A guide for becoming a licensed investigator in the state of Wisconsin.

Wisconsin is one of 41 states that require a license to be a Private Investigator. Currently, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wyoming do not have this requirement. While Wisconsin does not mandate previous experience, there are many places to get training. Many schools offer Professional Investigator in their curriculum. These courses will give you information helping you to operate within the laws, but the real training comes with getting your feet wet.

With that said though, the best way to educate yourself is to surround yourself with professional, experienced, and knowledgeable investigators, thus one of the reasons PAWLI exists. PAWLI members are happy to share their expertise and knowledge with new investigators.

If you are working for someone else, you only need the individual license. If you open your own agency, then you will need an agency license also. There are special circumstances where you do not need a license at all, such as working specifically for one law office and taking no other jobs outside that office. Be sure to check with the Wisconsin Dept of Safety and Professional Services to ensure you know the current requirements.