How to Hire a Private Detective in Arkansas

Arkansas licensing at a glance

Arkansas credentials private detectives and licenses investigation companies through the Arkansas State Police (A.C.A. Title 17, Chapter 40).

Step by step: hiring in Arkansas

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 Arkansas State Police, Regulatory Services (Private Investigators & Security) 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. Arkansas 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 Arkansas

Arkansas spans 75 counties. Surveillance in a dense area like Little Rock 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 Arkansas detective

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

Mooney & Boland coordinates investigations throughout Arkansas, including Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Springdale and Jonesboro. See private detective services in Arkansas for coverage and services.

Local pages for Arkansas communities:

Common questions

Sources

• Arkansas State Police, Regulatory Services (Private Investigators & Security) (official regulator)
• Justia: Recording Phone Calls and Conversations, 50-State Survey

Reviewed November 2026.