Every investigator in this directory holds a New York State private investigator license. We check it. We vet their record. Then we stand behind the badge.
A free, statewide directory of licensed private investigators in New York, ranked by proof instead of payment.
A license is the floor, not the ceiling. Our tiers show how far a member has gone past it. Every claim on a badge is one we checked ourselves.
The entry mark. It proves the basics are real.
The working standard. Proven skill and a clean record over time.
The highest honor. Few earn it, and that is the point.
Tiers tell you who an investigator is. Badges tell you what they have done. Members earn them across three tracks.
Longevity is proof. Members earn the Established badge at 5 years, Veteran at 10 and Legacy at 20. The years must be licensed years. We check the record, not the story.
The Top Rated badge goes to members with strong, real client reviews across public platforms. We read them, confirm them and re-check every year. Paid reviews end a membership.
Specialty certifications in surveillance, background checks, skip tracing, digital forensics, insurance fraud and litigation support. Each one requires documented casework.
Certified in Surveillance, Background & Due Diligence and Litigation Support
Every New York PI we found in public records, searchable by city. Each one ranks below our vetted members until they earn the badge.
Membership is open. Pass the vetting and your firm ranks above every unverified listing in your region.
New York is more than the five boroughs. The directory covers all six regions of the state. Pick yours and see every investigator we found there, vetted members first.
Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. The deepest bench of investigators in the state, and the most pretenders. Vetting matters most here.
Browse NYCNassau and Suffolk, from Hempstead and Mineola out to Huntington, Patchogue and Riverhead. Strong on matrimonial work, backgrounds and insurance cases.
Browse Long IslandYonkers, White Plains, Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, Middletown and Kingston. Close enough to the city for the caseload, far enough for local knowledge to count.
Browse Hudson ValleyAlbany, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga Springs and north to Glens Falls and Plattsburgh. Government town work like records checks, due diligence and litigation support.
Browse Capital RegionSyracuse, Utica, Binghamton, Ithaca, Watertown and the Southern Tier down through Elmira and Corning. Wide territory and a tight community. Reputation travels fast.
Browse Central NYBuffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls and south through Batavia, Geneva, Jamestown and Olean. Border-county cases and cross-state work are routine out here.
Browse Western NYAn investigator submits their NYS license number, insurance and business details.
We confirm the license with the NYS Department of State and verify the insurance is active.
We review discipline history, references and public reviews. Higher tiers get a deeper look.
The member gets a public profile, a tier badge and yearly re-checks to keep it.
A licensed investigator gathers evidence you can use in court, in a settlement, or just to know the truth. These are the six kinds of work our members certify in, and what each one is for.
Documented observation for divorce, custody and injury claim cases. Done legally. That means public spaces, time stamped video and a report that holds up in court.
Who are you really hiring, marrying, funding or renting to? Court records, corporate filings, licenses and the history a search engine never surfaces.
Finding people who owe money, inherited money, skipped a court date or just disappeared. Debtors, witnesses, heirs and long-lost family.
Claim checks for insurance carriers and self insured employers. Staged accidents, faked injuries and disability claims that do not match the video.
Phones, computers and cloud accounts, preserved and examined so the evidence is admissible. Recovering what was deleted and proving where it came from.
Witness locates and interviews, service of process, asset searches and trial prep. This is the field work behind a case an attorney can win.
Anyone can buy a slick website. Not everyone can pass a license check. Before you hire an investigator in New York, run through this list. Or skip it and pick from a directory that already did.
Verified, Certified and Fellow. Each one checked, none for sale.
From surveillance to digital forensics, backed by casework.
Members from New York City to Buffalo and everywhere between.
Every license and badge is re-verified every single year.
Yes. Every member must hold a current New York State private investigator license from the NYS Department of State. We check the license before a profile goes live, and we re-check it every year.
Badges show what we verified. Verified means the license and insurance check out. Certified adds five or more years in business, a reference check and an ethics exam. Fellow is our highest honor, reserved for veteran investigators with a proven record. Members also earn badges for time in business, client reputation and specialty skills.
No. The directory is free for the public. You can search by region and by specialty, then contact any investigator directly.
Apply on our Join page with your license number and business details. We verify your license, insurance and record. Most applications are reviewed within two weeks.
Most New York firms bill by the hour, and rates vary widely by region and case type. Surveillance in Manhattan costs more than a records search in Utica. Expect a retainer up front on most cases. Whatever the number, get the hourly rate, the retainer and how expenses are billed in writing before any work starts. A licensed professional will put it in writing without being asked.
Yes. Hiring a licensed investigator is legal, and what they gather can be used in court. The limits fall on how the evidence is collected. A real PI will not wiretap, trespass, hack accounts or impersonate law enforcement. Evidence gathered that way is worthless in court and costs them the license. That is exactly why the license check matters.
New York sets a high bar. An applicant needs years of real investigative experience, usually as an investigator or detective. They must pass the state's written exam, post a surety bond and get licensed through the NYS Department of State. The license also has to be renewed. Holding one for many years means the state has checked that investigator again and again.
Yes. The NYS Department of State offers a public license search where you can look up any investigator by name or license number. Or skip the homework. Every vetted member in our directory has already had their license confirmed with the state, and we re-check it every year.
Want the long answers? Read our guides on what a PI costs in NYC, checking a New York PI license and what a PI can legally do.
Membership is open to every licensed PI in the state. The vetting is free to start.
Apply For Membership