Services

For Investigative Professionals.

Recent News

Febuary 2011.

A message from the president.

It is my pleasure to serve the members for another two years, along with your 2011/2012 Board of Directors. We will continue to provide meaningful seminars and to monitor legislation that affects our professions.

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Membership.

Membership—your continued membership is important and as we have said on many occasions, strong support is necessary for us to ensure that our livelihoods are not harmed by legislation that is not supportive! We will continue to monitor and involve ourselves at State Board meetings, which has been welcomed!

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Questions and AnswersSupport/FAQ

What services require an investigative license to perform?

According to Georgia law, O.C.G.A. 43-38-3(3), the statutory definition states that the:

‘Private detective business’ means the business of obtaining or furnishing, or accepting employment to obtain or to furnish, information with reference to:  (A) Crimes or wrongs done or threatened against the United States of America or any state or territory thereof;  (B) The background, identity, habits, conduct, business, employment, occupation, assets, honest, integrity, credibility, knowledge, trustworthiness, efficiency, loyalty, activity, movement, whereabouts, affiliations, associations, transactions, acts, reputation, or character of any person;  (C) The location, disposition, or recovery of lost of stolen property;  (D) The cause or responsibility for fires, libels, losses, accidents, damage, or injury to persons or property;  (E) The securing of evidence in the course of the private defective business to be used before any court, board, officer, or investigating committee; or (F) The protection of individuals from serious bodily harm or death.

What services require an investigative license to perform?

According to Georgia law, O.C.G.A. 43-38-14(a-d), the following exceptions do not require a state license to practice in the ‘Private detective business’

(a)This chapter shall not apply to:
1) An officer or employee of the United States of America or of this state or a political subdivision thereof while the employee or officer is engaged in the performance of official duties;
2) A person engaged in the business of furnishing information in connection with credit or marketing and a person or firm engaged as a consumer reporting agency, as defined by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act;
3) An attorney at law or a bona fide legal assistant in performing his or her duties;
4) Admitted insurers, agents and insurance brokers licensed by the state while performing duties in connection with insurance transacted by them
5) A peace officer employed on a full-time basis by a federal, state, county, or local law enforcement agency who contracts directly with an employer to work during his or her off-duty hours and whose off-duty employment is conducted on an independent contractor basis with another employer other than a peace officer engaged in the private detective or private security business or a private detective or private security agency, subject to Code Section 16-10-3, relating to the receipt of funds by state officers or employees for the enforcement of penal laws
6 )A firm engaged in the business of independent insurance claims adjusting whose employees hold a valid Georgia Adjuster’s license
7) The employees of a firm mentioned in paragraph (6) of this subsection.

(b) This chapter does not apply to any person covered by Chapter 8 of Title 35, the ‘Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Act’. (c) This chapter shall not prevent the local authorities of any municipality or county, by ordinance and within the exercise of the police power of such municipality or county, from imposing local regulations upon any street patrol, special officer, or person furnishing street patrol service, including regulations requiring registration with an agency to be designated by such municipality or county. (d) This chapter shall not apply to a person or corporation which employs persons who do private security work in connections with he  affairs of such employer only and who have an employer-employee relationship with such employer. Neither such persons or corporations nor their employees shall be rqeuired to register or be licensed under this chapter, although such persons or corporations or their employees may elect to be licensed under this chapter.

Who regulates Georgia-based private detective agencies and employees?

The Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies.  It was created for the purpose of safeguarding the citizens of this state by regulation of the private detctive and security businesses.  The regulation of such business is declared to be in the public interest.  The seven members of the Board, appointed by the Governor, have the authority to determine the qualifications of applicants for licensure or regulation. The Board meets at least 8 times a year to review applications, administer examinations, license qualified applicants and regulate the professional practice of licensses throughout the state.  Complaints are investigated and, if warranted, disciplinary action may be taken by the Board. Meetings of the Board are held at the Secretary of State’s offices in Macon and are open to the public.

How can I become a licensed investigator?

That question, and other related questions can be found under ‘Frequently Asked Questions” on the Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies website at http://www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/detective or by calling (478) 207-1460.

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