Private investigations in California require a state-issued PI license under California Business and Professions Code §7520 — administered by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). 247 Private Security operates a licensed PI division (BSIS PI license plus active continuing education) handling workplace investigations, infidelity surveillance, background checks, due diligence, missing persons, asset searches, and litigation support across Los Angeles, Orange County, and Ventura County.
Investigations we conduct
- Workplace incidents — internal fraud, employee theft, embezzlement, harassment, hostile-environment claims, false workers-comp claims, wrongful termination support
- Domestic and family — infidelity surveillance, child-custody behavior documentation, spousal asset concealment, divorce-prep evidence gathering
- Background checks — pre-employment due diligence, executive-hire vetting, business-partner background, vendor-relationship verification
- Business due diligence — pre-acquisition target investigation, partner background, IP infringement evidence gathering, competitive intelligence (legal sources only)
- Missing persons — locating adults (minor cases are referred to law enforcement)
- Asset searches — bank, real-property, vehicle, business-ownership asset identification for litigation, judgment recovery, or divorce
- Litigation support — witness location, evidence preservation, pre-trial surveillance, deposition prep, courtroom-admissible reports
- Personal-injury investigation — fraud detection, claimant surveillance, scene documentation
- Stalking and harassment documentation — building evidence packages for restraining orders or criminal complaints
PI license and authority
California PI licensing is administered by BSIS under California Business and Professions Code Chapter 11.3, §§7520–7548. To qualify as a licensed PI in California, the operator must:
- Pass the BSIS PI exam — a state-administered test covering investigation law, evidence handling, and PI ethics
- Complete 6,000 hours of qualifying investigative experience — equivalent to 3 years of full-time investigation work
- Submit Live Scan FBI/DOJ background check — disqualifying offenses include violent felonies, fraud convictions, and certain misdemeanors
- Maintain continuing education — annual hours of legal/ethics training
- Carry insurance — minimum $1M general liability per BSIS requirements
247 Private Security holds an active BSIS PI license, current continuing-education credits, and $2M general liability plus $1M errors-and-omissions coverage. Verify our license at BSIS license search.
What private investigators legally CAN and CANNOT do
PI licensees have specific authority and specific limits:
- CAN conduct surveillance in public spaces and from public vantage points
- CAN photograph and video-record from public spaces
- CAN access public records (court filings, property records, business registrations)
- CAN interview willing witnesses
- CAN conduct GPS tracking on vehicles owned or jointly-owned by the client
- CANNOT wiretap, intercept communications, or record private conversations without consent
- CANNOT enter private property without authorization (trespass)
- CANNOT impersonate law enforcement, government officials, or another private party
- CANNOT pretext (impersonating someone to extract information) for financial-account information
- CANNOT access non-public records requiring subpoena or warrant (banking, medical, sealed court files)
Every investigation is conducted strictly within these limits. Evidence obtained illegally is inadmissible and may expose the client to liability.
Confidentiality and discretion
- Initial consultation is free and confidential — case scoping, budget discussion, and investigative-plan outline at no charge
- Engagement letter — signed before any work begins, with strict confidentiality terms binding both parties
- Encrypted communications — all client communications via encrypted email or signed-in-person delivery
- Restricted internal access — case files accessible only to the assigned investigator and operations leadership
- Court-admissible reports — final reports formatted for legal proceedings: chain-of-custody documentation, photograph metadata preserved, witness statements signed
Pricing
- Background check (single subject, standard scope): $650–$1,200
- Executive-hire vetting (extensive scope, multiple sources): $2,500–$6,500
- Surveillance (single subject, daytime): $95–$135/hour (single investigator) or $160–$240/hour (two-investigator team)
- Workplace investigation (multi-week scope): $8,000–$25,000 typical
- Asset search: $1,800–$5,500 depending on jurisdiction count and complexity
- Litigation support (multi-component): scoped per case; budget $15,000–$60,000 for a multi-month engagement
Start a confidential investigation in Los Angeles
247 Private Security holds an active California PI license through the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. Our investigators have 30+ years of combined experience including former law enforcement, military intelligence, and federal-agency backgrounds. Initial consultations are free and strictly confidential. Related: executive protection, armed security. We cover all Greater Los Angeles, Orange County, and Ventura County. To begin a confidential consultation, call 818-805-4342 or submit a confidential inquiry.