Private Investigator License Reciprocity by State

Which states have formal PI license reciprocity agreements, and what those agreements actually allow. Last reviewed 2026-05-17.

Important: Most U.S. state pairs do not have formal PI license reciprocity. Formal reciprocity exists primarily among a cluster of Southern and Eastern states — 13 jurisdictions in total. For any state pair not shown below, assume you need a separate license to operate in the destination state, and contact the destination state’s licensing authority before crossing state lines on a case.

Lookup: If You’re Licensed In…

Select your home-state license. The page will show which reciprocating states accept your license, the statutory basis, and the operational restrictions that apply.

Pick a state above to see reciprocity options.

Reciprocity Matrix

Rows show the state where you hold your license. Columns show the state where you want to perform investigative work. A check (✓) means a formal reciprocity arrangement exists.

Reciprocity is not always mutual. Read the row, not the diagonal.

Licensed in ↓
Work in →		ALARCAFLGAKYLANCOKSCTNTXVA
AL—············
AR·—····✓·✓·✓··
CA··—····✓·····
FL···—✓·✓✓··✓·✓
GA·✓·✓—·✓✓✓✓✓··
KY·····—····✓··
LA·✓··✓·—·✓·✓✓·
NC··✓✓✓·✓—·✓✓·✓
OK·✓··✓·✓·—·✓✓·
SC····✓··✓·—···
TN✓✓·✓✓✓✓✓··—·✓
TX····✓·✓·✓·✓—·
VA···✓✓·✓✓✓·✓·—

Common Restrictions Across Reciprocity Agreements

  • Origin rule: The investigation must originate in the investigator’s home state. Cases that originate in the reciprocating state require local licensure.
  • Day cap: Most agreements cap reciprocal work at 15 days per agency per case per year (30 days in some bilateral agreements).
  • Active license requirement: Several states require the home-state license be active for 2 or more consecutive years before reciprocity applies.
  • Notification: Some destination boards require advance notification before reciprocal work begins.
  • Insurance and bond: Home-state insurance and bond requirements continue to apply even when working reciprocally.

If Your State Isn’t Listed

If you’re licensed in a state outside this group (or you want to work in a state outside this group), no formal reciprocity arrangement is published. Practical options:

  1. Apply for a non-resident license in the destination state (most states have a streamlined process for already-licensed out-of-state PIs).
  2. Partner with a licensed firm in the destination state and operate under their license for the duration of the case.
  3. Refer the case to a licensed PI in the destination state and split the fee.

See the full state-by-state PI licensing reference for the licensing authority and statute in each jurisdiction.

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Disclaimer: Reciprocity rules change. This page is a reference summary, not legal advice. Before relying on any agreement listed here, confirm the current rule with both the home-state and destination-state licensing authorities. Last reviewed 2026-05-17.