A Burlington resident is paid to find out where a missing heir now lives. How does 26 V.S.A. § 3151 treat that work?26 V.S.A. § 3151(3)
A company only furnishes information on the credit standing of businesses. When does it lose the exclusion in 26 V.S.A. § 3151a(a)(4)?26 V.S.A. § 3151a(a)(4)
A hotel keeps one investigator on its ordinary payroll to look into the hotel's own affairs. Under § 3151a, what else must be true for the exclusion to apply?26 V.S.A. § 3151a(a)(3)
A licensed Vermont investigator wants to carry a handgun on a case. What does 26 V.S.A. § 3175c require first?26 V.S.A. § 3175c
A New Hampshire investigator follows a case into Vermont on a transitory permit. What is the limit on that practice?26 V.S.A. § 3176a
A paralegal investigates only for the one Vermont law firm that employs her. What keeps her outside the private investigator definition?26 V.S.A. § 3151a(a)(5)
An agency hires a new investigative employee. What does 26 V.S.A. § 3176 require the agency to do?26 V.S.A. § 3176(b)
An investigator is on the regular payroll of a single insurance company and works only its claims. Does Vermont's chapter treat that person as a private investigator?26 V.S.A. § 3151a(a)(2)
Show all 65 questions (57 more)
Title 26, Chapter 59: who is licensed and how, continued
Before adopting a rule on private investigators, what must the Director do under 26 V.S.A. § 3161?26 V.S.A. § 3161(a)(2)
Besides an application in proper form and the fee, what does 26 V.S.A. § 3172 require from an applicant for an agency license?26 V.S.A. § 3172
For how long must an agency keep the records of an approved training program under § 3176?26 V.S.A. § 3176(f)
How are the advisor appointees for private investigative and security services chosen in Vermont?26 V.S.A. § 3161(b)
How much investigative experience does § 3173 require of a person who wants to practice independently as a private investigator in Vermont?26 V.S.A. § 3173(c)
Of Vermont's five advisor appointees, how many must be members of the public with no financial interest in investigative or security services?26 V.S.A. § 3161(b)(1)
What age does 26 V.S.A. § 3173 require of an applicant for a Vermont private investigator license?26 V.S.A. § 3173(a)
What must each examination prepared under 26 V.S.A. § 3175 be designed to test?26 V.S.A. § 3175
Where does 26 V.S.A. § 3171 say a license must be displayed?26 V.S.A. § 3171(b)
Which background does § 3173(c) name as experience that may count toward independent practice as a private investigator?26 V.S.A. § 3173(c)
Which of these people is excluded from the term "private investigator" by 26 V.S.A. § 3151a?26 V.S.A. § 3151a(a)(8)
Who administers Vermont's private investigative and security services chapter?26 V.S.A. § 3161(a)
A licensee never received the Office's renewal reminder email and let the license lapse. How does Rule 6-2 treat that?Rule 6-2
A member of the public asks a working investigator to show a license. What does Rule 7-4 require?Rule 7-4
A registered investigative employee leaves her agency and has not joined another. What is the status of her registration under Rule 4-4(b)?Rule 4-4
A standard of unprofessional conduct in statute conflicts with one in rule. Which governs under Rule 3-5?Rule 3-5
A Vermont licensee is arrested. Under Rule 7-1, how soon must the arrest be reported to the Office in writing?Rule 7-1
An agency employs three registered investigative employees. Whom must it have on staff under Rule 4-5(c)?Rule 4-5
An agency ends the employment of a registered investigative employee. How soon must it notify the Office under Rule 7-5?Rule 7-5
The Director intends to deny a completed application. Under Rule 3-1, how is the applicant told, and how long is there to seek a hearing?Rule 3-1
How do Vermont's administrative rules define an "agency"?Rule 1-1
How many hours of approved training does Rule 4-3 require of an applicant for the licensed private investigator credential?Rule 4-3
How many hours of classroom instruction on the safe handling and proper use of firearms does Rule 5-3 require for a firearms specialty designation?Rule 5-3
How much approved training must a registered investigative employee complete under Rule 4-4?Rule 4-4
In the 40-hour licensed private investigator course of Rule 9-4, how many hours at least go to legal powers and limitations?Rule 9-4
Rule 1-9 defines supervision. Besides regular and substantial familiarity with another's work, what does it require of the supervisor?Rule 1-9
Rule 4-3(e) lets the Office assess an applicant's character with references. From whom?Rule 4-3
Under Rule 1-3, who counts as an "employee of an agency"?Rule 1-3
Under Vermont Rule 6-1, what is the term of a private investigator license before it must be renewed?Rule 6-1
Vermont Rule 1-7 has each agency name a "qualifying agent". What is that person's job?Rule 1-7
Who may teach or organize the 40-hour private investigator course under Rule 9-4(a)?Rule 9-4
Unprofessional conduct and penalties 15
A client paid for a written surveillance report and later asks for a copy. Under § 3181, what is it to refuse?26 V.S.A. § 3181(b)(2)
A client refuses to pay. Which disclosure of confidential client information does § 3181(b)(3) allow the investigator?26 V.S.A. § 3181(b)(3)
A client tells a Vermont investigator he plans to commit a crime. Under 26 V.S.A. § 3181, may the investigator disclose that confidence?26 V.S.A. § 3181(b)(3)
A person collected a fee for investigative work done in Vermont without a license. What does 3 V.S.A. § 127(e) say about suing to enforce that agreement?3 V.S.A. § 127(e)
A Vermont agency takes on a new partner and says nothing to the Office. Which item of § 3181 does that fall under?26 V.S.A. § 3181(b)(15)
An agency employee tells a reporter what he learned on an assignment, without his employer's direction. What does 26 V.S.A. § 3179(b) make of that?26 V.S.A. § 3179(b)
An investigator holds confidential information from work for one client. A second client offers an assignment against the first. What does § 3181 call accepting it?26 V.S.A. § 3181(b)(4)
An investigator knowingly leaves a material fact out of a report to a client. How does § 3181 class this?26 V.S.A. § 3181(b)(7)
How long must a Vermont licensee keep client records under 3 V.S.A. § 129a, unless a law for the profession sets another period?3 V.S.A. § 129a(a)(9)
Under 3 V.S.A. § 129a, how soon must a licensee report a change of name, email or mailing address to the Office?3 V.S.A. § 129a(a)(14)
What is the most a court may fine a person for practicing as a private investigator in Vermont without authority, under 3 V.S.A. § 127(c)?3 V.S.A. § 127(c)
When may an agency let an employee carry a firearm on duty, under 26 V.S.A. § 3181(b)(10)?26 V.S.A. § 3181(b)(10)
Where may an employee of a licensee disclose assignment information without the employer's direction, under § 3179(b)?26 V.S.A. § 3179(b)
Which conviction is unprofessional conduct under 26 V.S.A. § 3181(b)(1)?26 V.S.A. § 3181(b)(1)
Which use of a badge does 26 V.S.A. § 3181 list as unprofessional conduct?26 V.S.A. § 3181(b)(6)
Fair Credit Reporting Act 5
A client wants a consumer report on a job applicant. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681b(b)(2), what must the applicant receive first?15 U.S.C. § 1681b(b)(2)
A person orders an investigative consumer report. By when must the consumer be told one may be made, under 15 U.S.C. § 1681d(a)?15 U.S.C. § 1681d(a)
A Vermont investigator asks a credit bureau for a person's consumer report. Which basis in 15 U.S.C. § 1681b(a) would allow the bureau to furnish it?15 U.S.C. § 1681b(a)
An investigator lies to a credit bureau to get a consumer's file. What does 15 U.S.C. § 1681q provide for obtaining it under false pretenses?15 U.S.C. § 1681q
What makes a consumer report an "investigative consumer report" under 15 U.S.C. § 1681a(e)?15 U.S.C. § 1681a(e)
Vermont public records law 6
A custodian denies an investigator's public records request. To whom does 1 V.S.A. § 318 send the first appeal?1 V.S.A. § 318(c)
A custodian must produce a public record "promptly". What limit does 1 V.S.A. § 318 put on that word?1 V.S.A. § 318(a)
A requested public record holds some exempt content. What must the agency do under 1 V.S.A. § 318(e)?1 V.S.A. § 318(e)
An agency head upholds a denial of public records. Where may the requester go next, and who carries the burden of proof, under 1 V.S.A. § 319?1 V.S.A. § 319(a)
During which hours may a person inspect a public record of a Vermont state agency under 1 V.S.A. § 316?1 V.S.A. § 316(a)
When may a Vermont agency charge for staff time spent answering a request for a copy of a public record?1 V.S.A. § 316(c)
How this list was compiled: Vermont Statutes Annotated, Title 26, Chapter 59 (Private Investigative and Security Services, sections 3151 to 3181), 3 V.S.A. sections 127 and 129a, and 1 V.S.A. sections 316, 318 and 319 (Public Records Act), each read on October 13, 2026 on the Vermont General Assembly's site (https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/26/059); the Administrative Rules for Private Investigative and Security Services, read the same day in the copy the Office of Professional Regulation posts (https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/private_investigative_security_services/private_investigative_security_services_administrative_rules.pdf); and the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. sections 1681a, 1681b, 1681d and 1681q, in the U.S. Government Publishing Office's United States Code, 2024 edition (https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscode). The topics follow what the Office's application instructions (February 2026) say the Vermont State Jurisprudence Examination requires: thorough knowledge of the Vermont Statutes, the Administrative Rules, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the public records laws in Vermont (https://sos.vermont.gov/private-investigative-security-services/forms-instructions). Each question names its section and links to it. Licence: Own work. Every question, wrong choice and explanation was written for this site from the text of the statutes and rules. Nothing comes from the Vermont State Jurisprudence Examination, a training course or a prep publisher.
How it works
This unofficial Vermont private investigator license practice test follows the State Jurisprudence Examination: 65 of our own questions on Vermont statutes, administrative rules, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and public records law. Not affiliated with Vermont's Office of Professional Regulation.
Read the full guide
What else the application takes
The Office's application instructions (February 2026) ask for at least two completed character references and verification of experience, and the Office runs a Vermont and an FBI background check.
What is left out
The training course's lessons on technique, court decisions, and Vermont criminal statutes.
Unauthorized practice carries a fine of up to $5,000, up to one year of imprisonment, or both (3 V.S.A. § 127).
Report an arrest, charge or conviction to the Office in writing within 30 business days (Rule 7-1).
An agency tells the Office within 72 hours of ending a licensed employee's employment (Rule 7-5).
Questions and answers
Is there an exam for a Vermont private investigator license?
Yes. 26 V.S.A. § 3175 has the Director prepare a separate examination for private investigators, and the application instructions require the Vermont State Jurisprudence Examination. The completed answer sheet is uploaded with the application.
What is on the Vermont private investigator jurisprudence exam?
The instructions name four things: the Vermont Statutes, the Administrative Rules, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Vermont's public records laws. They give no question count, time limit or pass mark, so this page gives none.
How do I become a private investigator in Vermont?
Under Rule 4-3: be at least 18, complete 40 hours of approved training, pass the examination, show two or more years of investigative experience and meet the character standard. An agency's registered investigative employee needs eight hours of training.
How long is a Vermont private investigator license valid?
Two years. Rule 6-1 sets fixed two-year periods, and a license lapses if it is not renewed before the period ends. Practicing on a lapsed license is a violation of 3 V.S.A. § 127.
Can an out-of-state private investigator work in Vermont?
With a transitory permit, for no more than 30 days in a calendar year. The holder is a nonresident with no place of business in Vermont, licensed where the practice is regulated (26 V.S.A. § 3176a).