PI licensing question/help

[chrmm22sr]

Ok well My dad and I are going to be applying for a PI/security Co. license so we can operate as a security/PI company. My question is I'm in the process of filling out the application but I'm wondering how difficult it is to actually get the license approved. I would be very thankful to hear from people who have the license and currently operate a company here in PA. If anyone who holds the license can speak on if they believe we as a parternership will qualify or not that would be great.


Thanks in advance.


A little background on both applicants to see if you think we even will qualify the qualifyers are a little fuzzy on the application.

applicant 1) Associates Degree in criminal justice, PA Act 235 certification holder, 3 years of security employment

applicant 2) 9 years active army 3 of which was as a Military Police officer, 20 years as a Bucks county prison guard, and 20 years of private security employment P/T. Currently retired

[NuclearSociety]

In Pennsylvania, the preliminary requirement to be a Private Investigator is that you become licensed. An unlicensed PI is generally considered to be trespassing or a stalker, sometimes worse, and these offenses are punishable to the fullest extent of State and Federal law.

To acquire one’s PI’s license in the Commonwealth of PA, one must either be, or have been a police officer, above the rank of patrolman, for a minimum of three years, or have worked for a licensed private investigator for at least three years. Additionally, the candidate must have a clean criminal record. No further educational requirements or training other than those two elements is required.

http://www.modeweekly.com/1998/0898/WanttobePI.htm

GOOD INFO SITES BELOW

http://www.pali.org/
ABOVE IS ^ The State Private Investigator Association

http://becomeapi.blogspot.com/
This blog ^ is dedicated to helping people become a PI and this blog post has every state licensing requirements.

I hope that helps and is what you are looking for.

[chrmm22sr]

well thanks it helps but it seems to me that we wont qualify under those guidelines

[D10]

So what you are saying is that neither one has a PI license.........right? Hopefully some of the PI members on here will chime in, but as far as I know do you have to have a PI license for several years to start a business that covers that type of work.

[comsubin61]

I currently hold licenses from PA,NJ, NY,DE,MD, VA and FL.

As stated above you must have held a position in a police department with a rank of Sergeant or above, or have been a licensed PI under someone else license for at least 3 years.

From what I have read in both of your resume, you do not qualify. My suggestion is that you seek employement with an agency, that would certify you as a PI and not as a security officer, like some do to avoid the hassle of a certification.

As far as opening an agency, there are several legal requirements. You will need to be bonded, you will need the blessing of the local and state law enforcement agencies, plus all the normal documentation of a new business, like EIN, municipal license, occupation license, maybe a variance license, depending on the township, Business plan, and so on. But all thise does not yet apply to you and it is very possibke that things change by the time you are qualified to be licensed.

On the other end a security firm is not as demanding. You might want to look into it. Maybe work your way into the PI agency by hiring someone qualified t be licensed, or enter into a parternership with them.

Good luck in you endevour.

By the way it is not as glamours as it is portraited on television, it is quite boring about 95% of the times.

[Swarner793]

Here is how the "Private Detective Act of 1953" reads: "if he be a person, or, in the case of a partnership, association, or corporation, at least one member of such partnership, association, or corporation, has been regularly employed as a detective, or shall have been a member of the United States government investigative service, a sheriff, a member of the Pennsylvania State Police, or a member of a city police department of a rank or grade higher than that of patrolman, for a period of not less than three years".

There is no such thing as different levels of Licensure. That is to say that there is no such thing as a "PI License" and then you move up to a "PI Agency License", or any other type of license, in PA. Also, there is no "Security Agency License" There is a Private Detective License and one can either run a one man show, an Investigative Agency or a Security Company, no difference in Licensure. PA Association of Licensed Investigators (pali.org), mentioned earlier, is pushing legislation to separate the Licenses.

I have been Licensed since 1999 and operate an Agency that provides protection services and investigations, as well as Bail Bonds (different license needed to write Bail Bonds). I have several agents that assist me. Some are surveillance specialists, some are protection specialists and some just move heavy objects with ease.

Be safe (and if it is fun, it ain't work ).

Scott

[chrmm22sr]

Yeah we dont want the PI end of it we just want to be licensed to open a security co. only is there a difference?

[comsubin61]

You are correct! There are no different licenses, however you might be a license PI under someone else license, for example your agents are licensed PI under your license. Once they have been operating under your license for at least 3 years they qualify to apply for their own. Once they have a license they then qualify to open their own agency, assuing they qualify for all the rest of the requirements.

A security agency does not need a Private Investigator license. If the OP want to open a security business, he can do so with the qualification he currently has, he can then work toward a PI license by either employee someone who does qualify and is willing to provide his own license or by becaming an employe of an agency for 3 years.

I guess I wasn't as clear as I though I was, but I hope this works.
In any case the OP should check with the clerk of courts for further questions.

[chrmm22sr]

thank you guys so much for all the help^

[Swarner793]

A security agency does not need a Private Investigator license. If the OP want to open a security business, he can do so with the qualification he currently has, he can then work toward a PI license

This is incorrect and unlawful. It would be a Misdemeanor Offense to do so. I included the pertinent parts from the "Private Detective Act of 1953" at the end, including the grading of the offense. Feel free to include any citations you find supporting your position, but as it is, your advice would be unlawful.

Be safe (and legal).

Scott

§ 13. Licenses

(a) No person, partnership, association or corporation, shall engage in the business of private detective, or the business of investigator, or the business of watch, guard or patrol agency, for the purpose of furnishing guards or patrolmen or other persons to protect persons or property, or to prevent the theft or the unlawful taking of goods, wares and merchandise, or to prevent the misappropriation or concealment of goods, wares, merchandise, money, bonds, stocks, documents, and other articles of value, for hire or reward, or advertise his or their business to be that of detective, or of a detective agency, or investigator, or watch, guard or patrol agency, notwithstanding the name or title used in describing such agency, or notwithstanding the fact that other functions and services may also be performed for fee, hire or reward, without having first obtained a license so to do as hereinafter provided.


And;


26.1. Penalty for unlicensed acts

Any person in violation of the provisions of section 3(a) [FN1] by reason of engaging in the private detective business without a license, shall upon conviction thereof, be guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.