Ace the California PI Exam 2025 – Unleash Your Detective Skills!

In a private investigator agency, the licensee is the individual or entity that holds the official private investigator license issued by the state. This individual is responsible for ensuring that the agency complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing private investigation practices. The owner of the PI license possesses the legal authority to operate the business and is ultimately accountable for the agency's activities and the conduct of its employees.

The qualified manager supports the licensee by overseeing the daily operations and ensuring that investigative work is conducted according to state regulations; however, they do not hold the license themselves. Employees and contractors work under the auspices of the licensed agency, but they do not have the legal standing that the licensee, the owner of the PI license, has.

Therefore, the distinction of who is considered the licensee is critical, as it identifies the person who has fulfilled the requirements of state law to operate as a private investigator and is responsible for the agency's compliance and oversight.