How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Private Investigator?

How Private Investigators Charge For Services
- Criminal investigations
- Undercover work
- Surveillance operations
- Matrimonial cases e.g. cheating spouse investigations
- Evidence gathering for litigation / criminal defense
- Records research
- Some missing person cases
- Accident reports (taking photographs, statements, etc.)
- Basic background checks (database, internet and phone calls only)
- Process serving (serving of a legal court document)
- Locating missing persons (database, internet and phone calls only)
- Vehicle tracking (charged per day or per week)
- Alive and well checks
- Hidden camera installation (equipment installation and hire fee only)
- Witness statements (per statement)
- Status or pre-sue reports
- Fuel charge per mile / km
- Gaining access to special events / entry fees
- Hotels / accommodation
- Flights / travel expenses
- Additional investigators
- Special services such as forensics / TSCM (debugging)
- Seeking advice from a lawyer on investigative legal points
How Much It Costs To Hire A Private Investigator by State | ||||
We checked with 414 private investigation companies across the country (State by State) as to what their hourly rates are and calculated the average hourly fee you can expect to pay by State. Bear in mind some companies may charge more and some less than these averages. Click on your home State link for more relevant information. | ||||
$77.00 an hour | $89.00 an hour | $75.00 an hour | $80.00 an hour | $85.00 an hour |
$69.00 an hour | $77.00 an hour | $90.00 an hour | $73.00 an hour | $78.00 an hour |
$84.00 an hour | $85.00 an hour | $85.00 an hour | $88.00 an hour | $88.00 an hour |
$74.00 an hour | $80.00 an hour | $76.00 an hour | $82.00 an hour | $69.00 an hour |
$78.00 an hour | $108.00 an hour | $92.00 an hour | $80.00 an hour | #82.00 an hour |
$78.00 an hour | $73.00 an hour | $78.00 an hour | $69.00 an hour | $92.00 an hour |
$75.00 an hour | $74.00 an hour | $75.00 an hour | $68.00 an hour | $93.00 an hour |
$81.00 an hour | $87.00 an hour | $81.00 an hour | $72.00 an hour | $83.00 an hour |
$73.00 an hour | $74.00 an hour | $91.00 an hour | $81.00 an hour | $70.00 an hour |
$69.00 an hour | $103.00 an hour | $83.00 an hour | $76.00 an hour | $86.00 an hour |
Private Investigator Price Changing Factors
Quality, Skills and Experience Affect Private Investigator Hiring Rates
The Type of Service Required Can Add To Investigator Hiring Costs
Location Also Varies the Price of Hiring a Private Investigator
Another factor when considering how much it is to hire a private investigator is the location. Prices vary from country to country, state to state, city to city; so be prepared to see varying prices. You may pay $100+ per hour for a New York City investigator but only $60.00 an hour for a New York State investigator operating from outside the city. Also, if the private investigator you have hired works in one state but needs to hire the services of another agent in another state or country - to continue your case - you may end up paying a higher or lower hourly rate.
How To Find Out The Prices Of A Local Private Investigator
Just as you would shop around for a plumber to get a quote, you can also shop around for private investigators near you to get quotes. But remember, cheaper is not always better, and expensive is not always the best. Do some searching online for private investigator costs for your area. Here's how:
- Do an internet search for private investigators in your local area, type the search query with your home town or city, e.g. "private investigators new york city". Check all of the PI websites in the search results to see if they advertise their prices on their website.
- Or, simply search for private investigator's costs or prices in your area, e.g. "private investigator costs new york city" or "private investigator prices new york city". Again, check the websites for advertised prices.