Columbus Private Investigator

Georgia Private Investigator License

Georgia requires private investigation companies to be licensed.
Reference Website: http://sos.georgia.gov/plb/detective/

Contact Information:
Website: http://sos.georgia.gov/plb/detective/
Email: sosweb@sos.state.ga.us
Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies, P.O. Box 13446, Macon, Georgia, United States, 31208
Phone: (478) 207-2440

Associations:
Georgia Association of Professional Private Investigators, Inc

Citation Statute:
Title 43 Chapter 38 (1-17)

Website: http://sos.georgia.gov/acrobat/PLB/laws/31_Priv_Detective_and_Security_43-38.pdf

Qualifications Requirement:
Licenses; qualifications; criminal records; fingerprints; bond, insurance, or net worth affidavit; display of license; suspension; temporary permits; license recognition agreements

(a) Any individual, firm, association, company, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation desiring to engage in the private detective or private security business in this state shall make a verified application in writing to the division director for a license therefor. If the applicant is a firm, association, company, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, the person filing the application on behalf of such firm, association, company, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation shall be a corporate officer of such corporation or an officer of such firm, association, partnership, or limited liability company; and such individual shall meet the qualifications set out in this Code section.

(b) Upon being satisfied of the good character, competency, and integrity of an applicant for licensure under this chapter or, if the applicant is a firm, association, company, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, upon being satisfied of the good character, competency, and integrity of the corporate officer of such corporation or officer of such firm, association, partnership, or limited liability company, the board may grant a license to conduct a private detective or private security business to such individual, firm, association, company, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation if:

(1) The applicant is at least 18 years of age;
(2) The applicant is a citizen of the United States or a registered resident alien;
(3) The applicant is of good moral character;
(4) The applicant has not been convicted of a felony or any crime involving the illegal use, carrying, or possession of a dangerous weapon or any crime involving moral turpitude; provided, however, that, if the applicant has been convicted of such crime, or has entered a plea of nolo contendere, or has entered a plea pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 8 of Title 42 or otherwise been granted first offender treatment, the board may inquire into the nature of the crime, the date of conviction or plea, and other underlying facts and circumstances surrounding such criminal proceedings and, in its discretion, may grant a license to such applicant;
(5) The applicant has not committed an act constituting dishonesty or fraud;
(6) The applicant has satisfied the board that his or her private detective or private security business has a competent training officer and adequate training program with a curriculum approved by the board or that adequate training will be obtained from such other source as the board may approve;
(7) The applicant for a private detective company license has had at least two years' experience as an agent registered with a licensed detective agency, or has had at least two years' experience in law enforcement, or has a four-year degree in criminal justice or a related field from an accredited university or college; and the applicant for a security company license has had at least two years' experience as a supervisor or administrator in in-house security operations or with a licensed security agency, or has had at least two years' experience in law enforcement, or has a four-year degree in criminal justice or a related field from an accredited university or college;
(8) The applicants for private detective company licenses and security company licenses may be required to pass successfully a written examination as the board may prescribe; and
(9) The applicant meets such other qualifications as the board may prescribe by rule.

Licenses in Georgia are issued only to companies. The company must have an individual, either the owner, a partner, or an officer of the corporation or LLC, who is qualified by experience or education to be the holder of the license for the company.
The experience required is two years, either in law enforcement, or as a registered private detective employed by a licensed private detective company. The education required is a four-year degree from an accredited college or university in Criminal Justice, or a related field of study

Reciprocity: Currently, the Board has Limited License Recognition Agreements with Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana, California, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Tennessee.



Testing: An exam is required to establish competency in the state of Georgia.

Forms:
http://sos.georgia.gov/cgi-bin/plbforms.asp?board=31

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Private Investigation Cases covered in this Area:
Accident Reconstruction	Loss and Theft Investigations
Activity Checks	Lost Family Member
Adopted Child Locate Investigation	Malpractice Investigation
Adultery or Infidelity Investigations (Marital)	Maritime or Boating Investigations
Arson or Fire Loss Investigation	Medical and Dental Malpractice
Background Checks (Online Dating)	Mergers and Acquisitions Investigation
Background Investigation	Mind Control or Brainwashing Investigations
Background Investigation (Pre-Marital or Pre-nuptial)	Missing Persons
Bankruptcy Due Diligence	Mobile Phone and PDA Seizures
Birth Parent Locate Investigation	Money Laundering Investigations
Blacklisting and Blackballing Investigations	Mystery and Secret Shopper
Bomb Threats and Detection	Narcotics Detection
Cellular Forensics	Online Auction Fraud
Cheating Decoy Investigations	Online Defamation Investigation
Child Abuse or Molestation	Online Gaming and MMO Investigations
Child Custody and Visitation Investigations	Online Social Networking Investigation
Child Exploitation and Obscenity (Pornography)	Organized Crime Control or RICO
Child Support Enforcement and Collection	Origin and Cause Investigation
Child Support Modification	Other Private Investigator Case
Cohabitation Investigation	Paternity Investigations and Testing
Cold Case Investigations	Personal Injury
Competitive Business Intelligence	Personal Protection
Computer Forensics Investigation	Polygraph and Lie Detection (General)
Corporate Slander Investigation	Polygraph and Lie Detection for Domestic Purposes
Counterfeiting Crime	Polygraph and Lie Detection for Employee Purposes
Counter-Surveillance	Polygraph and Lie Detection for Pre Employment Screening
Covert Surveillance (Tailing)	Pre-Employment Screening
Criminal Background Checks and Search	Probate Investigation
Criminal Investigation (All Types)	Process Service (Worldwide)
D'enquête pour les Clients qui Parlent Français	Professional Malpractice Investigations
Dependency Investigations	Public Interest Investigations
Discrimination Claims Investigations	Real Estate Fraud Investigations
Divorce Investigation	Religion or Faith Based Investigation
Document Examination and Assessment	Runaway and Missing Children
Domestic Investigations (All Types)	Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Securities Investigations
Drug Testing	Sects Occult or Cults Investigations
Due Diligence Investigation (General)	Security Consulting (CPP & PPS Certified)
Eavesdropping Detection (Bugs and Taps)	Sexual Harassment Claims
Elder Abuse Investigations	Sick Day Fraud
Electronic Discovery Services	Signal Piracy Investigation
Email Tracking and SMS Tracing	Slander and Defamation of Character Investigations
Embezzlement Investigation	Spousal Maintenance or Alimony Modification
Employee Malingering Investigation	Stalking and Harassment Investigations
Employee Theft Investigation	Sting Operations
Employment Misconduct Investigation	Stock Options Fraud
Expert Witness Testimony	Strike and Labor Unrest
Financial Fraud Investigations (CFE & CFS)	Substance Abuse Investigation
Hidden Assets Investigation	Surface or Forensic Drug Detection
Hidden Assets Search (Lost or Forgotten)	Surveillance (Beacon or GPS tracking)
Homicide and Murder Investigation	Technical Surveillance Countermeasures
Human Trafficking	Tenant Screening
Identity Theft	Traffic and Vehicle Accident Reconstruction
Inheritance Investigation	Undercover and Covert Investigations
Insurance Fraud Investigations (Active Case)	Unfaithful or Cheating Mate (Non-Marital)
Intellectual Property and Copyright Infringement	Unsolved Crime Investigations
International Marriage Investigation	Vendor Screening Investigations
International Rendition	White Collar Crime
Internet Defamation and Slander Investigations	Wire and Electronic Communications Crime
Investigación para Clientes que Hablan Español	Witness Locates and Interviewing
Juror Vetting (Jury Selection)	Workers' Compensation Fraud (AOE/COE)
Kidnapping and Ransom Situation	Workplace (ADA, EEOC, or FMLA Sensitive)
Labor Dispute Monitoring	Workplace Investigation Interview
Land Ownership and Title Investigation	Workplace Violence Investigation
Litigation & Legal Support (Active Case)	Wrongful Death Investigations
Locate Lost People	Wrongful Imprisonment

Clients Serviced in this Area:
Attorneys & Legal Services	Insurance Industry and Adjusters
Business (100+ Employees)	Law Enforcement Specific
Business (Small Business)	Medical Services or Hospice
Education Services Industry	Non-Government Organization
Financial Services Industry	Parental or Caretaker
Government (Local/State/Federal)	Real Estate Professionals
Hotel, Bar or Restaurant Specific	Security & Private Investigator
Human Resource Professionals	Spousal or Matrimonial
Individual Clients (Personal Cases)