Private Investigator Pre-Assignment Training
Start Your Investigative Career With a Strong Foundation
Learn the fundamentals. Develop practical skills. Build your investigative foundation.
Private Investigator Pre-Assignment Training & Certification Program
The Private Investigator Pre-Assignment Training & Certification Program is a 4-hour, instructor-led training program conducted live via Zoom, designed to provide the required pre-assignment training for individuals entering the private investigations field in Washington State.
The program includes instruction, a practical investigative exercise, review, and a final examination. We recommend setting aside approximately 5.5–6 hours to complete the full program, including the testing component at the end.
Your First Step Into the Profession
In Washington State, completing pre-assignment training is one of the first steps toward becoming a licensed private investigator.
This 4-hour Pre-Assignment Training Program provides the required foundational training for individuals entering the private investigations field. After completing the training, the next step is to either work for a licensed private investigative agency that can sponsor you or establish and operate your own licensed private investigative agency, subject to Washington State licensing requirements.
Completing this course does not, by itself, make you a licensed private investigator. Rather, it provides the required training and foundation to move forward with the the process.
Washington State Department of Licensing
Steps to getting certified as a Private Investigator
What the Washington State Department of Licensing says: Learn how to get your license to work as an unarmed private investigator. Who needs a license? You must be licensed to work for a private investigation agency that: Provides investigation, escort, or bodyguard services or Performs property loss prevention activities
1. Meet the requirements
To be licensed as an unarmed private investigator, you must:
Be at least 18 years old
Be employed by, or have an employment offer from a licensed private investigator company
Have no convictions that directly relate to your capacity to perform the duties of a private investigator and/or hinder public safety
Complete the pre-assignment training requirements (this is what Pacific Risk Services can help you with!)
2. Submit your application
You must pay the license fee when you apply. Choose the method that works best for you.
Apply for your license online
You'll receive your license faster by applying and paying online.
Don't have a SAW account? Learn how to create a SAW account.
3. Submit fingerprint background
All private investigators must have fingerprint-based background checks. You must apply for a license and receive an application number before submitting fingerprints. You can check the status of your application.
Inside Washington: Schedule an appointment through IdentoGO, our electronic fingerprinting vendor. You'll pay a fee for the fingerprinting service and background checks required for your license type.
Outside Washington: Please contact your local law enforcement agency to complete the fingerprint submission process.
For more details, read about fingerprinting and background checks.
What You'll Learn in our Training Program
Module 1 | Introduction
Start with the fundamentals. Learn what private investigators do, explore the different types of investigations, and understand the professional expectations that come with working in the field.
Module 4 | Surveillance Basics
See what others might miss. Learn the fundamentals of planning and conducting surveillance, including equipment, vehicle positioning, observation notes, photography, video documentation, and avoiding detection.
Module 7 | Practical Exercise
Put your skills to work. Apply what you've learned to a practical investigative scenario designed to help you think through an investigation from an investigator's perspective.
Module 2 | Laws & Ethics
Know your boundaries. Explore the laws, privacy considerations, ethical responsibilities, and professional boundaries that guide investigative work, including confidentiality, recording, photography, trespassing, and chain of custody.
Module 5 | Report Writing
If you didn't document it, it didn't happen. Learn how to turn investigative observations into clear, factual, chronological, and professional reports supported by appropriate documentation and evidence.
Module 8 | Wrap-Up
Bring it all together. Review key concepts, revisit important investigative principles, ask questions, and prepare for the final examination.
Module 3 | Interviewing Skills
Learn how to get people talking, and how to listen. Develop practical interviewing skills including rapport building, effective questioning, active listening, recognizing inconsistencies, and accurately documenting information.
Module 6 | Evidence Collection
Protect the information that matters. Explore the fundamentals of identifying, collecting, documenting, and preserving physical and digital evidence, including photographs, video, documents, social media, and chain of custody.
Module 9 | Final Examination
Demonstrate what you've learned. Complete a comprehensive 50-question, one-hour examination covering the material presented throughout the training program and in accordance with DOL requirments.
Who Is This Program For?
Individuals pursuing a career as a private investigator
Individuals new to the investigative field
Security professionals interested in transitioning into investigations
Former or current law enforcement, military, or security personnel
Individuals interested in surveillance or SIU investigations
Individuals looking to develop professional investigative skills