How to Hire a Private Detective in Delaware

Delaware licensing at a glance

Delaware licenses private detectives and investigative agencies through the Professional Licensing Section of the Delaware State Police (Title 24, Chapter 13).

Step by step: hiring in Delaware

1. Define your question. What do you need to know, and what decision depends on it?
2. Verify licensing. Look the detective up on the Delaware State Police, Professional Licensing Section website rather than relying on a license number shown in an ad. Confirm the license is active and check the agency license as well as the individual's where both exist.
3. Agree on scope and cost in writing. Know what will be done, for how long, and what you'll receive.
4. Share what you know. Names, addresses, photos, vehicles and schedules save billable hours.
5. Insist on lawful methods. Delaware's statutes conflict: the wiretap law allows one-party consent, while an older privacy statute reads as all-party. Treat recording as a question for counsel. Detectives shouldn't hack accounts, pretext for records, trespass or track phones.

What affects the cost of an investigation in Delaware

Delaware spans 3 counties. Surveillance in a dense area like Wilmington may call for two detectives to keep a subject in view, while work in rural counties can involve more travel time. Records research that requires courthouse visits in several counties takes longer than searches available online.

Most surveillance is billed hourly plus expenses such as mileage; defined research tasks are often flat-fee. Our cost guide explains pricing in detail.

Questions to ask a Delaware detective

• Are you licensed for work in Delaware, and who will actually do the work?
• How often do you handle matters like mine in Delaware?
• How do you handle recording and tracking under Delaware law?
• Which county courts or records will you need, and how long will that take?
• What will the report include, and could you testify if needed?

More questions are in our list of 15 questions to ask before hiring.

Where we coordinate work in Delaware

Mooney & Boland coordinates investigations throughout Delaware, including Wilmington, Dover, Newark, Middletown and Smyrna. See private detective services in Delaware for coverage and services.

Local pages for Delaware communities:

Common questions

Sources

• Delaware State Police, Professional Licensing Section (official regulator)
• Justia: Recording Phone Calls and Conversations, 50-State Survey

Reviewed November 2026.