If you're looking to find out how to become a private investigator, you’ll find all your answers in this guide. First, away the pipe and magnifying glass, there’s more to being a Private Eye than you might think.
Private investigators, also known as private detectives and private eyes, are professionals for hire. Their job usually involves finding missing people, researching and locating long lost relatives or people of interest, catching cheating spouses, and solving information-related problems.
In this guide on how to become a private investigator, we’ll talk about everything you need to know when considering this profession, including the code of conduct, rules, licenses, and requirements on how to be a private investigator, as well as the many tools and equipment you might need.
If you’re truly interested in becoming a private investigator, and you’re informed of the dangers that might lie ahead, this guide is for you. We will further discuss the prospect of how to become a private investigator and everything you need to know.
What Do You Need to Become a Private Investigator?
Unlike common civilians, private investigators have the legitimacy and authorization for using spying equipment to obtain valuable and confidential information, and get to places and handle problems that other law-abiding citizens can’t. That does NOT mean that private eyes are above the law. They have their own, specialized code of ethics, that every good private investigator should abide by.
Let’s first cover the paperwork, documents, and diplomas required for you to become a licensed private investigator.
Basic Requirements, Documents, and Paperwork to Become a Private Investigator
In most state jurisdictions, there’s no need for formal education to become a private investigator. You must, however, be at least 18 (or 21 in some states) years old and you must have no criminal record.
However, a criminal justice degree, as well as a bachelor’s degree, can significantly improve your chances to get a license. A high school diploma is still an obligatory requirement.
Here’s an overview of the basic requirements and documents on how to become a private investigator:
- Read about your state’s education and work experience requirements for private investigators.
- Get yourself a private investigator’s license, find out about your licensing authorities, and certifications via your state’s licensing authorities. It varies from state to state, so be sure to look this up and thoroughly research the requirements.
- Attend a degree program in order to gain the required experience for private investigators. It’s not mandatory, but they are recommended to help with your skills and ultimately get you hired more.
- You will need a concealed weapons license. Check your state laws for more information if you want to carry weaponry.
- Get yourself fingerprinted and get a background check. Background checks strengthen a private investigator’s legitimacy and it directly influences your reputation and trustworthiness.
Once you obtain your private investigator license and read about your state’s laws on PIs, you can finally place a ‘Private Investigator for hire’ sign or ad in your local newspaper. For more info on how to get licenses in any state read this guide.
Sure, you can put ads and write your bio on LinkedIn, but having a PI ad in your local papers is more discreet and shows that you mean business.
Extra Steps and Recommended Classes and Courses for Private Investigators
Please contact your state’s private investigator association to find out more about private investigator courses and training certification programs.
Former members of the military, law enforcement, actors, paralegals, photographers, and librarians may also find their experience advantageous when starting a career as an investigator. If you are a PI with a criminal defense specialization, you can get your required certificate via the National Association of Legal Investigators.
What Does a Private Investigator Do?
Some investigators select a specialty while others offer multiple services. The most common investigative services include civil investigations and background checks.
Selecting a specialty or area of expertise is not necessary when starting out as an investigator, but you may want to read up on the various investigation types before getting started.
Common Duties and Traits of a Private Investigator
Private eyes do not run errands. They are skilled and trained professionals who are authorized to use means which most common civilians don’t have the ability, time, or jurisdiction to use.
For example, if you don’t want to be charged with harassment for stalking your ex, the private investigator does that for you. Or, if you can’t seem to find a person, even after spending countless hours on the web, the private investigator has access to databases which make this job much easier.
Here’s what consists of a private investigator’s job:
- Researching and uncovering valuable legal, financial, and personal info on a specific person;
- Conducting audio/video surveillance and monitoring;
- May be hired by companies to conduct background checks on potential employees;
- Having access to crime scenes and searching for clues regarding a crime;
- Testifying and presenting info and evidence in a court of law;
- Can be hired by companies to obtain valuable info on competitors;
- Escorting people, as well as valuable assets and property (expensive paintings, objects of value) from point A to point B;
- Guarding and closely monitoring important individuals for protection;
- Recovering deleted, lost, or destroyed information (files, photos, documents, emails, etc.) about people of interest;
- and more.
Private investigators, as opposed to us common folk, are under a law enforcement and PI agency’s jurisdiction. They can go where others can’t and use surveillance methods and spying devices that others can't.
It’s important for a PI to be assertive, have a high critical thinking pattern, pay close attention to details, have impeccable communication skills, have the ability to conduct interviews, interrogations, and in some cases intimidations, and they must be brave and not afraid to confront anything.
Anyone can be a private investigator. But, being a good private investigator takes hard work. Professional private investigators have a keen sense for the job, ethical and morally sound judgment, and have the key ability for decision-making.
Who Does A Private Investigator Work With?
They can be self-employed, or work for paying individuals. A survey reveals that 78% of investigators have worked with law firms and attorneys, and a 55% work with individuals.
It’s still a high percentage, and these individuals are people with common problems like cheating spouses, exes, stalkers, divorcees - this is ‘the usual’ for an everyday private investigator.
If you are already a private investigator in need of proper spy tools and recording equipment, you’ll find a wide array in the SpyGuy catalog section where you can find proper audio surveillance and recording devices, GPS Trackers, as well as hidden cameras and video surveillance devices. All of the tools and gear below are built around the needs and requirements on how to become a private investigator.
List of Important Private Investigator Tools, Equipment, and Spy Gear
Before we review all the important spy and private investigator equipment, we must first address the importance of your state’s laws regarding spy equipment. Please read this guide on the laws and regulations when it comes to using spying equipment, and check the laws on private investigations in your state.
Here’s the indefinite list of the essential spy gear and equipment for the expert private eye.
An Economic, Inconspicuous Automobile
We’ll start with the obvious. You need to get yourself a car that’s:
- Neutral colored and common. A vehicle that can blend in with the traffic to avoid any suspicion from people that might get on your tail.
- Very economic and doesn’t guzzle down fuel.
- Comfortable. There’s going to be lots of instances where you’ll just sit in your car. Stalking, parking, and waiting around is like 80% of the PI’s job. A word of advice - you might want to get yourself a handheld video game, as well.
- Fast. You will need a car that’s both economical and fast. You don’t want to have your target elude you.
Besides these characteristics, you will need to have a power inverter, a spare car battery, and a spare tire.
Binoculars
This is a no-brainer. Binoculars are not just your basic PI tool.
They are an integral part of your surveillance tools, and it might be a great idea to purchase digital binoculars. They have a far superior optical zoom than regular binoculars, as well as other features like optic and light-reducing capabilities.
First Aid Kit
Having a proper first aid kit is crucial. As a PI, you’re diving into danger, and a first aid kit will especially be helpful if you’re outdoors, waiting from a distance.
Your client’s job is important. But your safety is the number one priority.
Acquire a complete first aid kit with all the important medicine, iodine, prophylactics, and bandages.
Spare Clothing
Depending on the situation, anything can happen to you. Having spare clothes stored in your car is always a good idea.
When the night comes, keep some warm clothes and have extra toilet paper and towels.
Food Ration Packs
The importance of food ration packs can’t be overstated. Food ration packs like the army surplus rations (not cheap, not too expensive, very accessible) can be bought on Amazon.
The reason we state the obvious is that we must emphasize the essential food rations that you’ll need for when you’re on a dangerous or long trip. Waiting occupies most of the private investigator’s time. The ‘action’ which is recording, capturing photos, obtaining info, usually takes minutes.
That’s why you, as a PI, need to have the proper sustenance and those much-needed nutrients to keep your wits sharp and your energy in top form.
Personal Defense Equipment
A kevlar or body armor will save your life.
You never know when you’ll end up in gang territory, or you snoop around and loiter too much in the wrong neighborhood.
This form of protection is the ultimate. You could also bring in a mace (pepper spray), some nunchucks if you’re feeling extra cocky, tasers, and other forms of self-defense.
Hopefully, you will never have to use it.
Pen and Notebook
It’s textbook (pun intended) private eye stuff. The pen and notebook kinda go without saying.
An expert private eye carries their pen and notebook to write down important observations and sudden info updates, so that they won’t have to remember everything themselves.
Also useful when you’re conducting an interview.
Audio Recording Equipment
A private investigator needs to have hidden audio recording devices at the ready. Depending on the job, obtaining valuable audio evidence like confessions, useful information, target whereabouts, etc. could mean getting the job done in a blink. You never know when you could really use an audio recording device to eavesdrop on your target.
Don’t go for the standard audio recorder. It’s totally impractical. Get yourself a proper audio recording device.
The thing is, the SpyGuy audio surveillance devices are all disguised as simple objects like pens and flash drives. We have:
- Voice-Activated Recording Pen
- Voice-Activated Power Bank Recorder
- Pro USB Flash Drive Audio Recorder
- Car Keychain Audio Recorder
- Phone Call Recorder Earbud
All of these come in handy, depending on your situation, circumstance, and surroundings you might find yourself into.
For example, the Voice-activated Recording Pen is a brilliant piece of spy equipment that any rookie or expert private eye can use. We strongly recommend this specific item as a must-have for the private investigator on an info and data quest.
It has the voice-activated feature, which immediately starts recording every time it registers someone talking. It can pick up sounds as far as 45 feet away, with fantastic quality. It has a 16-hour battery, and thanks to the main feature, you won’t have to listen to annoying periods of silence when nobody is talking.
The pen is functional and the ink can be replaced, so you can use it to record your person of interest while taking notes.
You can read our guide on recording your conversations and conducting interviews with audio recording devices.
Real-Time GPS Tracking Devices, and Maps
No private eye’s arsenal is complete without a proper GPS tracker.
GPS tracking devices are used for monitoring a vehicle or an asset’s whereabouts. Depending on the manufacturer, you can also monitor the speed, trajectory, and other stats about the target.
Private investigators can use GPS trackers to follow cheating spouses or other persons of interest (you can read our guide on how to catch cheating spouses here).
There are passive trackers which can record movement and are far cheaper than real-time trackers. These devices need to be retrieved and their info extracted. Only then you can see the target’s driving routine and where they’ve been.
Then there are the real-time GPS trackers. These are the ones you should really go for. They track the movement of a vehicle live, in real-time, and they are connected to the internet which means you can freely monitor the movement via a PC or smartphone.
One such device is the Outlander Portable Real-Time GPS Tracker. This tracker makes sure your target vehicle remains on the monitor.
With up to 18 days of battery life, real-time settings, perfect accuracy, and durability, the Outlander will stay with you as a trusty sidekick throughout your private investigator career.
A Laptop
Depending on what your client wants, having a laptop with an exceptional configuration is key.
Maybe you have computer skills, and you may have dabbled in hacking and networking. A laptop will come in handy, whether or not you’re using an extensive database for your info, trying to obtain information on the internet, deep-web surfing, or hacking.
Get yourself a nice piece of equipment, and make sure you have a backup disc and an external hard drive.
Video Surveillance Equipment
This might be one of the most important tools you will have as a private investigator. A high-resolution, quality camera, hidden or digital, will get the job done for you.
But why use your phone or a DSLR camera when you can just turn on an inconspicuous, everyday object into a camera that nobody can detect?
A motion-activated, hidden video camera, will help you do just that. At SpyGuy, we have a catalog of cameras that look like everyday normal objects. Sometimes, photographs just don’t cut it, and this is where the motion-activated internet cameras come in.
You won’t have to just go and blatantly waste recording memory and batteries. Simply turn on the camera and let it do its job. Check out the body-worn cameras below if you want to go for a more hands-on approach.
Flashlight
This one is another classic. There’s not much to be said about this obvious choice. It’s an essential component in your private investigator’s arsenal.
Clear vision goes hand in hand with vigilance. Get yourself a flashlight.
Digital and Zoom Cameras With Night Vision
For those long-range, night surveillance missions, you’ll need a good digital camera with zoom features and a night-vision feature. Retrieving evidence, photographic or video, comes in all forms and methods, and a zoom camera can do wonders.
Purchase a proper zoom camera with multiple lenses so that you won’t have to battle with the elements. The night-vision is one of the most sought after features if you’re a private investigator looking for a camera. You must always be prepared. Rain or shine. Day or night.
Also, a backup camera can be crucial for collecting that valuable evidence that will solve your client’s problems.
If you’re looking for a tiny, undetectable camera that works in the night, the Keychain Cam is a top choice. It has a night-vision feature, as well as the benefit of having a keychain design so nobody notices it’s a camera.
Body-Worn Cameras (Pen-Cameras, Attachable Cameras, Etc.)
Body-worn cameras are the bread and butter of the private eye.
They are tiny cameras that can record any activity and can be attached to your clothing or backpack straps. At SpyGuy, we have small and durable body-worn cameras that are completely hidden away in your clothing. Nobody will notice them!
The Spy Pen Plus, for example, is an attachable pen with a built-in hidden camera. It’s perfect for private investigators trying to extract info from targets.
Unlike civilians, who can’t use a spying device without a target’s consent, PIs, however, can. Still, it’s important to double-check your state’s legal issues on surveillance without consent.
Another fine alternative is the Button Hidden Camera Pro. The 1280x960 resolution video, quality sound, and the 2-hour battery are all you need to conduct one-way interviews.
And last but not least, the Wristwatch. It’s a PI classic. An essential component if you are on a mission to extract crucial information, whereabouts, or confessions, without the target’s knowledge. Just practice your hand motion and aim with your hand where you want to record.
Stylish and classy, the SpyGuy Wristwatch is the ultimate private eye gadget that can capture anything. Just aim the cam which is hidden right where the number 6 on the dot should be. It records up to two hours of HD video, it’s water-resistant, and the videos are date/time stamped.
Body-worn cameras usually help out with interview missions, when you want to obtain valuable info from someone. They can also be used to obtain evidence. Now, about those batteries...
Batteries Memory Cards and Cables
If you’re a private investigator, chances are - you’ll be using batteries for literally anything, all the time. All those cameras, phones, devices… They need batteries in order to serve their purpose and make your job easier. You’ll never know when you’ll need that extra battery.
Having a spare battery or an SD card, extra cables with various jack types and inputs, storage discs and memory cards, even a power bank will make sure you don’t sabotage your own mission.
Document Scanner Apps
This is a very important step in the private investigator’s arsenal - getting yourself a free document scanner app. It’s criminally underrated and overlooked by rookie private investigators.
We will not count how many times PIs ran into important information and had to snap a low-quality, blurry photo of a birth certificate, captured in a rush.
Do not make rookie mistakes. Download the free doc scanner on your smartphone and act like you know what you’re doing. This is the first rule of professionalism.
Speaking of apps, you may want to check out the SpyGuy recovery stick. It’s a phone data recovery USB stick that can monitor and recover your texts, messages, pictures, call history, and more.
Bug Detectors, Hidden Camera Detectors, and Radio Frequency Detectors
Everyone is under the threat of a watchful eye, even private investigators. Don’t let your weapon of trade be used against you.
Remember, the walls have ears. An expert private investigator will need a cost-effective, fast, and straight-to-the-point device, depending on the nature of their mission.
If you’re not sure that there are cameras or hidden bugs watching or eavesdropping on your work, please feel free to check out our collection of bug detectors, GPS tracker detectors, radio frequency detectors, and hidden camera detectors.
We have several types of detectors, depending on your situation. We strongly recommend the LM-8 Hidden Camera Detector. It finds and detects hidden cameras and wireless microphone bugs with a wide frequency range of up to 6GHz. Once it picks up a signal, its lights will flicker, pointing out the location of the bug. All it takes is just a little snooping around. It’s a jack of all trades that every private investigator can use.
The Scout is also a brilliant piece of equipment that’s only surpassed by its simplicity and efficiency. It finds the tiniest hidden camera lenses with the help of LED lights. Simply place the Scout on your eye, point it into the direction where you want (usually walls or objects) and the LED light will bounce off the hidden camera’s lens.
A private investigator can’t go anywhere without a proper radio frequency detector. Introducing the SG-1 RF Detector. It can capture and detect radio signals and can put a stop to unwanted wireless information transfer. With up to 6GHz frequency range, the SG-1 is a brilliant bug sweeper that can track and find wireless devices eavesdropping on you. Most RF detectors go up to $400 dollars. This nifty gadget is perfect for the upcoming and novice private investigator due to its affordability and quality. However, it lacks the flexibility and features of the LM-8. But, if you’re looking for a device that can catch rogue frequencies, the SG-1 is the way to go.
Here’s an in-depth guide on what to do if your house is bugged.
A Private Investigator’s Salary
Lastly, we will cover the most interesting part of this guide on how to become a private investigator - the annual salary.
A private investigator’s salary is around $50,000 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while the top 10% earn more than $86.000 a year. This, of course, depends on the geographic area where you’re working. Some states have various numbers regarding the salary of a private investigator, as seen here.
According to Glassdoor, a private investigator’s salary amounts to around $48,716 a year, and that covers the jobs of fraud investigators and loss prevention PIs.
Although having a solid comparison and insight in the standard salary of a private investigator is good, it all depends on the price standards of your state, the quality of the work you do, as well as your reputation and experience as a private investigator.
Contact Us
Do you have questions and comments on how to become a private investigator? Or perhaps you yourself are a private eye with years under your belt. You are more than welcome to share your experience and tips with us and make this guide even better.
If you have any questions and inquiries about the SpyGuy surveillance equipment, please don’t hesitate to contact us!