Private Investigators License Minnesota Requirements

The State of Minnesota requires licensing for Private Detectives and Protective Agents services, as defined in Minnesota Statutes §326.32 to §326.339. The following is an overview of the requirements and procedures for licensing.

Investigators General Licensing Requirements:

WHO CAN APPLY: Sole Proprietor (Individual), Partnership/LLP, or Corporation/Limited Liability Company (LLC)

  • An Individual is a person making application for a private detective or protective agent license as a sole proprietor and is the day-to-day manager and supervisor of the licensed activity. (It is not an employee of a licensed firm.) This person may or may not have employees. NOTE: A person who has a corporation relating to the business cannot be licensed as an individual and must apply as the corporation.
  • A Partnership or Corporation/LLC with a QUALIFIED REPRESENTATIVE candidate (an individual who is the day-to-day manager and supervisor of the licensed activity in a partnership or corporation).
  • A MINNESOTA MANAGER is required when the license applicant (partnership, corporate/LLC) is based outside Minnesota and plans a business location within Minnesota to regularly conduct business.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Listed below are some of the basic requirements for all applicants (including Qualified Representatives, Minnesota Managers, and all parties required to sign the application form):

  • Each person signing the application must be at least 18 years of age.
  • Each person must have a record free of felony convictions and no record of convictions of offenses identified in statute (see Minn. Stat. §326.3381 subd. 3 (1)).
  • A $10,000 Surety Bond (private detective or protective agent) at the time of application.
  • Acceptable Proof of Financial Responsibility documentation (see Minn. Stat. §326.3382 subd. 3 (c), with options referenced in §326.3382 subd. 3 (d), (e), or (f)).
  • Complete required application materials and supporting documents.
  • Be of good character, honesty, and integrity.
  • Mandatory employment experience

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: An Individual (sole proprietor), or the Qualified Representative (and Minnesota Manager for an out-of-state applicant), must be able to document a minimum of 6,000 hours of investigative employment experience in one or more of the following:

· Employed as an investigator with a licensed private detective/investigative agency.
· Employed as an investigator with a U.S. government investigative service.
· Employed as an investigator for a city police department or sheriff’s office.
· Be employed in an investigative occupation the board finds equivalent in scope, responsibility, and training as one of the specific occupations listed above. – continued – PROTECTIVE AGENT: An Individual (sole proprietor), or the Qualified Representative (and Minnesota Manager for an out-of-state applicant), must be able to document a minimum of 6,000 hours of security/protective employment experience in one or more of the following:
· Employed in a protective/security capacity with a licensed protective agent, or in a protective/security for investigative capacity for a licensed private detective.
· Employed in a protective/security or investigator capacity with a U.S. government investigative service.
· Employed in a protective/security or investigator capacity with a city police department or sheriff’s office.
· Be employed in an occupation the board finds equivalent in scope, responsibility and training as one of the specific occupations listed above. Note: Each of the protective agent employment items referenced above must include experience in security systems, audits, and supervision of security personnel.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: EACH PERSON signing the application (Individual Applicant, Qualified Representative, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Minnesota Manager if applicable) must comply with the following:

· Complete all application forms for the license for which you are applying.
· Complete an informed consent criminal history form.
· Submit a recent (durable) photograph and a full set of fingerprints.
· Provide five (5) references (from people who are not related by blood or marriage) who have known the subject for a minimum of five (5) years.
· The Qualified Representative and Minnesota Manager must include documentation of work experience (with completed releases).

LICENSE FEE SCHEDULE: (Fees listed below are current as of July 1, 2001)
Individual $1,000.00 Individual $ 800.00 Partnership/LLP $1,700.00 Partnership/LLP $1,600.00 Corporation/LLC $1,900.00 Corporation/LLC $1,800.00 All checks or money orders should be made payable to the “Private Detective and Protective Agent Services Board”

All above information cited directly from the state of Minnesota’s official listed requirements here.

CLICK HERE to verify a Private Investigators License in Minnesota!

Private Investigators Licensing Authority in Minnesota

State Of Minnesota Board Of Private Detective And Protective Agent Services1430 Maryland Avenue East
St. Paul MN 55106
Phone: (651) 793-2666
Fax: (651) 793-7065
TTYL: (651) 282-6555
email: mn.pdb@state.mn.us
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Find a Private Investigator near you! 

Our directory has useful resources for finding Expert P.I’s Agencies, and Verified Private Investigators. Moreover, if you are seeking to verify a private investigators license in any state or simply need a qualified Private Investigator near you, then this directory will prove to be a valuable resource.