UPDATED
SINCE ORIGINAL POST DATE
NO LICENSE NEEDED,
IF WORKING FOR THE FOLLOWING:- No License Needed for: Any individual solely, exclusively, and regularly employed as an in-house private investigator of a commercial business or establishment, while the person is acting within the scope of his or her employment. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: Any individual who provides any service which this Act does not prohibit as regulated in this State under any other Act from engaging in the practice for which they are licensed, provided that they do not represent themselves by any title prohibited by this Act. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440
- No License Needed for: Any individual solely, exclusively, and regularly employed as an in-house private investigator of a commercial company or establishment engaged exclusively in the business of obtaining and furnishing information as to the financial rating of persons, while the person is acting within the scope of his or her employment. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: Any individual solely, exclusively, and regularly employed as an in-house private investigator of a by a secured creditor engaged in the repossession of the creditor's collateral and any lessor engaged in the repossession of leased property in which it claims an interest. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: Any individual solely, exclusively, and regularly employed as a private investigator consultant or products supplier who renders advice concerning the use of products sold by an electronics business and who does not provide installation, monitoring, repair or maintenance services for electronic equipment. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: A person, firm or corporation, or an employee of a person, firm or corporation, that, for any consideration, observes consumer purchases of products or services in the public environments of a business establishment for the purpose of evaluating customer service, operational procedures, and product quality. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: A member of the news media and its employees when engaged in obtaining information for the purpose of disseminating news or undercover investigative news to the public. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: Attorneys at law or any expert hired by an attorney at law for consultation or litigation purposes; Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: Any person residing in this state, who in the course of their regular employment, conducts research of public records, including local, state, and federal courts. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: Any better business bureau or similar organization or any of its employees while engaged in the maintenance of the quality of business activities relating to consumer sales and services; Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: Any person who, in the regular course of their employment, conducts genealogical research in this state. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: A consumer reporting agency, as defined in the "Fair Credit Reporting Act," 84 Stat. 1128, 15 U.S.C.A. 1681a, as amended, provided that the consumer reporting agency is in compliance with the requirements of that act. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: The issuance of consumer credit reports; Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: The conducting of limited background investigations that pertain only to a client's prospective tenant and that are engaged in with the prior written consent of the prospective tenant; Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: Any individual solely, exclusively, and regularly employed as an in-house private investigator of a commercial business, establishment, non-detective company business, of pre-employment background investigations while the person is acting within the scope of his or her employment. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: Personnel placement services and persons who act as employees of such entities and non-detective companies engaged in investigating matters related to personnel placement activities; Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: Certified public insurance adjusters that hold a certificate of authority, while the adjuster is investigating the cause of or responsibility for a fire, accident, or other damage to property with respect to a claim or claims for loss or damage under a policy of insurance covering real or personal property; Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: An accountant who is registered or certified or any of the accountant's employees while engaged in non-detective company activities for which the accountant is certified or registered; Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: An independent insurance adjuster who, as an individual, an independent contractor, an employee of an independent contractor, adjustment bureau association, corporation, insurer, partnership, local recording agent, managing general agent, or self-insurer, engages in the non-detective company business of independent insurance adjustment, or any person who supervises the handling of claims except while acting as an employee of an insurer licensed in this state while handling claims pertaining to specific policies written by that insurer. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: An attorney who adjusts insurance losses incidential [sic] to the practice of law and who does not advertise or represent that he or she is an independent insurance adjuster or detective agency; Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: A licensed agent or general agent of an insurer licensed in this state who processes undisputed or uncontested losses for insurers under policies issued by that agent or general agent. Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
- No License Needed for: Public officers and employees whose official duties require them to engage in investigatory activities; Reference: Wis Statute Chapter 440.26 (5) Exemptions
IF YOU ARE EXEMPT TO LICENSING,
Then you are prohibited from:
- Placing advertisements in the State of Wisconsin (with a State of Wisconsin address) promoting yourself as:
A Wisconsin private detective
A Wisconsin private investigator
A Wisconsin private detective (or investigative) agency.
- Distributing business cards in the State of Wisconsin using stationary or letterhead (with a State of Wisconsin address) indicating yourself as:
A Wisconsin private detective
A Wisconsin private investigator
A Wisconsin private detective (or investigative) agency.
OTHER RESOURCE LINKS:
GET YOUR SPONSORED LICENSE
IN A FEW WEEKS:
The International Private Investigators Union (IPIU) offers it's lifetime corporate members a FREE benefit in arranging for a licensed private detective in Wisconsin to SPONSOR you. The process eliminates the typical waiting period, and can be pre-approved in as little as a few weeks. Contact your union rep at 406-534-0251