Find a Licensed Private Investigator in California

01Why Californians hire investigators

When a California matter calls for a licensed investigator

Most California investigation requests begin with a question the client cannot answer from home. A parent in an Orange County custody dispute wants to know who is in the house during weekend visits. A Bay Area startup suspects a departing engineer took source code to a competitor. A family in Fresno has not heard from an elderly uncle in months. A carrier handling a workers' compensation claim in the Inland Empire doubts the reported limits. Each of those questions needs facts gathered lawfully and written up so an attorney, judge or claims examiner will rely on them.

California treats that fact-gathering as licensed work. Under the Private Investigator Act, anyone who for consideration makes or agrees to make an investigation into a person's identity, conduct, movements, whereabouts or character, or who secures evidence for use before a court or board, is acting as a private investigator. The practical result is that the first step is not picking the most polished website. It is finding someone whose license is current and who has handled your kind of matter in the county where it is happening.

• Family law: custody, support and domestic violence restraining order matters
• Civil litigation: witness locates, interviews and asset research
• Insurance and workers' compensation claim reviews
• Business concerns: trade secrets, employee misconduct and fraud
• Personal safety: documenting harassment for counsel or law enforcement

02Licensing

How licensing works for a private investigator in California

California regulates investigators through Chapter 11.3 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, beginning at Section 7512, known as the Private Investigator Act. The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, part of the Department of Consumer Affairs, issues and disciplines licenses. A license can be held by an individual or by a business entity such as a partnership, corporation or limited liability company, and a business license is tied to a qualified manager who has met the experience requirement and passed the state examination. Applicants also go through a criminal history check.

Section 7521 defines a private investigator as a person who, for any consideration, engages in business or accepts employment to furnish, or agrees to make or makes, an investigation to obtain information about crimes, a person's habits, conduct, movements or whereabouts, lost or stolen property, the cause of fires, accidents or injuries, or evidence for a court or board. Section 7523(a) says no one may engage in that business without a license unless an exemption in Section 7522 applies, such as an employee investigating only for one employer or an attorney working a case.

Section 7523 also gives the license real teeth. Doing the work without a license, or knowingly hiring someone unlicensed who is not exempt, is a misdemeanor. Falsely claiming to be a licensee, or using badges, cards, letterhead or advertising that suggest a license someone does not hold, is a separate misdemeanor carrying a larger fine. For a client, that means one simple habit: look the investigator up yourself and keep a copy of the result. Program details are on the BSIS website.

03Legal limits

What licensed California investigators can and cannot do

A California license permits investigative work for pay. It does not grant police powers. A licensed investigator cannot arrest anyone, search property, compel a person to talk or enter private land without permission. Most work comes from public places, public records, lawful data sources and voluntary interviews. Recording is the area where California differs most from other states. Penal Code Section 632 makes it a crime to record or eavesdrop on a confidential communication without the consent of all parties, whether the conversation happens in person or by phone, and Section 632.7 adds rules for cellular and cordless calls.

A confidential communication, under Section 632(c), is one carried on in circumstances suggesting a party wants it kept between the parties, which excludes public gatherings and settings where people can reasonably expect to be overheard. That is why careful California investigators get advice before recording anything and rely mostly on notes, photographs and video from public vantage points. Vehicle tracking is also restricted. Penal Code Section 637.7 bars using an electronic tracking device to determine a person's location or movement, with an exception when the registered owner, lessor or lessee of the vehicle has consented.

Surveillance itself has limits. California's stalking law, Penal Code Section 646.9, reaches repeated following or harassment that places someone in reasonable fear, so professional surveillance is planned, time-limited and documented. Federal law separately bars pretexting to get bank or telephone records and limits access to motor vehicle records. An attorney can confirm how these rules fit a specific case before any work begins.

• Generally lawful: observation and video from public places
• Generally lawful: public records research and voluntary interviews
• Restricted: recording a confidential conversation without every party's consent
• Restricted: a GPS device on a vehicle without the owner's or lessee's consent
• Not allowed: posing as police or using false pretenses for bank or phone records

04Regions

Why local knowledge matters across California

California is long enough that the county where a matter sits shapes how it is worked. The drive from San Diego to the Oregon line takes the better part of a day, and an investigator based in Los Angeles is rarely the right fit for a case in Humboldt or Shasta County. Southern California's metros run together across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties, with freeway traffic that decides how many hours a surveillance day really covers. The Bay Area adds bridges, transit and dense neighborhoods where parking a car for hours draws attention.

Inland, the Central Valley from Redding to Bakersfield is a farm and logistics corridor where an unfamiliar car on a rural road stands out. The Sierra Nevada foothills and mountain towns have seasonal populations and winter road closures. Desert communities in the Coachella Valley, the High Desert and Imperial County cover huge distances between towns, and the border crossings at San Ysidro, Otay Mesa and Calexico add cross-border family and business ties. Each superior court also has its own filing habits, local rules and calendars.

California has more than 100 federally recognized tribes, and tribal lands are scattered from San Diego County to the Oregon border. Jurisdiction on tribal land can differ from the surrounding county, so an investigator working near a reservation or rancheria should raise it early and the client's attorney should weigh in. Requests sent through Delator Group are matched by county for this reason, so the investigator who calls you already knows the courthouse and the roads.

05Pricing

How California investigators usually price their work

Each investigator sets and quotes their own fees, and the structure depends on the work. Field work and surveillance are usually billed by the hour, often with a minimum block of hours per day so that a short assignment still covers the drive. Mileage and travel time are commonly added when the work is far from the investigator's base, which matters in a state where one assignment can span two or three counties. Database searches, court record copies and filing fees are usually passed through as expenses.

Many investigators ask for a retainer, bill against it and either return the unused balance or invoice the difference at the end. Some quote a set price for a narrow task such as a single records search or a defined background report. Before you agree, ask what the quote includes, how often you will get updates, whether report writing and video editing are billed separately, and what happens if the subject stays home on a planned surveillance day. A clear written agreement protects both sides.

06Before the first call

How to prepare for the first conversation with an investigator

A useful first call is short and specific. Write down what you want to learn, why it matters and what you plan to do with the answer. If a case is open, have the case number, the superior court and county, your attorney's name and any hearing dates ready. For a person, gather the full name, date of birth if known, last known addresses, vehicles, employer, a recent photo and the usual schedule. For a business concern, pull together the documents that raised the question and the names of the people involved.

Expect the investigator to ask questions that test whether the goal is lawful and realistic. A licensed investigator will decline work that looks like an attempt to harass someone or to find a person who has a good reason to stay hidden, and may ask to see court paperwork in custody or restraining order matters. Mention anything that affects safety, such as weapons, past violence or an existing protective order. The more accurate the picture you give, the more accurate the quote. When you are ready, send a short request with the county and the goal.

• Your goal, in one or two sentences
• County and city where the activity happens
• Names, dates of birth, addresses and vehicles you already know
• Case number, court and attorney contact, if any
• Budget range and any hard deadline

Cities

Top 20 cities in California for private investigator requests

These are the 20 largest California cities by the Census Bureau's July 2025 population estimates, with the county each city sits in. Several large cities share a county, and many unincorporated communities are not on this list at all, so the street address or ZIP code is what tells an investigator which courthouse and sheriff's office matter. Include it when you send a request.

Counties

Top 20 California counties for investigator requests

California has 58 counties, and each has its own superior court, clerk, recorder and sheriff. The 20 below are the most populous by 2025 estimates. They range from Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the country, to fast-growing Placer County near Sacramento. Investigators who work these counties regularly know where records are kept and how each court handles subpoenas and testimony.

Investigation types

Investigations licensed California investigators handle

These are the request types Delator Group most often refers to licensed California investigators. Each investigator decides which work to accept and how to carry it out. The short descriptions explain what the work generally involves under California law, so you can describe your need clearly when the investigator calls.

• SurveillanceA licensed investigator observes and video-records activity from public places, keeps a time-stamped log and writes a report. California's all-party recording rule means audio is usually left out unless an attorney approves.Learn more
• Child custody investigationsInvestigators document conditions during parenting time, a parent's conduct and who is present, producing observations a family law attorney can weigh before a custody hearing in superior court.Learn more
• Infidelity investigationsCalifornia divorce is no-fault, but conduct can still matter to custody, support or spending of community funds. An investigator gathers lawful observations an attorney can evaluate.Learn more
• Locating peopleInvestigators find witnesses, heirs, debtors and lost relatives through public records, licensed data sources and field checks, within federal limits on phone, bank and driver records.Learn more
• Background researchInvestigators search court, property and business records on a person or company. Reports used for employment, tenant or credit decisions fall under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and California consumer reporting law.Learn more
• Asset searchesInvestigators trace real property, business interests, vehicles and liens through county recorders and state filings to support collections, judgment enforcement or division of community property.Learn more
• Insurance and workers' comp claimsFor carriers, employers and defense counsel, investigators compare claimed limitations with observed activity, interview witnesses and check employment, all from lawful vantage points.Learn more
• Corporate and trade secret mattersInvestigators help counsel look into employee misconduct, vendor fraud and suspected misuse of confidential information, coordinating with forensic examiners when devices or accounts are involved.Learn more

How matching works

How investigator matching works in California

1. 01

   Send your request

   Use the contact form or call. Describe what you need, the county and city, any deadline and the best way to reach you. Keep sensitive details short until you speak with the investigator.

2. 02

   Request review

   Delator Group reviews the request for completeness and lawful purpose, and may ask a quick follow-up about location, timing or whether a court case is open.

3. 03

   Referral to a California investigator

   The request is referred to an independent investigator who holds a California license and works in or near the county involved, so local courts and traffic patterns are familiar.

4. 04

   The investigator contacts you

   The investigator calls or emails, discusses scope and method, quotes their own fee and, if you decide to go ahead, signs a written agreement with you directly.

5. 05

   You verify and decide

   Before you sign, look the investigator up in the Department of Consumer Affairs license search. There is no obligation to hire, and the decision stays with you.

Licensing

How California licenses private investigators

California licenses private investigators through a single state bureau rather than counties or cities. The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services reviews experience, administers the written examination, runs criminal history checks and handles complaints and discipline. A license may be issued to an individual or to a business that has a qualified manager on file. Checking the license number and status takes a minute in the state's online search and is the simplest protection a client has.

Before you hire

What to check before you hire an investigator in California

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Nationwide

Find an investigator in another state