Surety Bond Encyclopedia

Private Detective License ($10,000) Bond - Statewide in Utah

Brief Summary

Utah moved private investigator licensing to the Division of Professional Licensing on September 1, 2026, and the forms changed with it. This $10,000 bond is the one DOPL lists for registrants, agents and agencies, so you can attach proof of it to the new application instead of filing against a statute that no longer exists.

Since September 1, 2026, Utah private investigators are licensed by the Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) under Title 58, Chapter 92, the Private Investigation Licensing Act. DOPL requires a $10,000 surety bond from each private investigator registrant, private investigator agent and private investigation agency. Agencies must also carry $500,000 in general liability insurance. Apprentices do not file their own bond. Their application includes verification of the supervising agent's bond.

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How to Apply for a Private Detective License ($10,000) Bond:

Decide which DOPL license you need: apprentice, registrant, agent or agency.
Registrants and agents: obtain the $10,000 bond and include verification of it with the DOPL application.
Apprentices: get verification of your supervising agent's surety bond for the application.
Agencies: provide the $10,000 bond plus a $500,000 general liability certificate with DOPL as certificate holder.
Pay the $157 application fee, or $215 for an agency, and submit through DOPL.

Detailed Information About the Utah Private Detective License ($10,000) Bond:

The rules changed on September 1, 2026

Utah S.B. 149 of the 2026 General Session repealed the old Private Investigator Regulation Act, Utah Code 53-9-101 through 53-9-122, and replaced it with Title 58, Chapter 92. The Bureau of Criminal Identification no longer licenses investigators. DOPL does. Older bond forms and instructions that cite Utah Code 53-9-110 or name BCI belong to the old program. Make sure a new or renewal bond is set up for DOPL.

Who posts the $10,000 bond

Under the new act, applicants for a private investigator agent license (58-92-303) and a private investigator registrant license (58-92-304) must file and maintain with the division evidence of a surety bond in an amount the division sets by rule. DOPL's application page lists $10,000 for each of these:

PI Registrant: $10,000 bond, 2,000 hours of approved investigative experience with at least 1,000 hours in the last ten years
PI Agent: $10,000 bond, 5,000 hours of approved experience and a division-approved exam
PI Agency: $10,000 bond plus a $500,000 general liability certificate naming DOPL as certificate holder, and workers' compensation and unemployment insurance documentation if the agency has employees

The apprentice license is the one that trips people up. Under the old law, apprentices posted their own $10,000 bond. DOPL's apprentice application instead asks for verification of the supervising agent's surety bond, and an apprentice may work only as the employee of a private investigator agent or under contract supervision of a licensed agent with an agency.

Agencies need both instruments

An agency license can only be issued to someone who holds an active Utah private investigator agent license, and it cannot be transferred to another agent. The agency application asks for the $10,000 bond and the $500,000 liability certificate together. Insurance does not stand in for the bond.

Fees and filing

DOPL charges a $157 nonrefundable application fee for apprentice, registrant and agent licenses and $215 for an agency license. Applications can be filed online through DOPL's licensing portal. Keep the bond in force for as long as you hold the license, and confirm the bond wording DOPL expects before the bond is issued.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Utah Private Detective License ($10,000) Bond:

A $10,000 surety bond for each registrant, agent and agency license.
Bond evidence filed with and kept current at the Utah Division of Professional Licensing.
2,000 hours of approved investigative experience for a registrant, or 5,000 hours and a passed exam for an agent.
An active Utah private investigator agent license before applying for an agency license.
Workers' compensation and unemployment insurance documentation for agencies with employees.

Utah Private Detective License ($10,000) Bond FAQs:

My bond names BCI and Utah Code 53-9-110. Is that still right?

That section was repealed by S.B. 149 of 2026. Since September 1, 2026, private investigators are licensed by DOPL under Title 58, Chapter 92. Ask DOPL what bond wording it accepts and have the bond issued or rewritten to match before you file.

Does an apprentice need a separate bond?

Not under DOPL's current apprentice application. It asks for verification of the supervising agent's surety bond. The apprentice works only under a licensed private investigator agent.

Can an agency use its liability insurance in place of the bond?

No. DOPL's agency application asks for both a $10,000 surety bond and $500,000 in general liability insurance with DOPL named as certificate holder.

What is the difference between a registrant and an agent?

A registrant needs 2,000 hours of approved experience and works only as an employee or contractor under a licensed agent with an agency. An agent needs 5,000 hours and a division-approved exam, and can run an agency or supervise others. Both post the $10,000 bond.

How is the bond premium set?

The surety prices the bond on the applicant's personal credit and history. The bond amount is the same $10,000 at every license level that requires one.