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. If you are interested in opening your own company, please refer to the Company License Information on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website for specific details regarding qualifications and requirements.
FAQ
FAQ
Briefly, 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.
No study materials are provided by the Licensing Board other than the Georgia Law and Board Rules. The Georgia Law and Board Rules can be found on the Secretary of State Website.
If you are interested in becoming employed as an investigator with a licensed company, you may be hired by a company without an experience requirement by the Board, if you are at least 18 years of age, and you meet the minimum requirements established by the Board, as detailed in O.C.G.A. 43-38-7. The company 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 is also responsible for submitting an Application for Employee Registration on your behalf within 30 days of your hiring.
Licensed companies may be verified by accessing the License Verification page on the Georgia Secretary of State’s Website. Be sure to click on “Search for a Licensed Professional Entity” before entering information, if searching for a company.
Registered individuals may be verified by accessing the License Verification page on the Georgia Secretary of State’s Website.
All applicants must take the exam for Private Detective &/or Security. There are no exceptions for experience or licensure in other states.
You may obtain a complete list of active training instructors by accessing the License Verification Page on the Secretary of State Website. Many of our GAPPI Members are also licensed instructors and teach PI Classes at local colleges throughout the metro Atlanta area and in the Coastal (Savannah) area as well.
No, we are a non-profit association made up of licensed private investigators.