Hiring a private investigator is a decision most people make once, under stress, with no idea how to judge who is good. This guide walks through how to hire a private investigator in Florida: what the license means, what a PI can and cannot legally do, what to ask, what should be in the agreement, the red flags, and how to prepare so the investigation is faster and cheaper.
Step 1: Be clear about what you need to know
Investigators answer questions; they do not perform miracles. Write down the specific question — “Is my husband seeing someone on the nights he says he is working?”, “Where does my former tenant live now?”, “Is this business partner who he says he is?”, “Who is stealing from my warehouse?” — and what you will do with the answer: peace of mind, a divorce filing, a custody hearing, a lawsuit, a termination, a police report. The purpose determines the documentation standard, and the standard determines the cost.
Step 2: Verify the licenses
In Florida, a private investigator must hold a Class C license (or a Class CC intern license under supervision) and work for an agency with a Class A license. Both are issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Licensing, and can be verified on its public portal. Ask for both numbers before you discuss your case. If the agency also provides security services, it holds a separate Class B license.
Step 3: Understand what is legal
A licensed investigator can: conduct surveillance from public places; photograph and record what is visible from public areas; search public records and licensed databases; interview cooperative witnesses; locate people; serve process; run background checks within the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Florida rules; and testify.
A licensed investigator cannot — and will refuse to: trespass; wiretap or record private conversations without the consent Florida law requires; access someone’s phone, email or accounts; obtain bank, medical or phone records without lawful authorization; install a GPS tracker on a vehicle you do not own (a felony under Florida Statute 934.425); impersonate police; or arrest anyone. If an investigator offers any of these, walk away — you would be paying for evidence that is inadmissible and for exposure to criminal liability.
Step 4: Ask these questions
- What are your Class A and Class C license numbers?
- How many cases like mine have you handled in the last year?
- Who exactly will work my case — you, an employee, a subcontractor?
- How do you bill — hourly rate, minimum session, retainer, expenses — and can I have it in writing?
- What is realistic to find out, and what is not?
- How will you report — written reports, video, photos, time stamps?
- Have you testified in court, and what do you charge for testimony?
- How do you protect my confidentiality?
- Do you carry insurance?
- Can you work in the languages my case requires — English, Spanish, Russian?
Step 5: Read the agreement
A professional engagement letter states the scope of work, the hourly rate and minimums, the retainer and how it is drawn down, expenses, the reporting format, confidentiality, the client’s responsibility to use the information lawfully, and how either side can end the engagement. No agreement, no engagement.
Step 6: Prepare your information
The more you bring, the fewer hours you pay for: full names and dates of birth, photos, vehicles and plates, home and work addresses, schedules and habits, phone numbers, social media handles, names of associates, prior incidents and any documents. For custody and domestic matters, tell your attorney you are hiring an investigator so the evidence is collected the way the court will expect.
Red flags
- No license number, or reluctance to give it
- Guarantees of results (“we will prove she is cheating”)
- Offers to get phone records, bank records or passwords
- Offers to put a tracker on a car you do not own
- Cash-only, no written agreement, no itemized statements
- Pressure to pay a large retainer on the first call
- No physical office or verifiable business identity
- Bad-mouthing the courts, the police or other investigators instead of explaining the process
What to expect after you hire
A confidential intake, a written plan with a first phase and budget, regular updates, reports with time-stamped evidence, and a debrief. Good investigators also tell you when to stop — when the question is answered, or when more hours will not add anything.
Cost
Investigators bill hourly for field work with session minimums and retainers, and flat fees for background checks and locates. Our guide to private investigator costs in Florida explains what drives the price.
FSO Guard’s licensed investigators handle surveillance, domestic and custody matters, background checks, locates, corporate and workplace investigations and lawful GPS tracking across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, in English, Spanish and Russian. See our private investigator services or call (786) 659-5011 for a confidential consultation.
