How to Become a Private Detective in Pennsylvania
Private detectives, or private investigators, hold a special place in the mind of Americans as admirable gumshoes or sleuths. If you want to become a private detective in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, you must be professionally licensed, and there are certain requirements that you must fulfill in order to receive your license. In Pennsylvania, you must be 25 years old or older, a United States citizen and a former police officer with investigative duties or government investigator for three or more years in order to become a private detective.
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Instructions
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Contact the clerk of courts for your county. The clerk of courts for your local county processes license applications for private detectives and the filing procedures are unique to each county. Ask the clerk of courts for any information that is particular to the county procedure and whether special forms must be used for the application and fingerprints. Ask specifically about whether a surety bond is required and what filing fees are necessary.
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Complete an application to become a private detective. There is no universal form that is used to become a private investigator in Pennsylvania but you must submit certain information in each county. The application must contain your name, address, age, citizenship status, employment history, the name and address of the business for which you work, the name and address of the office where the license will be used and any other information that the clerk of courts requests.
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Obtain two passport-style photographs.
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Have complete fingerprints and handprints taken. You can have this done at your local police station.
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Obtain two certificates that evidence your prior work for three years or longer as a police officer with investigative duties or other investigator employed by the government.
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Obtain five references of your moral character. Your application must be certified by five people who have known you for five years or more and will sign a "certificate of approval" in the presence of a notary.
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Submit your application materials to the clerk of courts. Submit the application, the certificates of approval, two copies of the fingerprint and hand-print cards, the passport-style photographs, certificates of employment, applicable filing fees and any other required information.
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