Find a Licensed Private Investigator in New York

01Why New Yorkers hire investigators

When a New York matter calls for a licensed investigator

Investigation requests in New York come from every kind of place. A Brooklyn landlord needs to find a former tenant who left owing months of rent. A parent in a Suffolk County custody dispute wants a record of what happens during weekend pickups. A Rochester manufacturer suspects a departing engineer took customer files. A family in the Hudson Valley worries that a new caregiver is draining an elderly relative's accounts. Each problem needs facts collected lawfully and written up so an attorney, judge or insurer can rely on them.

New York treats that work as a licensed profession. Under General Business Law Section 71, making an investigation for hire to learn about a person's identity, conduct, whereabouts or credibility, or to secure evidence for a trial or hearing, is the business of a private investigator. So the real question is not which website looks polished. It is which investigator holds a current New York license, has handled matters like yours and knows the courts and neighborhoods where your case sits.

• Matrimonial and custody matters in Supreme Court and Family Court
• Civil litigation: witness locates, statements and asset research
• Insurance and workers' compensation claim reviews
• Employee misconduct, fraud and pre-deal due diligence
• Harassment and stalking documentation for counsel or police

02Licensing

How licensing works for a private investigator in New York

Private investigators in New York are licensed under Article 7 of the General Business Law, which the Department of State administers through its Division of Licensing Services. Section 70 gives the Department the power to issue the license, and it says that no person, firm or corporation may engage in the business of private investigator, or advertise its business as that of a private investigator, without first getting a license. A separate license is required for each office or branch office. Watch, guard and patrol agencies cannot do investigative work under their own licenses.

To qualify, an applicant generally needs three years of qualifying investigative experience, or an equivalent background such as police service, and must pass the Department's private investigator examination within the two years before applying. The Department issues licenses to individuals and to businesses. Support staff and employees of a licensed firm file their own statements and fingerprints with the Department, so a legitimate firm should be able to explain who on its team is licensed and who works under that license.

Licensing gives you a way to check the person before you hand over sensitive details. New York's public license search lets you look up an investigator or firm by name or license number and confirm the license type, status and expiration. The Department's private investigator licensing page explains the requirements. If someone quoting your case cannot give you a license number, treat that as your answer and keep looking.

03Legal limits

What licensed New York investigators can and cannot do

A New York license allows investigative work for pay. It does not grant police powers. A licensed investigator cannot arrest anyone, search property, demand records or enter private land without permission. Most of the work happens from public places, public records, lawful databases and voluntary interviews. Recording is governed by the eavesdropping provisions of the Penal Law. Section 250.00 defines mechanical overhearing as recording a conversation without the consent of at least one party, and Section 250.05 makes eavesdropping a felony. New York is therefore generally treated as a one-party consent state, though a call with someone in an all-party state such as Pennsylvania raises separate questions.

Location tracking is another area where people get into trouble. New York's stalking statute, Penal Law Section 120.45, says that following includes the unauthorized tracking of a person's movements or location through a GPS or other device. Placing a tracker on a car you do not own, or one driven by a spouse or partner, can expose you to criminal charges and can sink your own case. Talk to an attorney before anyone suggests a device.

Investigators also cannot pose as police or officials, and federal law bars pretexting to obtain bank and phone records. Unlawful surveillance under Penal Law Section 250.45 covers secret video recording in places where people expect privacy. A careful New York investigator will tell you up front what cannot be done and why.

• Recording: generally one-party consent under Penal Law 250.00 and 250.05
• GPS tracking without authorization can be stalking under Penal Law 120.45
• No impersonating police or public officials
• No pretexting for bank or telephone records under federal law

04Regions

Where your New York case is matters as much as what it is

New York City is its own world. Each of the five boroughs is a separate county with its own Supreme Court, and a matter that starts in the Bronx may need records from Brooklyn or a witness in Queens. Surveillance in Manhattan relies on foot work, transit and timing far more than on vehicles. Long Island's Nassau and Suffolk counties are suburban and car-based, with courts in Mineola, Riverhead and Central Islip. Westchester, Rockland and Orange counties tie into the city by rail and highway but have their own courthouses and records offices.

Upstate distances change the math. Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse each anchor a metro area with its own courts and employers, while the Southern Tier, the Adirondacks and the North Country can mean hours of driving between towns. An investigator based in Albany may not be the right fit for a case in Erie County. Matters near the Canadian border, including Niagara Falls and the crossings in the North Country, can involve federal agencies and cross-border records.

New York is also home to several Indigenous nations with their own governments and territories, including lands in Western New York, the Finger Lakes and along the St. Lawrence. Jurisdiction there can be complex, so a licensed investigator should coordinate with counsel before working on or near those lands.

05Pricing

How investigators in New York usually price their work

Each investigator sets their own fees, and Delator Group does not set or quote them. Most licensed New York investigators bill by the hour for field work, research and report writing, often against a retainer paid up front. Surveillance may carry minimums per day or per investigator, because a team has to commit a block of time whether or not the subject leaves the house. Mileage, tolls, parking and database charges are often billed on top of hourly time, and in New York City, parking and transit costs can be significant.

Simple records research is sometimes quoted as a single project fee, while open-ended matters such as surveillance or a missing person search are usually estimated in phases. Ask for the estimate in writing, ask what happens when the retainer runs out and ask how often you will get updates. A clear engagement letter protects both sides and keeps the scope from drifting.

06Preparing

How to prepare for your first call with a New York investigator

A first conversation goes faster when you have the basics ready. Write down the full names of the people involved, dates of birth if you know them, last known addresses, vehicles and phone numbers. Note the county where the case is pending or where the subject lives, any court dates and the name of your attorney. If you already have photos, messages or documents, gather copies, but do not send them until you have agreed on terms with the investigator.

Be clear about the goal. An investigator can help most when you can say what decision the information will support, such as a custody filing, a settlement, a hiring choice or a police report. Tell them about any orders of protection or safety concerns. Ask how they will report findings, whether video is included and whether they have testified before in New York courts.

• Names, dates of birth and last known addresses
• County, court and case number if one exists
• Vehicle descriptions and known routines
• Your attorney's name and any deadlines
• What decision the findings need to support

Cities

Top 20 cities in New York for private investigator requests

These are New York's 20 most populous incorporated cities and villages, ranked by the Census Bureau's 2024 population estimates. Large suburban towns such as Hempstead, Brookhaven and Islip are town governments rather than cities or villages, so they do not appear here. Investigators licensed by the Department of State may work anywhere in the state, but local court and records knowledge still matters.

Counties

Top 20 New York counties for investigator requests

New York has 62 counties. The five boroughs of New York City are each a county with no official county seat, so the borough is shown instead. This list ranks the 20 most populous counties by current Census Bureau estimates. Supreme Court, the state's main trial court, sits in every county, which is where most divorce and civil cases are filed.

Investigation types

Investigations licensed New York investigators handle

Licensed New York investigators take on a wide range of personal, legal and business matters. The list below describes the most common types of work in general terms. The investigator you are matched with will explain what is possible in your county, what the law allows and what the work is likely to involve.

• SurveillanceAn investigator observes and documents activity from public places, keeps a time-stamped log and writes a report. In New York City this often means foot and transit work; upstate it usually means vehicles and longer distances.Learn more
• Infidelity and matrimonialInvestigators document conduct, hidden relationships or spending relevant to a divorce in Supreme Court. Findings are gathered lawfully so the client's attorney can decide how, or whether, to use them.Learn more
• Child custodyFor Family Court and Supreme Court custody matters, investigators document parenting time, living conditions and safety concerns, working with counsel so evidence is collected in a way a judge will consider.Learn more
• Background researchInvestigators research court records, liens, licenses and public filings on a person or company. Reports used for hiring or tenant screening fall under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and New York rules.Learn more
• Locates and skip tracingInvestigators find witnesses, debtors, heirs and lost contacts using lawful databases, public records and field checks, then confirm an address before reporting it to the client.Learn more
• Insurance and workers' compensationFor carriers, employers and defense counsel, investigators review claims, document activity and interview witnesses in matters before courts and the New York Workers' Compensation Board.Learn more
• Criminal defense investigationWorking for defense attorneys, investigators interview witnesses, canvass scenes, gather video and review discovery in criminal cases from local courts to County Court and Supreme Court.Learn more
• Corporate and fraud mattersInvestigators look into employee theft, vendor fraud, trade secret leaks and pre-deal due diligence for New York businesses, often alongside company counsel.Learn more

How matching works

How investigator matching works in New York

1. 01

   Send your request

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

2. 02

   We review it

   Delator Group reads the request to make sure it is complete and lawful, and may ask a follow-up question about location or timing. We do not investigate the matter ourselves.

3. 03

   Referral to a licensed investigator

   We refer the request to an independent investigator who holds a New York license and works the part of the state where the matter is, such as the city, Long Island or Western New York.

4. 04

   The investigator contacts you

   The investigator calls or emails to discuss the goals, the legal limits and the cost. Any agreement, retainer and payment are strictly between you and the investigator.

5. 05

   Verify and decide

   Look up the license in the Department of State's search, ask questions and decide whether to hire. You are under no obligation to go forward with any investigator.

Licensing

How New York licenses private investigators

New York licenses private investigators at the state level through the Department of State. Article 7 of the General Business Law sets the rules, including experience and examination requirements, bonding and the requirement of a separate license for each office. The table below summarizes the essentials and shows how a client can confirm that an investigator's license is real and current before work begins.

Before you hire

What to check before you hire an investigator in New York

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Nationwide

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