Jacksonville Private Investigator

Florida Private Investigator License

Reference Website: http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/investigations/index.html

Contact Information:
Website: http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us
Division of Licensing, Post Office Box 6687, Tallahassee, Florida, United States, 32314-6687
Phone: (850) 245-5691

Associations:
Florida Association of Licensed Investigators
Florida Association of Private Investigators

Citation Statute:
Florida Statutes Title XXXII. Regulation of Professions and Occupations
Chapter 493. Private Investigative, Private Security, and Repossession Services

Website: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0493/titl0493.htm&StatuteYear=2008&Title=-%3E2008-%3EChapter%20493

Qualifications Requirement:
The following information is a summary of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Licensing documentation on the Private Investigative Industry and Florida Statutes Title XXXII Chapter 493. Please see the websites listed above to view these documents and for more detailed and complete information.

The State of Florida has five types of licenses for private investigators, broken down into a category for individuals and another for agencies. Agencies can apply for an "A" license, which is for a Private Investigation Agency, or an "AA" license, for a Private Investigation Agency Branch Office. Individuals can obtain a "C" license, for Private Investigator, a "CC" license for a Private Investigator Intern, or a "M" (or "MA") license for a Manager of a Private Investigation Agency.

Florida Statutes require that in order to be licensed as a private investigator, each individual must:

• be at least 18 years of age;
• be of good moral character;
• have no disqualifying criminal history of mental illness or alcohol or controlled substance abuse;
• be a citizen or legal resident alien of the United States or have been granted authorization to seek employment in this country by the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services;

All applicants for a private investigator license undergo criminal history checks with the State of Florida and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Each Private Investigation Agency must have a minimum of one physical location within the State of Florida from which the normal business of the agency is conducted, and this location shall be considered the primary office for that agency in Florida. Also, each private investigation agency and branch office location must have a minimum of one designated, properly licensed manager.

A licensed Private Investigator in the State of Florida may sponsor up to six Private Investigator Interns. Internship is intended to be a learning process, and sponsors shall assume a training status by providing direction and control of interns. Sponsors are not to allow interns to operate independently or perform activities that do not enhance the intern's qualifications for licensure.

Reciprocity: Florida recognizes and has formal reciprocity agreements with several states, in which a Private Investigator may conduct business so long as: the investigation is initiated in the investigator's home state, the investigator spends no more than 30 days per case conducting an investigation in another state, and the investigator does not solicit business while in another state. The exception to these rules is Tennessee, which only allows for 15 days of out-of-state time for an investigation.

Official reciprocity with Georgia Private Investigator License, California Private Investigator License, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Virginia Private Investigator License.

Testing: Florida requires a Private Investigator to pass an examination if applying for a "C" or "M" (or "MA") license.

Fees: Fees for Agencies are $450.00.

Fees for Private Investigators are $167.00.

Fees for Interns are $152.00.

Renewal Information: Renewal fees for Agencies are $450.00.

Renewal fees for Private Investigators are $75.00.

Renewal fees for Interns are $60.00.

Forms:
http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/application_instructions/instructions.html

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