How to Hire a Private Detective in Virginia

Virginia licensing at a glance

Virginia licenses private investigative businesses and registers detectives through the Department of Criminal Justice Services.

Step by step: hiring in Virginia

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 Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) 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. Virginia generally allows a participant to record a conversation (one-party consent). Detectives shouldn't hack accounts, pretext for records, trespass or track phones.

What affects the cost of an investigation in Virginia

Virginia spans 95 counties and 38 independent cities. Surveillance in a dense area like Virginia Beach 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 Virginia detective

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

Mooney & Boland coordinates investigations throughout Virginia, including Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Richmond and Arlington. See private detective services in Virginia for coverage and services.

Local pages for Virginia communities:

Common questions

Sources

• Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) (official regulator)
• Justia: Recording Phone Calls and Conversations, 50-State Survey

Reviewed November 2026.