Applying for a Private
Investigation Firm License
Applying for a New License
Apply for a firm license if you plan to
employ or allow anyone to help you perform investigations.
See Definitions
and Exemptions. Your firm may be a sole
proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, limited
liability partnership or voluntary association.
Follow these steps:
1 Organize your company,
or get an out-of-state company authorized by registering with the proper
agency. A good standing certificate will be required with your
application if the company is a corporation. Go to Start a New Business for
more information.
2 Get the application form
and fingerprint cards. Use one of these ways:
Download
the application form and request
fingerprint cards
-- by e-mail, or
-- at a state police detachment or sheriff's office (see
#3). |
| E-mail
your request for an PI firm application packet. |
| Call
(304) 558-6000 to request an PI firm application packet. |
The online form requires the
Acrobat Reader.
You can fill it out on screen, then print. If you start with a printed
form, please type or print in ink and make certain every entry is legible.
3 The fingerprint card must
be an official West Virginia fingerprint card -- no
substitutes. You will need cards for your qualifying agent, for officers, members or partners of the
firm, and for each employee who will conduct investigations under the firm's
license. Taking clear fingerprints is
difficult -- we urge you to go to your local State Police or sheriff's office and
have them take the prints. If you live out of state,
request the card and go to your local law enforcement office for
assistance. If you are skilled at taking prints and do it yourself, be
sure to use black printers ink, such as a black stamp pad. Also, be sure the card is completed fully and
signed or it will come back to you and cause delays.
4 Make
sure the applicant -- the qualifying agent -- the person who is eligible to be licensed as a
private investigator and who will be responsible for the operation of the
investigations of the firm -- completes the private investigator license
application. [Note: It is not permissible to have a person act as
qualifying agent unless that person is directly involved with and responsible for
supervising the investigations of the firm.] Also, each officer, member
or partner of a corporation, LLC, or partnership is required to submit a
completed application form, including references. Documentation of
qualifications are not required for anyone other than the qualifying agent.
5 Complete the firm application, including the list of employees (include only those
employees who will conduct investigations). Each officer of a
corporation or voluntary association, member of a limited liability company, or partner of a
partnership must sign the application.
6 Get the two required
photographs for each applicant, and for each officer, member or partner, taken within the last year.
Also, get one photograph of each employee who will conduct investigations
under the firm's license to keep on file. Have
passport size color photos taken by a photographer. A colored
background, such as light blue or gray, works best. Attach two photos to the application.
Also, get photographs of each employee who will conduct investigations under
the firm's license. Those photographs must be on file at your firm's
main office throughout the year.
7 Find a surety
company authorized to do business in West Virginia who will agree to issue a
surety bond of $2,500 naming the firm as principal. Take the
surety bond form and instructions included in the application materials to the
agent representing that company. If the firm is a corporation, the
president or vice-president is required to sign the bond and have that
signature notarized, unless a corporate resolution authorizing someone else to
sign is attached, and a corporate seal must be attached. The agent's signature must be notarized, and a power of
attorney must be attached.
8 For the applicant, and for each
officer, member or partner,
provide a blank
character reference letter form (included in the application form) to each of
five reputable citizens who have known the individual for whom the reference
is give for five years and who
are not related to that individual by blood or marriage. Ask each person to
complete the reference and return it to you. DO NOT mail or bring the
firm application until you have five completed references for each individual.
9
For each employee who will conduct investigations under the firm's license,
obtain a background check through the State Police. This must be
maintained on file throughout the year in the firm's main office.
10 Get together copies
of the documentation proving that the qualifying agent has met the training and/or experience
requirements.
Documentation may include:
|
NEW!
Ask us
to pre-check your training and experience credits before you apply.
Save the
frustration of completing the application process before you know if you
meet the qualifications.
Click Pre-Check
for more information
|
A copy of the qualifying agent's diploma from an accredited
college or university showing graduation from a two or four year program
in criminal justice, criminal investigation, law enforcement or a related investigative
field; or
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A transcript showing successful completion
of at least sixty hours of credit in investigative studies; or
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A sworn statement (under penalty of false
swearing) signed by one of the principals of a licensed private
investigative firm which specifies the time the qualifying agent was employed (hours per
week and number of weeks), the skills acquired, and the agent's
competency;
or evidence of equivalent law enforcement employment. If all requirements are to be met by this experience,
the work must include a minimum of 32 hours per week for 100 weeks; or
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A combination of transcripts and
experience certified as provided above. To determine if the
requirements are met, divide the number of appropriate college credits
by sixty to determine the percentage of the total requirement met by
education. For example, 24 credit hours / 60 hours = 40% met by
education. This leaves 60% to be met by experience. Multiply
the percentage to be met by experience times 100 weeks. For
example 60% x 100 weeks = 60 weeks (minimum 32 hours per week) of
experience.
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11 Pay the
fee. A $50 non-refundable processing fee is included in the
fee. If the license is denied, the remainder will be refunded.
One-year license and processing fee for a firm:
$250 West Virginia Resident
$550 Non-Resident of WV
See Payment Methods for more information.
12 Submit your application, fingerprints, references, surety
bond, documentation of qualifications, and fee to: Private Investigator
Licensing, Secretary of State, Bldg. 1, Suite 157-K, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. East,
Charleston, WV 25305
Renewing a Firm License
Follow these steps:
1
Make sure your business registration is up to
date. If you operate as a sole proprietorship or partnership, check with
the State Tax Department. If you operate as a corporation, limited liability company,
limited partnership, limited liability partnership or voluntary association, check with the Secretary of State.
2 Get the application form
and fingerprint cards. Use one of these ways:
Download
the application form (coming soon) and request
fingerprint cards
-- by e-mail, or
-- at a state police detachment or sheriff's office (see
#3). |
| E-mail
your request for an PI firm application packet. |
|
Call
(304) 558-6000 to request an PI firm application packet.
|
The online
form requires the Acrobat Reader.
You can fill it out on screen, then print. If you start with a printed
form, please type or print in ink and make certain every entry is legible.
3 The renewal fingerprint cards
must be official West Virginia index finger fingerprint cards -- no substitutes. You will
need cards for your qualifying agent, for officers, members or partners of the firm, and for each
employee who will conduct investigations under the firm's license. Taking clear fingerprints is
difficult -- we urge you to go to your local State Police or sheriff's office and
have them take the prints. If you live out of state,
request the card and go to your local law enforcement office for
assistance. If you are skilled at taking prints and do it yourself, be
sure to use black printers ink, such as a black stamp pad. Also, be sure the card is completed fully and
signed or it will come back to you and cause delays.
4 Get one new photograph for your qualifying agent,
or have one taken at the Secretary of State's Office when submitting the renewal
application, if you want it to appear on the agent's license. Old
photographs from our file will not be used. Review your files to make sure
you have current photos of all persons conducting investigations under your firm
license. Photos must be
passport size color photos taken by a photographer, preferably on a
colored background, such as light blue or gray. Attach one photo to your
application.
5 Renew your firm's surety bond and obtain a renewal certificate
or continuation to submit with your application. If your surety company
will not renew your bond, you must obtain a new surety bond.
6 Pay the
fee. A $50 non-refundable processing fee is included in the
fee. If your license is denied, the remainder will be refunded.
One-year license renewal and processing fee for a firm:
$250 West Virginia Resident
$550 Non-Resident of WV
See Ordering
& Payment for more information.
7 Submit your application, fingerprints, references, surety
bond and fee to: Private Investigator
Licensing, Secretary of State, Bldg. 1, Suite 157-K, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. East,
Charleston, WV 25305
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