CA Bus & Prof Code § 7522 (2021)
2021 California Code|Business and Professions Code - BPC|DIVISION 3 - PROFESSIONS AND VOCATIONS GENERALLY|CHAPTER 11.3 - Private Investigators|ARTICLE 3 - Regulation, Licensing, and Registration|Section 7522.

7522.  This chapter does not apply to:(a) A person employed exclusively and regularly by any employer who does not provide contract security services for other entities or persons, in connection with the affairs of that employer only and where there exists an employer-employee relationship if that person at no time carries or uses any deadly weapon in the performance of that person’s duties. For purposes of this subdivision, “deadly weapon” is defined to include any instrument or weapon of the kind commonly known as a blackjack, slungshot, billy, sandclub, sandbag, metal knuckles, any dirk, dagger, pistol, revolver, or any other firearm, any knife having a blade longer than five inches, any razor with an unguarded blade and any metal pipe or bar used or intended to be used as a club.(b) An officer or employee of the United States, or of this state or a political subdivision thereof, while the officer or employee is engaged in the performance of that officer’s or employee’s official duties, including uniformed peace officers employed part time by a public agency pursuant to a written agreement between a chief of police or sheriff and the public agency, provided the part-time employment does not exceed 50 hours in any calendar month.(c) A person engaged exclusively in the business of obtaining and furnishing information as to the financial rating of persons.(d) A charitable philanthropic society or association duly incorporated under the laws of this state which is organized and maintained for the public good and not for private profit.(e) An attorney at law in performing the attorney’s duties as an attorney at law.(f) Admitted insurers and agents and insurance brokers licensed by the state, performing duties in connection with insurance transacted by them.(g) Any bank subject to the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Business Oversight under Division 1 (commencing with Section 99) of the Financial Code or the Comptroller of the Currency of the United States.(h) A person engaged solely in the business of securing information about persons or property from public records.(i) A peace officer of this state or a political subdivision thereof while the peace officer is employed by a private employer to engage in off-duty employment in accordance with Section 1126 of the Government Code. However, nothing herein shall exempt a peace officer who either contracts for the peace officer’s services or the services of others as a private investigator or contracts for the peace officer’s services as or is employed as an armed private investigator. For purposes of this subdivision, “armed private investigator” means an individual who carries or uses a firearm in the course and scope of that contract or employment.(j) A licensed insurance adjuster in performing the adjuster’s duties within the scope of the adjuster’s license as an insurance adjuster.(k) Any savings association subject to the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Business Oversight or the Comptroller of the Currency.(l) Any 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.(m) The act of serving process by an individual who is registered as a process server pursuant to Section 22350.(n) (1) A person or business engaged in conducting objective observations of consumer purchases of products or services in the public environments of a business establishment by the use of a preestablished questionnaire, provided that person or business entity does not engage in any other activity that requires licensure pursuant to this chapter. The questionnaire may include objective comments.(2) If a preestablished questionnaire is used as a basis, but not the sole basis, for disciplining or discharging an employee, or for conducting an interview with the employee that might result in the employee being terminated, the employer shall provide the employee with a copy of that questionnaire using the same procedures that an employer is required to follow under Section 2930 of the Labor Code for providing an employee with a copy of a shopping investigator’s report. This subdivision does not exempt from this chapter a person or business described in paragraph (1) if a preestablished questionnaire of that person or business is used as the sole basis for evaluating an employee’s work performance.(o) Any joint labor-management committee established pursuant to the federal Labor Management Cooperation Act of 1978 (Section 175a of Title 29 of the United States Code), or its employees, where either the committee or employee is performing a function authorized by the federal Labor Management Cooperation Act of 1978, which includes, but is not limited to, monitoring public works projects to ensure that employers are complying with federal and state public works laws.(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 143, Sec. 2. (SB 251) Effective January 1, 2020.)