Jurisdictional, Licensing, and Regulation Concerns
Texas Private Investigator License
Reference Website:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/psb/Contact Information:Website:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/psb/Email:
Private_Security_Bureau@txdps.state.tx.us Texas Department of Public Safety - Private Security Bureau, PO Box 15999, Austin, Texas, United States, 78761-5999
Phone: (512) 424-7710
Fax: (512) 424-7729
Associations:Texas Association of Licensed Investigators, Inc.Citation Statute: Texas Occupations Code
Title 10. Occupations Related to Law Enforcement and Security
Chapter 1702. Private Security
Texas Administrative Code
Title 37. Public Safety and Corrections
Part 1. Texas Department of Public Safety
Chapter 35. Private Security
Website:
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Qualifications Requirement: The following information is a summary of the Texas Private Security Bureau document "Company License Application Instructions and General Requirements for Licensing". Please see the full document for more detailed and complete information.
Texas law requires that a private investigator must be properly licensed to offer or engage in private investigation or security services. Offering to provide private investigator services without a license, or hiring an unlicensed private investigator to perform investigations carries a criminal penalty in the state of Texas.
Private investigation companies that are licensed by the Private Security Bureau of Texas may consist of a single person or may involve several thousand employees. Each type of company can be identified as one of the three main types of companies; sole proprietorships (single owner), partnerships (two or more owners), and corporations (established through the Office of the Texas Secretary of State).
Texas law requires that to own, manage or be employed by a licensed private investigation company, a person must:
• be at least 18 years of age;
• not have been convicted of two or more felony offenses, a single felony within the past twenty years; or a Class A misdemeanor within the past ten years;
• no be currently charged with a Class A misdemeanor or felony offense, under an information or indictment
• not have been adjudicated a having engaged in felony level delinquent conduct within the past ten years;
• not have been found by a court to be incompetent by reason of a mental defect or disease and not have been restored to competency;
• not have been dishonorably discharged from the United States armed services, discharged from the United States armed services under other conditions determined by the Board to be prohibitive, or dismissed by the United States armed services if a commissioned office in the United States armed services;
• not be required to register in this or any other state as a sex offender;
• not have charges pending for or have been convicted in any jurisdiction of a Class misdemeanor within the past five years, for an offense determined by the Board administrative rule to be disqualifying.
These requirements apply to all licensed private investigators and applicants for a private investigator license. There are additional requirements that must be met by the manager of a private investigation company.
All applicants for a private investigator license undergo criminal history checks with the State of Texas and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In addition, a licensed private investigation company must maintain, on file with the Private Security Bureau of Texas, a certificate of proof of liability which must be kept in full force and effect at all times.
Reciprocity: Texas does not have private investigator reciprocity agreements with any other states. However, if a private investigator must conduct brief business in Texas, it is generally acceptable.
Testing: Testing is required for a Private Investigator License in the State of Texas.
Fees: Class A Fee: $350.00 registration fee + $11.00 subscription fee= $361.00
Renewal Information: $350.00 registration fee + $11.00 subscription fee= $361.00
Forms: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/psb/forms/default.aspx