Private Investigation: Overview

The Private Investigations Advisory Board licenses and oversees private investigators, private investigations managers, private investigation companies, private patrol operators, private patrol operations managers, private security guards and polygraph examiners.

The Board is an advisory Board, which adopts and enforces the rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of the Private Investigations Act, including establishing professional and ethical standards.

Please Note:  If you are inquiring about SECURITY GUARDS, please contact the Private Investigations Advisory Board and NOT the Securities Division.  Thank you.

For more information contact:

New Mexico Private Investigations Board
2550 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505
PO Box 25101, Santa Fe, NM 87504
(505) 476-4650
(505) 476-4615 Fax
PiPolygraphbd@state.nm.us
 

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Effective November 5, 2013 The Department of Public Safety will no longer accept ink fingerprints for background purposes and all fingerprint cards received after the date will be returned.

The New Mexico Department of Public Safety has entered into a contract with 3M Cogent, to accept and process all applicant fingerprints.  CogentID will have up to 49 Livescan sites throughout the state to process fingerprinting of applicants.  This will require a change in the way the applicants submit their fingerprints.

 The applicant will be required to follow the following process:

• Applicants may complete their fingerprinting at any 3M Cogent fingerprint location in the state of NM (map of locations enclosed). Appointments are not required.
• Both new and renewing applicants will need to register at https://www.cogentid.com/nm/index_NM.htm  prior to going to an electronic fingerprinting location.
• When the applicant arrives at the electronic fingerprinting location, they will need to provide the electronic fingerprinting technician with a registration number they received after registering online.
• The fee remains at $44.00, which can be paid at the time of registration by credit card or at the fingerprinting site by cashier’s check/money order.
• Background check results will be sent directly to the Board office electronically.

Please use the following ORI # NM920250Z when registering, if the wrong ORI # is selected the applicant will have to re submit the registration and fee.

Fingerprint Location Map

Attention:  A Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”) licensed in New Mexico and acting within the scope of his or her professional practice and in accordance with the 1999 Public Accountancy Act, and the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to said Act, does not need to obtain dual licensure as a Private Investigator.