Cost of Private Investigators

Private investigator Jim Rockford on the 1970s TV drama "The Rockford Files" said his standard rate was "$200 a day plus expenses," but it seems like he never actually got paid. In real life, a PI strives to get at least some of his money up front.

Types

Many private investigator jobs are standard-rate tasks like skip-tracing and database searches. These jobs come with a flat fee of between $29 and $300, depending on their complexity, as of 2010. More complicated investigations are billed on an hourly basis, and cost anywhere from $50 to over $100 per hour as of 2003.

Considerations

A private investigator's costs include hourly rates for time spent on tasks such as travel, research, investigation and surveillance as well as preparing oral and written reports.

Expert Insight

Some people balk at the perceived high cost of a private investigator's services. Investigator Steven Kerry Brown points out that $1,000 or more spent up front can have the benefit of gaining more money for the client in the long run. In cases of infidelity investigations associated with divorce cases, awarding of alimony and child-support payments will much more than make up for the money spent on a PI.

References

• "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Private Investigating"; Steven Kerry Brown; 2003