Are Private Investigators Licensed in the UK?

May 15, 2021 - Reading time: 8 minutes
Updated on: August 27, 2025

Are private investigators licensed in the UK?

When most people think of a private investigator, they might picture someone in a trench coat with a shiny badge. In reality, private investigators in the UK don’t carry badges and there’s no official detective licence issued by the government.

Are private investigators licensed in the UK? The simple answer is no. Despite proposals over the years, there is currently no licensing system in place. Anyone, trained or untrained, can set up as a private investigator and start offering services.

PIs in the UK have no special legal powers – they must follow the same laws as everyone else.

Photo: No – private investigators in the UK are not issued with badges!

Do private investigators in the UK need an SIA licence?

No – private investigators in the UK do not currently need a licence from the Security Industry Authority (SIA). The SIA regulates roles like door supervisors, CCTV operators, and close protection officers, but private investigation is not on their list.

Back in 2013, the government announced plans to introduce an SIA-backed licensing scheme for private investigators, but it was never implemented. Since then, nothing has changed.

This means there is no legal requirement for a PI in the UK to hold an SIA licence, although some agencies may employ investigators who already hold one because of their background in security.

Should private investigators be licensed?

Whether PIs should be licensed is still up for debate. Some argue licensing would help weed out rogues, require background checks, and ensure a basic level of training. Others say it would just add more red tape and push up the cost of hiring a PI.

In 2001 and again in 2013, proposals were drawn up, but nothing ever made it into law. At present, there are no government-backed plans for introducing PI licensing in the UK.

The benefits (and limits) of licensing

In countries where PIs are licensed, such as the USA, investigators sometimes get limited access to government databases, or exemptions from certain laws (like tinted windows). In the UK, even if licensing were introduced, GDPR and strict data protection laws would almost certainly prevent any access to sensitive databases.

At best, a licensing system here would provide accountability and perhaps some protection against being accused of harassment or stalking during surveillance. But many PIs argue that competent detectives shouldn’t need that protection because their work should remain discreet and unnoticed in the first place.

Professional bodies and memberships

Because there’s no government licence, some UK private investigators join professional associations. These bodies often set their own standards, codes of conduct, and may require background checks. Examples include the Association of British Investigators (ABI).

Membership can help reassure clients that an investigator is reputable, but it isn’t the same as holding a government-issued licence. Agencies with multiple memberships may also charge higher fees, since associations come with registration costs and annual dues.

How the USA does it differently

Most US states require private investigators to hold a licence, and the requirements vary by state. Investigators often need formal qualifications, a background check, and sometimes law enforcement experience. Because of this, hiring a PI in the States is generally more expensive than in the UK.

Photo: In the USA, licensed PIs may have access to tools and exemptions not available to UK investigators.

UK laws and what PIs can and can’t do

Since UK private investigators aren’t licensed, they must follow the same laws as everyone else. That means they cannot:

• Access phone records or bank accounts without consent
• Hack into computers, emails, or social media accounts
• Pretend to be police officers or government officials

What they can do is gather information legally through surveillance, background checks, open-source intelligence, and interviews – so long as they don’t break laws around data protection, trespassing, or harassment.

About PrivateInvestigators-UK

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