Virginia Private Investigator License Requirements

Virginia registers investigators through the Department of Criminal Justice Services and requires 60 hours of entry-level training before you work, with 8 hours of in-service training to renew.

Virginia PI license at a glance

Item	Detail
Regulator	Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), Private Security Services; 6VAC20-171 and 6VAC20-174
Age	18, U.S. citizen or legal resident alien
Entry-level training	60 hours, course 02E (Private Investigator Entry-Level)
Renewal training	8 hours, course 02I (Private Investigator In-Service)
Fingerprints	Scheduled through Fieldprint Virginia (877-614-4364)
Firearms	Endorsement required for anyone with access to a firearm; renew every 12 months
Concealed carry	A PI registration does not allow carrying a concealed handgun; you also need a concealed handgun permit and your employer’s written permission
Bodyguard work	Needs a separate personal protection specialist registration
Reciprocity	An out-of-state investigator may work in Virginia if the case originates in the home state and that state gives Virginia-registered investigators similar reciprocity

What’s different here: you are registered, not licensed, and training comes before registration.

Virginia PI license FAQ

Does my PI registration let me carry a concealed handgun?

No.

Do I need separate paperwork for bodyguard work?

Yes.

Verified against: DCJS Private Investigator page and Va. Code 9.1-139, 9.1-150, 19.2-62 and 2.2-3704 and 6VAC20-174-310. Fees, exam and term were not published on the DCJS page. Last verified October 23, 2026.

Who regulates private investigators in Virginia

DCJS licenses private security services businesses and registers individual private investigators under Code of Virginia Title 9.1, Chapter 1, Article 4, with regulations in 6VAC20-174. Training is delivered by DCJS-certified schools.

Virginia PI license types

License or credential	Who it is for
Private investigator registration	Individual investigators who complete entry-level training
Private security services business license	Businesses providing investigative services
Firearm endorsement	Investigators who carry or have access to a firearm on duty

How to get licensed in Virginia: step by step

1. Complete 60 hours of entry-level PI training at a DCJS-certified school.
2. Complete fingerprinting and the DCJS background check.
3. Apply for your private investigator registration.
4. Add a firearm endorsement if you will carry on duty.
5. Work for a licensed private security services business, or license your own.
6. Complete 8 hours of in-service training each cycle.

Carrying a firearm as a Virginia investigator

Anyone carrying or having access to a firearm on duty needs a firearm endorsement under 6VAC20-171-365. Carrying a concealed handgun also requires a valid concealed handgun permit and your employer’s written permission under § 18.2-308.

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

A PI license is a business license, not police authority. In Virginia, 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, Virginia 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.

Virginia registration versus business license (Va. Code 9.1-139)

No one may run a private security services business without a DCJS license, and each business designates a compliance agent in writing. Individuals in listed roles, including private investigators, must hold a DCJS registration. A licensed business may hire a registered private investigator as an independent contractor. Advertising must show the license number, and DCJS may issue temporary registrations while fingerprint results are pending. Any felony and certain misdemeanors (including assault, controlled substance and firearms offenses) generally bar registration, though the Director may waive this in writing.

What the Virginia training covers (6VAC20-174-310)

The 60-hour 02E course covers orientation, law, general investigative skills, documentation and types of investigations, and ends with a written comprehensive examination. The law, skills, documentation and types modules each include a practical exercise. Exams and practical exercises do not count toward the 60 hours, and the same exclusion applies to the 8-hour 02I in-service course.

Virginia penalties, recording and public records

The Board may impose a civil penalty of up to $2,500 per violation on a person required to be licensed or registered who is not criminally prosecuted (Va. Code 9.1-150).

On recording, Va. Code 19.2-62 provides that interception is not an offense if you are a party to the communication or one party gave prior consent. Other intentional interception is a Class 6 felony. Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act requires a custodian to act within five working days and allows seven more working days if it explains the delay, but it opens records to Virginia citizens and qualifying media (2.2-3704), so a nonresident investigator may not be eligible to use it.

Building a career as a Virginia investigator

Knowing the rules in Virginia 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 Virginia?

Yes. Virginia requires private investigators to be registered with DCJS, and investigation businesses to be licensed.

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

You can complete 60 hours of training in a couple of weeks, then register. Business licensing takes longer.

How much training does a Virginia PI need?

60 hours of entry-level training to register, plus 8 hours of in-service training each cycle.

Can I record my own conversation in Virginia?

Va. Code 19.2-62 says interception is not an offense if you are a party to the communication or one party gave prior consent. Recording a conversation you are not part of can be a Class 6 felony, so get legal advice first.

Can a nonresident use Virginia FOIA?

The statute opens records to Virginia citizens and representatives of qualifying media (Va. Code 2.2-3704), so a nonresident investigator may not be eligible. Confirm with the custodian.