PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR EXAM
NOTES 2026 CERTIFICATION GUIDE
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
what would be considered impersonating a police officer, wearing clothing with police department
markings or identifying yourself as ad detective and having a badge with the word detective on it? -
CORRECT ANSWER-wearing clothes with police department markings on
where does a PI writes his or her final milage while doing an investigation, daily logs, his notebook or
final report and if on report and if on report where at, right upper corner or are milage exact from
odometer reading or estimated from an online map? - CORRECT ANSWER-In his or her notebook, if on
report on right upper corner
while serving a court witness with papers and court monies, you tried twice but did not get the witness
at home, what is your next step? Try at a different time of day or serve anyone at home who appears to
be over 18 years old? - CORRECT ANSWER-you cannot serve the documents unless you have a court
order allowing you to. You have to give the documents to someone who is 18 years old or by a
professional process server in person to either the other party or their lawyer of record.
while serving papers, home owner is not answering his door, after multiple tries what is your reply? Tell
client and use a different method as mailing papers? - CORRECT ANSWER-If you cannot find the other
party or they are avoiding you, a judge may let you serve the documents in another way. This process is
called substituted service.
Substituted Service include what examples: - CORRECT ANSWER-1) Sending a copy to a relative of the
other party they are close too.
2) Mailing the documents to the other party at their place of employment.
3)Sending copies to the other party electronically
You can do this by:
- mailing copies to the other party or their lawyer of record
-courier
,- Fax
- Email, if you have permission from the other party to do so
you are an undercover investigator in a warehouse on an investigation, you are handed over stolen
goods, you can not accept them because of what? Is it FALSE PRETENSE or because it would be
inadmissible in court ? - CORRECT ANSWER-FALSE PRETENSE
While putting someone in a citizen's arrest, what is the right procedure? Inform a person they are under
arrest, read their rights and inform a peace officer ASAP or inform a person they are under arrest, read
their rights, arrest them physically, inform a peace officer ASAP? - CORRECT ANSWER-Inform an officer
right away.
as an investigator you are following someone and are caught at a red light, what will you do next? Make
a right turn, make a U turn and make another right? Wait for the light to turn green and hopefully you
will catch up? or return to where you started your investigation and wait out for Mark to return later in
the day? - CORRECT ANSWER-wait for the light to turn green and hopefully you catch up and or make
right turn and make U turn and make another right.
you are doing a computer investigation at warehouse. you find out one of employees have company
information/ property at his home computer. what will be your next step? Either ask management to
approach employee and ask him to delete it or consider information unimportant or involve a police
department ? - CORRECT ANSWER-Involve a police department
When you serve someone and you know they are not home, what do you do?
a) Do you call your client or supervisor
b) Do you check if the backdoor is unlocked
c) Do you barge through the door
d) Do you give document over anyone 18 - CORRECT ANSWER-D) give document over age 18 at the
home.
Asked while working undercover and someone bribes you with stolen items, what do you do?
a) Do you accept stolen items and use as evidence
b) Do not accept it because it is stolen
, c) Do you accept it because it will give you personal gain
d) Do not accept because.... - CORRECT ANSWER-A) Do accept stolen items and use as evidence
Asked if you are following someone and they run a red light what do you do?
a) Do you run the red light and follow
b) Do you turn right do, do a U turn and turn right again
c) Do you wait for light to turn green
d) Do you go back to where you started following and wait for the person
e) A and B - CORRECT ANSWER-A AND B
Asked why watch your video after surveillance?
a) To see if final report is accurate
b) To edit notes and final report
c) To see if information matches
d) None the above - CORRECT ANSWER-B) To edit notes and final report
Asked a question about how can employer's monitor employees email and online chat messaging on
their network?
a) Asked them to sign a waiver
b) Companies can monitor anything on their network
c) none the above - CORRECT ANSWER-A) asked them to sign a waiver
When in court, who can be a witness regarding evidence?
a) Investigator
B) Clerk
C) Expert witness
D) witness
E) a and d - CORRECT ANSWER-E) Investigator and Witness
NOTES 2026 CERTIFICATION GUIDE
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
what would be considered impersonating a police officer, wearing clothing with police department
markings or identifying yourself as ad detective and having a badge with the word detective on it? -
CORRECT ANSWER-wearing clothes with police department markings on
where does a PI writes his or her final milage while doing an investigation, daily logs, his notebook or
final report and if on report and if on report where at, right upper corner or are milage exact from
odometer reading or estimated from an online map? - CORRECT ANSWER-In his or her notebook, if on
report on right upper corner
while serving a court witness with papers and court monies, you tried twice but did not get the witness
at home, what is your next step? Try at a different time of day or serve anyone at home who appears to
be over 18 years old? - CORRECT ANSWER-you cannot serve the documents unless you have a court
order allowing you to. You have to give the documents to someone who is 18 years old or by a
professional process server in person to either the other party or their lawyer of record.
while serving papers, home owner is not answering his door, after multiple tries what is your reply? Tell
client and use a different method as mailing papers? - CORRECT ANSWER-If you cannot find the other
party or they are avoiding you, a judge may let you serve the documents in another way. This process is
called substituted service.
Substituted Service include what examples: - CORRECT ANSWER-1) Sending a copy to a relative of the
other party they are close too.
2) Mailing the documents to the other party at their place of employment.
3)Sending copies to the other party electronically
You can do this by:
- mailing copies to the other party or their lawyer of record
-courier
,- Fax
- Email, if you have permission from the other party to do so
you are an undercover investigator in a warehouse on an investigation, you are handed over stolen
goods, you can not accept them because of what? Is it FALSE PRETENSE or because it would be
inadmissible in court ? - CORRECT ANSWER-FALSE PRETENSE
While putting someone in a citizen's arrest, what is the right procedure? Inform a person they are under
arrest, read their rights and inform a peace officer ASAP or inform a person they are under arrest, read
their rights, arrest them physically, inform a peace officer ASAP? - CORRECT ANSWER-Inform an officer
right away.
as an investigator you are following someone and are caught at a red light, what will you do next? Make
a right turn, make a U turn and make another right? Wait for the light to turn green and hopefully you
will catch up? or return to where you started your investigation and wait out for Mark to return later in
the day? - CORRECT ANSWER-wait for the light to turn green and hopefully you catch up and or make
right turn and make U turn and make another right.
you are doing a computer investigation at warehouse. you find out one of employees have company
information/ property at his home computer. what will be your next step? Either ask management to
approach employee and ask him to delete it or consider information unimportant or involve a police
department ? - CORRECT ANSWER-Involve a police department
When you serve someone and you know they are not home, what do you do?
a) Do you call your client or supervisor
b) Do you check if the backdoor is unlocked
c) Do you barge through the door
d) Do you give document over anyone 18 - CORRECT ANSWER-D) give document over age 18 at the
home.
Asked while working undercover and someone bribes you with stolen items, what do you do?
a) Do you accept stolen items and use as evidence
b) Do not accept it because it is stolen
, c) Do you accept it because it will give you personal gain
d) Do not accept because.... - CORRECT ANSWER-A) Do accept stolen items and use as evidence
Asked if you are following someone and they run a red light what do you do?
a) Do you run the red light and follow
b) Do you turn right do, do a U turn and turn right again
c) Do you wait for light to turn green
d) Do you go back to where you started following and wait for the person
e) A and B - CORRECT ANSWER-A AND B
Asked why watch your video after surveillance?
a) To see if final report is accurate
b) To edit notes and final report
c) To see if information matches
d) None the above - CORRECT ANSWER-B) To edit notes and final report
Asked a question about how can employer's monitor employees email and online chat messaging on
their network?
a) Asked them to sign a waiver
b) Companies can monitor anything on their network
c) none the above - CORRECT ANSWER-A) asked them to sign a waiver
When in court, who can be a witness regarding evidence?
a) Investigator
B) Clerk
C) Expert witness
D) witness
E) a and d - CORRECT ANSWER-E) Investigator and Witness
