A licensed private investigator in South Carolina must navigate a structured process overseen by the state’s Law Enforcement Division (SLED). This comprehensive evaluation ensures all practitioners meet the state’s high standards for professional competence and integrity. The following steps detail the specific requirements, from foundational eligibility to launching a new investigative agency.
Defining the Private Investigator Role in South Carolina
South Carolina broadly defines the private investigator’s scope of work as any activity conducted for a fee that seeks to obtain or report information. This includes investigating the movement, whereabouts, affiliations, associations, transactions, acts, reputation, or character of any person. A license is mandatory when an individual is paid to gather such information for use as evidence in a legal proceeding, before an administrative agency, or for a client’s private knowledge.
Activities that do not require a license are also clearly defined. For example, individuals paid only to serve legal process documents are exempt. Similarly, a person who merely examines information already secured by another party to offer written or testimonial opinions is considered a consultant, not a private investigator, and is exempt from the licensing mandate.
Basic Requirements for Eligibility
Applicants must meet foundational criteria regarding personal status and criminal history. An applicant must be a United States citizen or a legal resident alien. Applicants must be at least 18 years old to apply for a license, though those intending to be armed must be at least 21 years of age.
A clean criminal record is mandatory. The state prohibits licensing any individual convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude. Furthermore, any military discharge that is not honorable will disqualify an applicant.
Satisfying Experience and Training Mandates
Applicants must demonstrate the necessary professional background to qualify for a license to operate a private investigation business. South Carolina mandates that applicants must possess a minimum of three years (6,000 hours) of documented, full-time investigative experience.
This experience must be gained in specific capacities deemed acceptable by SLED. Acceptable experience includes three years as a registered private investigator employed by a licensed agency or as a sworn law enforcement officer working in an investigative role for a federal, state, county, or municipal agency. SLED also accepts experience gained as an investigator for a law firm, a government agency, a private corporation, or a non-profit organization, provided the duties offered requisite investigative knowledge and skills.
Formal education can substitute for a portion of the required experience. An associate’s degree or a private investigator certificate can be credited as six months of experience. A bachelor’s degree is credited as one year, while a graduate degree can count for one and a half years. Applicants must provide thorough documentation to SLED to prove the total requisite experience, whether through employment records, military discharge papers, or educational transcripts.
Submitting the Official License Application
After meeting the experience requirements, the applicant submits the formal license paperwork under oath, utilizing SLED-approved forms. Required documentation includes a completed and notarized application, a Disclosure of Principal(s) form, and a sample client contract for SLED’s advance approval.
The application must detail the applicant’s full name, age, date and place of birth, residence addresses for the past ten years, and employment history for the same period. A non-refundable annual license fee of $350 must be submitted with the application via cashier’s check, money order, or company check made payable to SLED. The complete package must be mailed to SLED for processing.
Completing Background Checks and Fingerprinting
The application submission initiates a mandatory and comprehensive investigative screening process. All applicants must submit to a state and federal background check. This process is triggered by submitting two complete sets of fingerprints on cards furnished by SLED.
SLED submits these fingerprint cards to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to facilitate a national criminal records check. Applicants must also submit a recent color photograph of their full face, taken within six months of the application date.
Securing Required Insurance and Surety Bonds
Licensure requires proof of financial responsibility, primarily through a state-mandated surety bond. An applicant must post a $10,000 surety bond with SLED, issued by a surety insurer licensed to transact business in South Carolina. The bond is a financial guarantee designed to protect the public.
This bond ensures that if a licensed investigator violates state law, the state can recover a monetary penalty from the bonding agency on behalf of an injured party. The $10,000 surety bond is the specific, state-required financial instrument that must be in place before the license is officially issued. Documentation for this bond must be submitted to SLED on an approved form.
Maintaining Your License and Continuing Education
The Private Investigation License is issued for one year and must be renewed annually to remain active. Licensees must complete 12 hours of SLED-approved continuing education training every 24 months preceding the renewal date. This ensures investigators remain current with evolving legal standards, investigative techniques, and ethical practices.
Four of the required 12 continuing education hours must be presented or specifically approved in advance by the Law Enforcement Division. Licensees are responsible for submitting satisfactory certification of this training with their annual renewal application. This biennial continuing education cycle helps maintain a high level of professionalism.
Launching Your Private Investigation Business
Receiving the license requires several practical steps to begin operations as a business owner. The first consideration is establishing a formal business structure, such as a sole proprietorship or a limited liability company (LLC). This decision impacts liability protection and taxation, and requires registration with the South Carolina Secretary of State.
Investigators must also secure any necessary local business licenses or permits required by the city or county where the principal office will be located. Developing a marketing strategy involves networking within the legal community, insurance industry, and corporate sector, which are primary sources of investigative work. Establishing a professional online presence and adhering to the approved client contract form are final steps toward becoming fully operational.