Utah Private Investigator License Requirements

Since September 1, 2026, Utah’s Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) licenses private investigators instead of the Bureau of Criminal Identification, and it uses four license levels.

Utah PI license at a glance

Item	Detail
Apprentice	$160; no experience listed; $10,000 surety bond
Registrant	$160; 2,000 approved hours, 1,000 within the last 10 years; $10,000 surety bond
Agent	$160; 5,000 approved hours; exam required for new applicants; $10,000 surety bond
Agency	$215; must hold an active Utah PI Agent license; $10,000 surety bond and $500,000 liability insurance naming DOPL

What’s different here: a criminal justice bachelor’s degree or POST certification can satisfy part or all of the experience requirement, and a current DPS PI license counts as an endorsement for the same classification.

Utah PI license FAQ

Who licenses PIs in Utah now?

DOPL.

When can I switch my old license over?

Up to 60 days before your DPS license expires.

Verified against: Utah DOPL Private Investigator Apply for a License page and the BCI notice of the September 1, 2026 transfer. Reviewed October 13, 2026.

Who regulates private investigators in Utah

DOPL licenses private investigators, registrants, apprentices and agencies under the Private Investigation Licensing Act, Utah Code 58-92, effective September 1, 2026. Before then, the Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Identification issued licenses under Title 53, Chapter 9.

Utah PI license types

License or credential	Who it is for
Apprentice	No experience listed; works for a licensed agency
Registrant	2,000 approved hours, 1,000 within the last 10 years
Agent	5,000 approved hours; exam for new applicants
Agency	Owner must hold an active Utah PI Agent license

How to get licensed in Utah: step by step

1. Start as an apprentice with a licensed agency.
2. Log 2,000 approved hours for registrant or 5,000 for agent. A degree or POST certification can count.
3. Apply through DOPL, and pass the exam if you’re applying as an agent.
4. File a $10,000 surety bond. Agencies add $500,000 in liability insurance naming DOPL.
5. Pay the fee: $160 for individuals, $215 for agencies.

Carrying a firearm as a Utah investigator

Utah’s PI license doesn’t by itself authorize carrying a firearm on duty. Follow Utah law and DOPL’s rules before carrying.

What a private investigator in Utah can and can’t do

A PI license is a business license, not police authority. In Utah, as everywhere in the U.S., private investigators generally cannot:

• Impersonate law enforcement or claim official authority.
• Trespass on private property to watch or photograph someone.
• Obtain bank, phone or other protected records by pretexting, which federal law prohibits.
• Hack accounts, read someone else’s email or install spyware.
• Place a tracking device on a vehicle where state law forbids it.
• Detain or arrest anyone beyond the citizen’s arrest rights every person has.

On recording, Utah is not on the list of all-party consent states in a 2024 legal summary by the law firm Kilpatrick, which generally means one party to a conversation can record it. That does not allow recording conversations you are not part of, and other privacy laws still apply.

Moving from DPS to DOPL

If you hold a Department of Public Safety license, it stays valid until the expiration date DPS assigned. You can apply for a DOPL license up to 60 days before it expires. Your DPS license counts as an endorsement that satisfies the education and experience requirements for the same classification. Once approved, you get a DOPL license number and a new ID card.

Carrying a firearm in Utah

Utah dropped its concealed-carry permit requirement in 2021. Anyone 21 or older who can lawfully possess a firearm may carry concealed in public (Utah Code 53-5a-102.2). Permits are still issued for five years, and adults 18 to 20 can get provisional permits.

Utah’s tracking-device law

H.B. 158, effective May 6, 2026, rewrote Utah Code 76-12-305. Without permission, it is now a class A misdemeanor to put a tracker on someone else’s vehicle, on a person or their belongings, or to use a tracking app on their phone, and to keep tracking after permission is revoked. The tracked person can sue for $50 a day or $5,000, whichever is greater, plus attorney fees.

Licensed investigators get a narrow exception, and only for vehicles. The placement must serve a legitimate business purpose, and the owner, the lessee, and anyone who lives with them or is immediate family must not be under a protective order. Before installing, the investigator must get that confirmed by a state entity that holds protective-order records, and must tell the Bureau of Criminal Identification the device’s purpose if asked. Trackers on people, their belongings or their phones get no PI exception. The exception refers to licenses under the old DPS statute, so confirm with DOPL how it applies to its licensees.

Getting public records in Utah

Under GRAMA, Utah’s public records law, agencies must respond as soon as reasonably possible and within 10 business days (63G-2-204(3)). Expedited requests get 5 business days. You can appeal a denial to the agency’s chief administrative officer within 30 days (63G-2-401). After that, you can go to the State Records Committee or district court.

Working cases in neighboring states

Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado have no statewide license. Nevada asks for 10,000 hours, New Mexico for 6,000, and Arizona has its own program. Utah’s degree and POST credit doesn’t transfer, so check each state’s rules.

Building a career as a Utah investigator

Knowing the rules in Utah is only the first step. Our guide to becoming a private investigator covers what comes after: building qualifying experience, choosing a niche, a realistic first year, writing reports clients trust, and the most common reasons license applications get delayed. For earnings, see our private investigator salary guide.

Starter gear. A practical starting point for surveillance work is a long-zoom camera such as the Nikon Coolpix P1000 and a pair of binoculars like the Vortex Diamondback HD 10×42. Our private investigator equipment list covers the rest of a starter kit.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a license to be a private investigator in Utah?

Yes. Since September 1, 2026, Utah’s Division of Professional Licensing licenses private investigators as apprentices, registrants, agents or agencies.

How long does it take to become a PI in Utah?

You can start as an apprentice with a licensed agency. Registrant status needs 2,000 approved hours and agent status 5,000, though a criminal justice degree or POST certification can count toward them.

Can I be a PI in Utah without experience?

Yes, as an apprentice working for a licensed agency.

Can a Utah PI put a GPS tracker on a car?

Only within the narrow exception in Utah Code 76-12-305, which includes a protective-order check first. Never on a person, their belongings or their phone.

How long does a Utah agency have to answer a GRAMA request?

Ten business days, or five for an expedited request.