Private Investigator Fees

Do you wish to hire a private investigator? Let me guess. You are wondering how big a hole, hiring a private investigator, is going to leave in your pockets, right? Okay, so let's get you out of this dilemma and tell you how much these investigators charge. (You don't want me to tell you what they do, right?) So, here is everything you want to know about private investigator fees, unlike fiction, where you hardly see or read the mention of the poor fella being paid. But hey, the questions do not end at how much do they charge. There are quite a few questions and doubts that can crop up, about the fees of a private investigator. Check out if you had the same queries in your mind.

Fees to Hire a Private Investigator

How much does it cost to investigate someone?
It depends upon the region you are in. You need to check your local private eye listings. The average fees is generally between USD 40 to USD 250 per hour. This will obviously vary according to the risk involved, gravity of the case, and the time taken for the completion of investigation. The charges of the investigator, if higher than normal (maybe more than USD 60 or USD 70), which either means that he is excellent at his job, has great contacts, or is just trying to swindle those who are affluent.

Is a retainer required? What are the retainer charges?
Normally, retainers are required by private investigators as a kind of guarantee, prior to the commencement of investigation. It could be anything from around USD 50 an hour to a lump sum ranging from USD 90 to USD 1000, again, depending on the case. Some might charge less as well.

Does a private investigator attached to a detective agency charge more than one working independently?
There is a considerable difference between the two. Obviously enough, if you are with an agency and it is a renowned one with constant flow of clients, the investigator is going to earn a minimum salary of USD 2,000 per month. The average private investigator salary can even go up to around USD 60,000 or more per year. If the investigator puts in 10 hours a day, he can even earn up to USD 5,000 for a month. The clients pay in those proportions. On the other hand, an independent investigator might not earn that much, due to the sheer lack of backing of the network and contacts and credibility. However, it is not necessary that fees to hire a private investigator will be less than the fees for hiring an investigator through an agency.

For every surveillance, is there a stipulated charge which needs to be paid?
Curiously enough, private investigators (at least some of them) might charge a minimum amount for every surveillance operation. The charges are for every four hours of surveillance. You will have to negotiate the fees to some extent in these cases.

Do they give clients the benefits of a refund or a payback? For instance, if they get around USD 300 from a client and the mission is accomplished with around USD 100 to spare, what is the norm? Will the client get the remaining money back?
Private investigator costs are generally not refundable. Still, you might want to confirm this with the private investigator you are hiring or the detective agency through which you are going to hire one.

Above was, of course, a general outline of their fees and related issues. There can be some other impromptu factors which come up or the specific nature of the case, which can determine the fees for a private investigator. I hope you are now all set to hire a private investigator. Happy Sleuthing!