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Thread: Michigan: What can be done without a PI License?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
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    Michigan: What can be done without a PI License?

    I have my own process serving business and have been asked by various friends and associates to conduct surveillance for them (marital) and have'nt found any good information on the laws and how they pertain to me doing this type of work without a PI license.

    It seems as though I could perform this type of work as long as I do not break any stalking laws and such but as far as making money doing so I'm not sure if that is what the license regulates.

    I do have my own process serving business to which I do stake outs if necessary but I would like to know if I could charge someone for surveillance time that is not process serving but just strictly surveillance without a PI license.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
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    New York
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    Greetings Tony. Don't take what I say for gospel, because every state has its own laws, and I'm not up to speed on Michigan's laws. You would probably want to contact your Department of State to find out what you can do. I would be leery of performing PI work without a license, on your own, not working for an agency as a trainee. Although, it may be legal, I don't know. NY's laws are very strange, and are some of the toughest among all the states. I do know, that in NY, for example.....if I owned a licensed Security company, I could not perform PI duties, and if I was a licensed PI agency, I could not perform security duties. They're seperate licenses.

    So, in short, I'd contact your state licensing department and get more clarity. Maybe legal affairs here could steer you in the right direction.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Michigan
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    I've actually taken 2 courses already on private investigating, My mom used to be a PI and my sister is a criminologist. I have quite a few buddies I grew up with that are deputies here in town and I still havent found any good info pertaining to this stuff. Thanks for your input though. I'll see what I can find out from the state licensing agencies.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
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    Florida
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    Michigan license laws

    Tony, you need to go to the PI LICENSING: Michigan Topic Link and read up on the laws for your state and the exemptions.

    Most of the laws pertain to almost every state with a few exceptions.

  5. #5
    Steven D Mahan -'s Avatar
    Steven D Mahan - is offline *** Certified SPI
    Sr. Member: Private Investigators Forum

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    International Private Investigators Union (IPIU)
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    Tony I Agree With Donald. Also Ask Someone In The Biz.one Field Of Pi Work Varries From The Other And There Are Allways Updates,i Ask Friends That Specialize In Certain Areas For Help Time To Time.

  6. #6
    Joyce Jameson -'s Avatar
    Joyce Jameson - is offline Distinguished Member of:
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    Hi Tony,

    I'm also from Mi. I've been on the web 'investigating' this for 2 months, finally I think I figured it out (somewhat),

    it seems that in our state they're not real fond of PI type work, you can be a bounty hunter just by 'being a bounty hunter', they do not regulate that, however, everything else is regulated to death.

    Today I went to the county clerks office and filed my paperwork for my own business, then I contacted the IRS about incorporating it to protect my assets, easy as pie,

    $10.00 for filing my business with the county (for 5 years) and $60.00 to the IRS to incorporate. You have to tell them exactly what you will be doing, since they don't regulate bounty hunters

    I put Bounty Hunter on there also, they signed it, stamped it and sent me on my merry way.

    As for the other investigating that I applied for, they have a list (which they will only tell you if you call them because it's not on their website), the list is very specific about what constitutes PI work,

    for instance, she told me that if I entered a store and observed cleanliness ect then that's 'mystery shopping' but if I enter a store to evaluate any one person, that's 'investigative' work and requires a license.

    Anyway, if you call the county clerks office where you live they will tell you what you need to know on the phone which will save you time since they don't put the important (to us) info on the website.

    So as of today I officially have my own business , now if I could just generate some money!

    Joyce

  7. #7
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    This topic is closed.

    Please continue this discussion in the following licensing topic:

    PI LICENSING: Michigan Topic

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