2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 12 - Professions and Occupations
General - Continued
Article 58.5 - Private Investigators
§ 12-58.5-106. Private investigator licenses - qualifications - fees - renewal - rules

(1) A private investigator applying for a license pursuant to this section must satisfy the requirements of the particular license for which application is made. The director may issue the following types of licenses to applicants who, upon application in the form and manner determined by the director, payment of the required fee, and satisfaction of the requirements of subsection (2) of this section, provide evidence satisfactory to the director that the applicant satisfies the qualifications for the particular license as follows:

(a) Level I private investigator license. An applicant for a level I private investigator license must:

(I) Be at least twenty-one years of age;

(II) Be lawfully present in the United States; and

(III) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the laws and rules affecting the ethics and activities of private investigators in this state by passing a jurisprudence examination developed and approved by the director.

(b) Level II private investigator license. An applicant for a level II private investigator license must:

(I) Satisfy the requirements for a level I private investigator license; and

(II) Have an amount of verifiable, applicable experience as a private investigator or equivalent experience with a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency, military police, the federal bureau of investigation, or other equivalent experience. The director shall determine, by rule, the amount and type of experience, which may include postsecondary education, completion of approved certificate programs, or such other experience the director deems appropriate, an applicant must have to satisfy the requirements of this section.

(2) In addition to the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, each applicant for a level I or level II private investigator license must have his or her fingerprints taken by a local law enforcement agency for the purpose of obtaining a fingerprint-based criminal history record check. The applicant is required to submit payment by certified check or money order for the fingerprints and for the actual costs of the record check at the time the fingerprints are submitted to the Colorado bureau of investigation. Upon receipt of fingerprints and receipt of the payment for costs, the Colorado bureau of investigation shall conduct a state and national fingerprint-based criminal history record check utilizing records of the Colorado bureau of investigation and the federal bureau of investigation and shall forward the results of the criminal history record check to the director.

(3) An applicant for licensure under this section shall pay license, renewal, and reinstatement fees established by the director pursuant to section 24-34-105, C.R.S. A licensee must renew his or her license in accordance with a schedule established by the director pursuant to section 24-34-102 (8), C.R.S. If a licensee fails to renew his or her license pursuant to the schedule established by the director, the license expires, and the person shall not conduct private investigations in this state until the person pays the appropriate fees to reinstate the license and the director reinstates the license. A person whose license expires and who continues to do business as a private investigator is subject to the penalties provided in this article and section 24-34-102 (8), C.R.S.