This page is about what a licensed investigator should be able to show you. It is not a full hiring guide. Use how to select the right private investigator, 10 questions before you hire, and red flags when hiring for vetting and process. Matching a problem to a service type belongs on match your case to the right investigator.
Credentials are the floor. They do not tell you whether the firm is right for a custody file or a fraud file. They tell you whether the person is allowed to take the work and whether you have a real company behind the phone number.
The licence comes first
In Ontario, private investigation is a licensed activity. Ask for the agency licence and the investigator licence numbers, then check them through the provincial registry before you pay a retainer. A website badge is not a check. A verbal “we are licensed” is not a check.
- Agency licence in the company name you will pay
- Individual licence for the person who will actually work the file, or a clear statement that licensed staff will
- Whether subcontractors will be used, and whether they are licensed too
If the person on the call cannot produce numbers, stop. That is not a style difference. That is the job.
Insurance, identity, and a real office trail
Ask for proof of liability insurance and a business that exists off Instagram. A named corporation, a way to invoice, and a physical address you can verify are part of credentials even when they are not on the licence card.
Compare the name on the licence, the name on the invoice, and the name on the website. Three different names with no explanation is a problem. See the red-flags article if the story keeps changing.
Experience is not a credential unless it is specific
“Twenty years in investigations” is marketing. Ask what kind of files, how findings were delivered, and whether the work was for counsel, HR, insurers, or private clients. A strong surveillance resume is not a digital-device resume. A corporate fraud resume is not a family-background resume.
You do not need a celebrity case list. You need one or two comparable file types and a sample report structure (redacted) or a clear description of what you will receive.
What is not a substitute for a licence
Former police service can be useful. It is not a private investigator licence by itself. A security-guard licence is a different class of work. A “certified” course from a vendor is not a government licence. A membership logo is optional. None of those replace the provincial number.
How credentials connect to the first week
A licensed firm should still refuse illegal shortcuts. If they offer hacked accounts, trespass, or a tracking device on a car you do not control, the licence on the wall is not helping you. Methods belong on how private investigators gather evidence.
Bring your objective to intake with what to tell a private investigator. Credentials get you in the door. Scope decides the fee and the time.
Frequently asked questions
Should I only hire an ex-police investigator?
No. Hire for the file type and for a current licence. Prior service is a plus when it matches the work, not a rule.
Do I need a specialist designation?
You need a licence plus relevant file experience. Extra certificates help only when they map to the task (for example, digital work versus outdoor surveillance).
What if they say the licence is “in process”?
Do not retain them for investigative work. “In process” means they are not allowed to do the job yet.
Want the numbers checked before you book?
Investigation Hotline has been a licensed firm since 1988. Call (416) 205-9114 or use the contact page. Ask for licence details on the call. If you are still comparing agencies, use the hiring guide, not this page, for the full checklist.
To learn more, contact Investigation Hotline at
