We are currently developing our approach to licensing Private Investigators. Our approach will be based on the requirements of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 and will take into account the findings of our consultation process.

According to the Act you will need an SIA licence if you are involved in any surveillance, inquiries or investigations that are carried out for the purposes of obtaining information about a particular person or about the activities or whereabouts of a particular person; or if you are involved in obtaining information about the circumstances in which, or means by which, property has been lost or damaged.

The following activities will not require a licence:

• activities exclusively for the purposes of market research;
• activities exclusively concerned with a credit check;
• professional activities of practising solicitors and Barristers;
• professional activities of practising accountants;
• professional activities of journalists and broadcasters;
• activities exclusively relating to reference to registers which are open to the public; registers or records to which a person has a right of access; and published works;
• activities carried out with the knowledge or consent of the subject of the investigation.

Schedule 2, paragraph 4 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (as amended) provides full details of non-licensable activity.

Anyone involved in providing contracted private investigation services will require a licence. This includes employees, employers, managers, supervisors and directors* or partners of private investigation companies.

*For the purposes of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, "director" means executive and non-executive directors, shadow directors, parent company directors and corporate entities holding a directorship.