To become a licensed private investigator in Colorado, you must be at least 21, pass the state’s online Jurisprudence Exam, submit to a background check, and post a $10,000 surety bond. A Level 1 license has no experience requirement. A Level 2 license requires 4,000 hours of investigative or law enforcement experience. All licenses are issued through DORA’s Office of Private Investigator Licensure.
Colorado’s private investigators spend their days solving puzzles — and their toolkit has grown well beyond the traditional stakeout. Today’s Colorado PI might spend a morning poring over police reports, an afternoon conducting interviews, and an evening running down leads on social media, where suspects often document their own contradictions. More than one workers’ comp claimant has been busted posting water skiing photos on Instagram while claiming a debilitating back injury.
 | Gain the Necessary Education and Experience |
 | Pass the Colorado Jurisprudence Exam and Apply for a PI License |
 | Begin Working as a Private Investigator in Colorado |
 | Keep Your PI License Current |
Since 2015, Colorado has required private investigators to be licensed through the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) Office of Private Investigator Licensure. The licensing framework runs on two tiers: Level 1 for those entering the field and Level 2 for those with significant investigative experience. It’s one of the more clearly structured systems in the country. Former law enforcement officers and military investigators typically qualify for Level 2 eligibility with little difficulty. Career changers and new entrants start at Level 1 and work toward it.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for private investigators is projected to grow faster than average nationally — about 6% from 2023 to 2033. State-level projections and annual job openings vary and are not always published separately for Colorado, but the national trend points toward steady demand for qualified investigators.
Step 1. Gain the Necessary Education and Experience
A degree isn’t required to get a Colorado PI license at either level, but it’s worth considering. Criminal justice, law, and related fields give you a framework for understanding how investigations operate within the legal system, and in some cases, education can substitute for a portion of the experience required for a Level 2 license.
Colorado licenses private investigators at two successive levels, each with different requirements:
Level 1 Private Investigator License
- At least 21 years old
- U.S. citizen or legal resident
- Pass the Colorado Private Investigator Jurisprudence Exam
- Pass a fingerprint-based background check (Colorado Bureau of Investigation and FBI)
- Post a $10,000 surety bond
- Pay a $330 application fee
Level 2 Private Investigator License
- Meet all Level 1 requirements above
- Have a minimum of 4,000 hours of investigative experience as a licensed PI or with a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency
- The director of the Office of Private Investigator Licensure may also require some college education per Colorado Revised Statutes 12-58.5-106
If you have a post-secondary degree, Colorado allows you to substitute education hours for a portion of the Level 2 experience requirement. A two-year associate degree reduces the required hours by 1,000, a bachelor’s degree reduces them by 2,000, and a master’s degree or JD reduces them by 3,000. That means an applicant with a bachelor’s in criminal justice needs only 2,000 verified experience hours to qualify for a Level 2 license rather than the full 4,000.
Many Level 2 applicants are former police detectives, military police officers, or federal law enforcement agents who have accumulated well over 4,000 qualifying hours during their careers. For them, the experience requirement is rarely the obstacle. It’s simply a matter of documenting what they’ve already done.
Fingerprint-based background check instructions are available through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Records Check portal. CBI submits its findings directly to DORA’s Office of Private Investigator Licensure.
Step 2. Pass the Colorado Jurisprudence Exam and Apply for a PI License
Both Level 1 and Level 2 applicants must take and pass the Colorado Private Investigator Jurisprudence Examination before applying for licensure. The exam is administered online, and preparation materials are available through DORA’s website before the application deadline.
If you don’t pass on the first attempt, you’ll need to wait before retesting per DORA guidelines. Once you pass, you’ll receive a Passing Results Report that must be signed and submitted with your license application.
All applications go through the DORA Online Licensing Portal. When you apply, you’ll need to include:
- Signed Passing Results Report for the Jurisprudence Exam
- Surety affidavit confirming your $10,000 bond is in place
- $330 license application fee
Step 3. Begin Working as a Private Investigator in Colorado
A licensed Colorado PI can join an established firm or go independent. Both are viable paths, and the choice usually comes down to where you are in your career. Working for an agency first gives you a steady caseload, mentorship, and time to build your reputation before hanging your own shingle. Going independent from day one is more common among former law enforcement officers who already have a network and a specialty they can market immediately.
If you do go independent, two specialties are commonly cited as in demand in Colorado’s market. Legal investigators assist attorneys preparing civil and criminal cases, finding facts, locating witnesses, and documenting evidence for use in court. Some background in law is a real advantage here. Digital forensics specialists work the other side: extracting evidence from computers, phones, and storage media. Digital evidence now appears in both civil and criminal proceedings with enough regularity that experienced specialists rarely struggle to find work.
Private Investigator Salaries in Colorado
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2024, private investigators in Colorado earned a median annual salary in the high-$50,000 range. Those in the top quarter of earners brought in roughly $68,000 or more, and the top 10% reached into the upper $80,000s. Colorado’s median is meaningfully above the national median of $52,370 for the same period.
Metro area breakdowns tell a more specific story. BLS figures for May 2024 show the following salary ranges for Colorado’s two major markets (figures are BLS estimates and may vary slightly by dataset version):
| Metro Area | Median Annual Salary | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile | Est. Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $62,780 | $68,640 | $89,160 | 330 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $54,650 | $62,070 | $78,810 | 90 |
Denver, predictably, offers the highest salaries in the state. PIs who establish independent firms, set their own rates, and take cases on retainer have the potential to exceed these figures significantly, particularly if they develop a recognized specialty.
Step 4. Keep Your PI License Current
Colorado PI licenses renew annually on May 31st. If your license was issued within 120 days of that date, you won’t be required to renew until the following May 31st. DORA handles renewals through the same Online Licensing Portal used for initial applications.
Private Investigator Professional Organizations in Colorado
The Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (PPIAC) holds regular meetings and an annual conference. It’s a strong networking resource and offers workshops, seminars, and a way to stay current with changes in state law and investigative practice.
The Colorado Society of Private Investigators is a Denver-based organization focused on ethics, education, and professional standards in the field. Their meetings in Denver typically feature an educational speaker. Contact details are subject to change. Check directly for current meeting information.
Private Investigator Salary Information for Colorado
As covered above, BLS data for May 2024 places Colorado’s median PI salary in the high-$50,000 range, above the national median. What that figure doesn’t fully capture is how much license level and specialization move the needle. Investigators who advance to Level 2 status, which requires demonstrating 4,000 hours of qualifying experience, consistently trend toward the upper end of the pay range. For applicants with college degrees, the education substitution path makes that credential more accessible: a bachelor’s reduces the required hours to 2,000, and a master’s or a JD reduces them to 1,000.
Private Investigator Salaries in Denver and Colorado Springs
Working in Denver gives you access to the highest salaries in the state. The Denver-Aurora-Centennial metro area reported a median annual salary of approximately $62,780 for private investigators as of May 2024 (BLS estimate), with the 90th percentile reaching roughly $89,000. The Colorado Springs market is smaller but still pays above the national median, with a midpoint around $54,650 and top earners approaching $79,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to work as a private investigator in Colorado?
Yes. Colorado has required PI licensure since 2015. Anyone practicing as a private investigator in the state without a valid license issued by DORA’s Office of Private Investigator Licensure is generally operating in violation of state law. In most cases, individuals performing investigative work must be licensed even when working under a licensed PI. Limited exceptions may apply under specific roles or definitions in state law — check directly with DORA if your situation involves a non-standard arrangement.
What’s the difference between a Level 1 and Level 2 PI license in Colorado?
A Level 1 license has no experience requirement beyond the age minimum, background check, and Jurisprudence Exam. It lets you work as a licensed PI in Colorado. A Level 2 license requires all of the above, plus 4,000 hours of qualifying investigative or law enforcement experience. Level 2 functions as the senior credential. It signals extensive field experience and often opens doors to higher-paying cases and supervisory roles at larger firms.
How long does it take to get a Colorado PI license?
Processing times vary depending on the completion of background checks and application volume at DORA. Applicants often report a wait of several weeks from submission to approval, assuming the application is complete and no issues arise in the background check. If your license is issued within 120 days of May 31st, your first renewal won’t be due until the following year.
Can I substitute my college education for experience hours on a Level 2 application?
Yes. Colorado allows applicants to substitute post-secondary education for up to 3,000 of the 4,000 required experience hours. An associate degree substitutes for 1,000 hours, a bachelor’s degree for 2,000 hours, and a master’s degree or JD for 3,000 hours. An applicant with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice would need only 2,000 verified hours of investigative experience to qualify for Level 2 licensure, rather than the full 4,000.
Key Takeaways
- Two license tiers: Colorado offers a Level 1 license with no experience requirement and a Level 2 license requiring 4,000 hours of investigative or law enforcement experience.
- Jurisprudence Exam required for both: All applicants must pass Colorado’s online PI Jurisprudence Exam before applying. A failed attempt requires a waiting period before retesting per DORA guidelines.
- $10,000 surety bond and $330 fee: Both license levels require a surety bond and a $330 application fee at the time of submission.
- Education substitutes for experience: Applicants with a degree can reduce the Level 2 experience requirement. An associate degree covers 1,000 hours, a bachelor’s covers 2,000, and a master’s or JD covers 3,000.
- Colorado salaries run above the national median: BLS May 2024 data show Colorado PI salaries at the median in the high-$50,000 range, with top earners in the Denver metro reaching into the upper $80,000s.
- The national growth trend is positive: The BLS projects about 6% employment growth for private investigators from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.
Ready to take the first step toward a PI career in Colorado? Find criminal justice programs and investigation-related degrees offered in your area.
May 2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market figures for Private Detectives and Investigators reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed May 2026.