working in this constantly-exposing area.

However, getting a permit is not so simple. There are some minimum requirements that each applicant must meet.

You must be more than 18 years old and of good moral character. It is important to be a legal resident or a citizen of the US without any criminal records that could disqualify you. You must not have a history referring to alcoholism or using illegal drugs.

Everything written in the application must be trustworthy, as the director checks your background history, and you will have a problem if you try to hide something. You should write about your mental state: if you have any illness, it is better to inform about it.

Automatic disqualifies

Unlike some other states of the US (such as Colorado Private Investigator License), here you may get an automatic disqualification by the director if you:

• are not a legal resident or a citizen of the US;
• have been declared guilty of a felony or have a criminal case;
• have been found guilty of operating without a permit;
• are physically or mentally not capable of implementing the necessary functions related to the job.

Other requirements

This includes terms connected to your experience and work, as well as the passed exam. You should have at least two years of experience that can be attained by working in the military or law enforcement. You may also carry out some training and get the demanded knowledge.

After meeting these terms you should pass an exam that will check your professional knowledge of Florida law. You have to prepare for the questions covering the legal responsibilities of detectives and the business practices in the industry.

So, after successfully overcoming these steps you may already apply for the permit.

What should the form include?

To summarize, let us mention the important points that you have to write in the required form:

• Citizenship status
• Personal and criminal background history
• Current address
• A fingerprint card and a photograph
• Payment of fees
• SSN verification
• Training or military experience
• The proof of a passing exam
• A sponsorship letter (this one you will need while applying for the Class “CC” intern license)

Fees

One of the most essential steps is correctly paying the fees. Here is the demanded amount you should pay for each part:

• Application: $50
• Fingerprinting: $42
• License: $75
• Exam: $100
• Re-test: $100

Renewal

Keep in mind that your permit is valid for two years. You should send a renewal form 150 days prior to the expiration in the mail. Do not forget to pay the fee online.

What is the Florida Association of Private Investigators (FAPI)?

The association was set up to connect state detectives with national and even foreign investigators. Meetings, professional discussions, exchange of experiences, and conferences take place here. All PI professionals are free to register and participate in both volunteering and organizational activities.

These meetings provide a wonderful opportunity to constantly move forward, gain new knowledge, and exchange information. This platform is not competitive at all, its purpose is to train more qualified specialists and to further develop the field.

PI Salary and job outlook

As you have already noticed, this field is taken quite seriously and the government does its best to train qualified specialists. Although the field is not very old and is evolving all the time, there is a constant need for new people to fill the vacancies.

Apart from the fact that the field is very interesting and full of intrigues, it is also quite profitable. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, good specialists can make about $47,000 annually.