How do you Become a Private Detective in Georgia?
Becoming a private detective (investigator) in Georgia can be an extremely rewarding career choice. It’s a competitive profession, though, and there are many requirements you must meet and a few training steps you need to take to qualify for licensure. These requirements are governed by your licensing authority, the Georgia Board of Private Detectives & Security Agencies. A training course does not license you, or certify you to work as a private investigator in Georgia.
There are two ways to work as a private investigator in Georgia:
- Establish your own Agency: Open your own agency, get the required insurance, get your agency licensed through the state board, and register yourself as an employee of the company.
- Work for a Licensed Agency: If you are not interested in opening your own company then you will need to find work and get hired on with a licensed agency that will register you as an employee under their company license.
Private detective licenses in Georgia are issued only to companies. The holder of the company license must be an individual, either the owner, a partner, or an officer of the corporation or LLC, who is qualified by experience or education. 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.
To be employed as an investigator with a licensed company, you must be at least 18 years of age and must meet the minimum requirements established by the Board, as detailed in O.C.G.A. 43-38-7. The company that hires you is responsible for your training by a Board-approved instructor. However, you may attend Board-approved training classes on your own prior to being hired by a licensed company. The company must apply for Employee Registration on your behalf within 30 days of your hiring.
