West Virginia Private Investigator License

In WV, if you want to work as a detective or a detective you should have a West Virginia Private Investigator License. Generally, states like Alabama and Idaho only require a county-level permit. However, in WV it’s not the case. Here, you have to pass special training, pass a background check, and if qualified get the permit.

Basic requirements

You have to be at least 18 years old. You had to be a US citizen or be its lawfully resident. Also, you should have a good moral reputation. Then, You need to be free of prior convictions, containing drug and alcohol-related offenses, firearms-related and theft-related offenses, and moral turpitude. You must have never worked as a PI without obtaining the necessary certification.

Necessary Education for West Virginia Private Investigator License

Experience

You need legitimate experience in this field for a minimum of 32 hours per week for 100 weeks. Also, your application must contain a certified letter from a principal of this business. That is to say, you spent at least 32 hours each week in the field. The letter must include information on the job you did and your expertise in that subject.

Education and Experience Option

You can use College credits to offset experience demands. This is how you can meet your proficiency requirements:

Graduate with a criminal justice major from a two- or four-year school. Criminal justice, law enforcement, and criminal enforcement are all acceptable occupations.  You should at least have 60 credit hours of research.

Taking the total number of relevant credits and dividing it by 60 is the method for determining how much of the proficiency requirement your education satisfies. By multiplying the output of this method by 100, you may calculate how many weeks of training are still necessary (at a minimum of 32 hours). The number of weeks of experience still necessary is calculated as a consequence of the formula.

Get References

To obtain your certification here, you must have five character references. This is a time-consuming component of this process, so begin it as soon as you can. They propose giving a copy of the character reference form, to five separate references. You should have no biological or marriage ties to these persons. The state doesn’t have to get the character reference letters, but rather they send the letters directly to you and include those letters in your application package.

Get Fingerprinted and Photographed

You should have your fingerprints taken to receive a PI certificate in WV. You may acquire the form by either downloading it here or calling (304) 558-8000. This state will not accept anything other than an authentic WV fingerprint card. It will be extremely good if you have your fingerprints taken at a local sheriff’s office to ensure that they are clear. Sign the card when you’ve completed it in its full, including the back.

In addition, the state demands the candidate to include two passport-sized color pictures. You have to take the photographs no more than a year ago. If at all feasible, they suggest using a light blue background.

Submit the West Virginia Private Investigator License Application

You have to pay A $50 non-refundable processing fee to submit for the permit. Following the approval of your request, they will charge an additional cost of $150 for residents and $550 for non-residents for the actual permit.

If you are going to start your agency, you will need to register a business in this state as a single proprietor or corporation after the approval of the application.

It’s a good idea to join an industry group to stay up to date on legislation and education. The PI and Security Professionals Community is a fantastic place to start.

Salary Information

The yearly average compensation for a detective in WV is roughly $60,950, according to the BLS May 2020 statistics.