Who must be licensed?

A person must have a valid Private Investigator Employee license if their work meets the definitions in ARS 32-2401-16 (see What is a private investigator?). This license will only be issued under the sponsorship of an Arizona licensed private investigation agency. The Private Investigator Employee license is valid only while employed by the sponsoring Agency. If their employment ends, the Qualifying Party of that agency must return their license to DPS.

It is illegal for a Private Investigator to work in Arizona without an Arizona license. Arizona does not have any reciprocity agreements with other states.

Unless a person falls under one of the exemptions in Private Investigators Exemptions (ARS 32-2409), providing private investigation services without a license is a class 1 misdemeanor. Additionally, a violation of these regulations can prevent them from obtaining a license in the future.