How to Hire a Private Detective in Indiana

Indiana licensing at a glance

Indiana licenses private detective firms rather than individual detectives, through the Private Investigator and Security Guard Licensing Board within the Professional Licensing Agency.

Step by step: hiring in Indiana

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 Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (Private Investigator and Security Guard Licensing Board) 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. Indiana generally allows a participant to record a phone or electronic communication (one-party consent). Detectives shouldn't hack accounts, pretext for records, trespass or track phones.

What affects the cost of an investigation in Indiana

Indiana spans 92 counties. Surveillance in a dense area like Indianapolis 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 Indiana detective

• Are you licensed for work in Indiana, and who will actually do the work?
• How often do you handle matters like mine in Indiana?
• How do you handle recording and tracking under Indiana 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 Indiana

Mooney & Boland coordinates investigations throughout Indiana, including Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend and Bloomington. See private detective services in Indiana for coverage and services.

Local pages for Indiana communities:

Common questions

Sources

• Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (Private Investigator and Security Guard Licensing Board) (official regulator)
• Justia: Recording Phone Calls and Conversations, 50-State Survey

Reviewed November 2026.