In the State of Florida anyone performing the activities of a private investigator is required to hold a valid Class C License, they must also own or employed by a licensed private investigator/agency. To be clear, one cannot simply get their Class C license and practice their own business, not unless they possess a Class A (Agency License).

Requirements to hold a Florida Class C Private Investigators License are outlined in the Chapter 493 Florida Statutes. Applicants must submit a formal application and undergo a background investigation. Aside from what is listed below, there are also fees that must be paid to the State of Florida. In order to qualify for a Class “C” license, you must have two years of LAWFULLY GAINED, VERIFIABLE, FULL-TIME EXPERIENCE in one, or a combination of more than one, of the following three categories. Please note that no more than one year of college coursework/ training from Category 2 can be applied toward the two-year requirement.

1. Private investigative work or related fields of work that provide equivalent experience or training.

2. College course work related to criminal justice, criminology, or law enforcement administration, or successful completion of any law-enforcement- related training received from any federal, state, county, or municipal agency.

3. Employment as a Class “CC” intern. Internship is computed on a full-time, 40- hour workweek basis. Overtime hours worked beyond the 40-hour workweek cannot be used to reduce the two-year requirement.