Kentucky Statutes and Administrative Regulations Governing Private Investigation
What the exam tests
This domain tests whether you can separate statutory licensing requirements from regulatory detail and apply both to real conduct. Kentucky regulates private investigation for hire under KRS Chapter 329; the Kentucky Board of Private Investigators administers licensing, and administrative regulations supply application, examination, renewal, and practice details. The core rule is simple: compensated investigative activity generally requires the right license, and the Board expects licensees to know the regulations that implement the statute.
Core framework
- KRS Chapter 329 defines regulated investigative activity, creates the licensing board, and authorizes discipline for unlicensed or improper practice.
- Regulations fill in procedure: forms, fees, experience documentation, examination, renewal, and reporting.
- A company license and an individual license are separate compliance points; one does not cure the other.
- Exemptions are narrow and fact-specific. Do not infer an exemption from a job title such as “consultant” or “researcher.”
Worked example
A person advertises “custody-case background checks” and charges a flat fee. The work involves compiling records and locating witnesses. The label does not control; the compensated investigative service does. Unless a statute-specific exemption applies, the person needs an investigator license, and any business entity needs the required company license. The reasoning: first classify the activity, then check licensure, then confirm exemption.
Traps
Assuming only surveillance is regulated; treating an out-of-state license as automatic Kentucky authority; ignoring regulatory renewal and reporting duties; and advising a client without checking whether the company, not just the individual, is licensed.