Overview: Private Investigators
Something is not adding up. A partner's story keeps changing, an applicant's work history looks thin, a debtor swears there is nothing left to collect. Private investigators gather facts for people in exactly that position. They run surveillance, trace people who have moved on, search for assets, check backgrounds, and write up what they find so someone else can rely on it. An investigation agency is not a law firm and gives no legal advice. That part comes from your attorney.
Licensing is real in this field. Most states require a license for the agency and a separate one for the individual investigator, with an experience requirement and a background check behind it, though the rules differ by state. Ask which license the agency holds, then verify it with the issuing board yourself. After that come the harder questions. Who actually sits in the car. How surveillance is logged. Whether the report is written so it survives being read by someone hostile.
Have your facts in order before the first call. Full names and former ones, last known addresses, a vehicle if you know it, the dates and times that matter, and what you have already tried.
Listings here show what each agency states on its own website about licensing, specialties and the areas it covers. The state and city lists lead to agencies near you, and each city page marks which ones are based in that city.
What does a private investigator cost?
Define the question you need answered and the evidence you expect to receive. Field work is often billed by investigator-hour; record research may have a flat fee. An advance funds the agreed work and should not be counted twice.
| Service or situation | Estimated cost or fee basis | Scope and conditions |
|---|---|---|
| One-investigator surveillance or field work | $75–$125/hour; 4-hour minimum $300–$500 | A single investigator and an agreed work window. Travel, additional investigators and specialized evidence work can add to the budget. |
| Detailed personal-use background research | $150–$275/report | Identity and selected criminal/civil record research. Confirm jurisdictions, report contents and whether manual courthouse checks are included. |
| Research to locate a current address | $185–$250/search | Address-location research from known identifying information. Service of papers, field confirmation and extended research may cost more. |
| Case or witness investigation | $95–$125/investigator-hour | Interviews, record review and investigative case work. Agree an initial work budget, reporting intervals and any minimum. |
What changes the cost
- Investigators, hours, locations and travel
- Record access, urgency and required evidence format
Other costs to budget for
- Database/courthouse charges and travel
- Reports, testimony or work beyond the approved budget
Ask before hiring
What does the advance cover, what is the minimum, and will you stop for approval before exceeding my budget?
Research cannot guarantee a result. For employment or tenant screening, ask for a report permitted for that purpose and disclose the intended use.
Frequently asked questions
What does a private investigator actually handle?
Surveillance, locating people who have moved or are avoiding contact, background and due diligence checks, asset searches before you chase a judgment, and evidence gathering for a matter your attorney is running. Corporate files are common too: internal theft, fraud, misuse of company property. What none of it includes is legal advice, and no agency can tell you whether your claim is sound.
Are private investigators licensed?
In most states, yes, and it matters. The agency holds a license and the individual investigator usually holds one too, with an experience requirement and a criminal background check behind it. A few states license nothing at all. Rules differ by state, so ask which license the agency holds and verify it with the issuing board rather than taking the website at its word.
What can a private investigator not legally obtain?
Quite a lot. Bank records, telephone call records, medical files and anything sealed or expunged are out of reach without consent or a court order. Credit reports need a permissible purpose. An investigator cannot trespass, break into an account, impersonate law enforcement, or record a conversation where that state's consent rules forbid it. An agency promising those results is selling you a problem.
How do private investigators charge for their work?
Surveillance is usually hourly, with travel time, mileage and equipment billed on top. Defined searches such as a background report or an asset check are more often a flat fee. Most agencies ask for a retainer and work against it. Get the rate structure, the expenses and the reporting schedule in writing, and ask what happens on a day when the subject never appears.
How is an investigator different from a process server?
An investigator finds facts. A process server delivers court documents and proves the delivery happened afterwards. Skip tracing sits in both trades, since each one locates people, and some agencies advertise the two together. If nobody can find the person who needs to be served, either can help. If you need proof of behavior or assets, that is investigation work.
