2023 Florida Statutes › Title XXXII - Regulation of Professions and Occupations › Chapter 493 - Private Investigative, Private Security, and Repossession Services › Part II - Private Investigative Services (Ss. 493.6201-493.6203) › 493.6203 - License requirements.

493.6203 License requirements.—In addition to the license requirements set forth elsewhere in this chapter, each individual or agency shall comply with the following additional requirements:
(1) Each agency or branch office shall designate a minimum of one appropriately licensed individual to act as manager, directing the activities of the Class “C” or Class “CC” employees.
(2) An applicant for a Class “MA” license must have 2 years of lawfully gained, verifiable, full-time experience, or training in:
(a) Private investigative work or related fields of work that provided equivalent experience or training;
(b) Work as a Class “CC” licensed intern;
(c) Any combination of paragraphs (a) and (b);
(d) Experience described in paragraph (a) for 1 year and experience described in paragraph (e) for 1 year;
(e) No more than 1 year using:
1. College coursework related to criminal justice, criminology, or law enforcement administration; or
2. Successfully completed law enforcement-related training received from any federal, state, county, or municipal agency; or
(f) Experience described in paragraph (a) for 1 year and work in a managerial or supervisory capacity for 1 year.
However, experience in performing bodyguard services is not creditable toward the requirements of this subsection.
(3) An applicant for a Class “M” license shall qualify for licensure as a Class “MA” manager as outlined under subsection (2) and as a Class “MB” manager as outlined under s. 493.6303(2).
(4) An applicant for a Class “C” license shall have 2 years of lawfully gained, verifiable, full-time experience, or training in one, or a combination of more than one, of the following:
(a) Private investigative work or related fields of work that provided equivalent experience or training.
(b) College coursework related to criminal justice, criminology, or law enforcement administration, or successful completion of any law enforcement-related training received from any federal, state, county, or municipal agency, except that no more than 1 year may be used from this category.
(c) Work as a Class “CC” licensed intern.
However, experience in performing bodyguard services is not creditable toward the requirements of this subsection.
(5) An applicant for a Class “MA,” Class “M,” or Class “C” license must pass an examination that covers the provisions of this chapter and is administered by the department or by a provider approved by the department. The applicant must pass the examination before applying for licensure and must submit proof with the license application on a form approved by rule of the department that he or she has passed the examination. The administrator of the examination shall verify the identity of each applicant taking the examination.
(a) The examination requirement in this subsection does not apply to an individual who holds a valid Class “CC,” Class “C,” Class “MA,” or Class “M” license.
(b) Notwithstanding the exemption provided in paragraph (a), if the license of an applicant for relicensure has been invalid for more than 1 year, the applicant must take and pass the examination.
(c) The department shall establish by rule the content of the examination, the manner and procedure of its administration, and an examination fee that may not exceed $100.
(6)(a) A Class “CC” licensee must serve an internship under the direction and control of a designated sponsor, who is a Class “C,” Class “MA,” or Class “M” licensee.
(b) Before submission of an application to the department, the applicant for a Class “CC” license must have completed a minimum of 40 hours of professional training pertaining to general investigative techniques and this chapter, which course is offered by a state university or by a school, community college, college, or university under the purview of the Department of Education, and the applicant must pass an examination. The certificate evidencing satisfactory completion of the 40 hours of professional training must be submitted with the application for a Class “CC” license. The training specified in this paragraph may be provided by face-to-face presentation, online technology, or a home study course in accordance with rules and procedures of the Department of Education. The administrator of the examination must verify the identity of each applicant taking the examination.
1. Upon an applicant’s successful completion of each part of the approved training and passage of any required examination, the school, community college, college, or university shall issue a certificate of completion to the applicant. The certificates must be on a form established by rule of the department.
2. The department shall establish by rule the general content of the professional training and the examination criteria.
3. If the license of an applicant for relicensure is invalid for more than 1 year, the applicant must complete the required training and pass any required examination.
(c) An individual licensed on or before August 31, 2008, is not required to complete additional training hours in order to renew an active license beyond the total required hours, and the timeframe for completion in effect at the time he or she was licensed applies.
(7) In addition to any other requirement, an applicant for a Class “G” license shall satisfy the firearms training set forth in s. 493.6115.
History.—ss. 3, 11, ch. 90-364; s. 9, ch. 91-248; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 1, ch. 2007-232; s. 12, ch. 2011-205; s. 19, ch. 2017-85.