How to Become a Private Investigator in New Mexico

In New Mexico, private detectives are hired to do various types of investigations.

They might look into possible cheating for a company, figure out who’s making threats to someone, or track down and get back stolen stuff.

Sometimes, they collect proof that can be used in court or by the police.

If you want to be a private detective in New Mexico, you have to get a license from the New Mexico Private Investigations Board first.

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Being licensed is crucial because it makes sure that investigators in the state are really good at what they do.

Private Investigator Requirements and Responsibilities

In New Mexico, private investigators are licensed by the Private Investigations Advisory Board.

The Board is part of the Securities Division of the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department.

That means these investigators must have a license to work.

To get licensed, you’ll need to pass a test and meet some basic requirements.

Here are the requirements:

• Be at least 21 years old
• Be a US citizen
• Have a clean criminal record
• Possess a high school diploma
• Pass the jurisprudence exam
• Have $10,000 as surety bond
• Have insurance of at least $1,000,000
  • Only if you want to provide personal protection or bodyguard services
• Accumulate 6,000 hours of experience in the past 5 years

Different from most other states, New Mexico allows alien residents to work as private investigators as well.

Almost any investigative type of job is accepted for the last point.

The basic duties of a PI include:

• Watching people by yourself
• Recording events from far away with high-quality equipment
• Taking good pictures from a distance
• Being healthy
• Understanding what your clients need

Private Investigator Training in New Mexico

To get your license, you’ll have to pass a test from the New Mexico Regulations and Licensing Department.

The test has twenty-five questions about the law and how it applies to private investigation.

Undergoing training or getting a degree related to the field you’ll work in, is not mandatory in New Mexico.

Despite all this, many individuals choose to obtain either an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree.

Below are some schools you can consider.

NITA

The National Investigative Training Academy (NITA) provides online courses specially made for people who want to become private investigators.

These courses help students get better at investigating and getting ready for the license test.

The prices for each course vary from $99 to $350.

Some classes are made for people who want to learn more about being a private investigator.

PI Education

PI Education also offers a 70-hour course as a preparation for getting licensed.

The whole course is online, so having a good computer and internet connection is crucial.

The 70 hours count as credit hours.

To join, you need to pay a tuition fee of $399.

Becoming Licensed as a Private Investigator in New Mexico

Here’s what you need to know about the fees and paperwork for becoming a private investigator in New Mexico.

You have to pay the New Mexico Private Investigations Board $400, and an extra $44 for fingerprinting.

Once you pass the test, you’ll fill out an application and give it to the Board.

You also need to show proof of your work experience, two small photos, proof of your age, and a copy of your insurance bond.

Your fingerprints will be sent to the Department of Safety.

Your private investigator license ends on your birthday month.

To keep it going, you need to pay a $300 fee to renew it.

Salaries for Private Investigators in New Mexico

As a general rule, in this state, PIs earn around $47,002 annually.

See how this compares to the national average of around $50,902 per year.

If you want to know more about your salary, you should check out the following table.

It will give you a better idea of salaries in different regions of this state.

Regional Salary in New Mexico

Private Investigator by State