State exam study resources: Private investigators

Exam subjects

The following subjects will be covered in the examination for Principal and/or Certified Trainers.

Washington State Law as it applies to private investigator licensing and regulations
(45% of exam)

• RCW 18.165: Private investigators
• WAC 308-17: Private investigative agencies and private investigators
• WAC 308-17-300: Minimum preassignment training and testing requirements (includes a list of all topics contained in the private investigator pre-assignment training course)
• RCW 9.73: Privacy, violating right of (surveillance and wiretapping)
• RCW 42.17: Disclosure—campaign finances—lobbying—records (public disclosure)
• RCW 9A: Washington criminal code

Other resources:

• RCW 2: Courts of record
• RCW 3: District courts—courts of limited jurisdictions
• RCW 26: Domestic relations (marriage, dissolution, adoption)
• RCW 36: Counties
• RCW 46: Motor vehicles (accidents, forms)

Federal laws (30% of exam)

• Federal Privacy Act (5 USC 552a)
• Freedom of Information Act (5 USC 552 )
• Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 USC 1681)
• Federal Wiretapping Act (18 USC)
• Gramm-Leach Bliley (15 USC 6801-6809)

Court systems (7.5% of exam)

Federal courts:

• Title 28 USC: Judiciary and Judicial Procedures
• Public Law 101-650: Title 37 CFR—Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights

State courts:

• RCW 35.20: Municipal courts
• RCW 2: Courts of record
• RCW 3: District courts—courts of limited jurisdictions
• RCW 4: Civil procedures
• RCW 5: Evidence
• RCW 6: Enforcement of judgements

Legal Procedures and Definitions (10% of exam)

Terminology and definitions:

• RCW 9A: Washington State Criminal Code
• RCW 2: Courts of Record
• RCW 3: District Courts/Courts of Limited Jurisdictions
• RCW 4: Civil Procedures
• RCW 5: Evidence
• RCW 6: Enforcement of Judgements
• RCW 26: Domestic Relations (marriage, dissolution, adoption)
• Black’s Law Dictionary: Available at your local library or bookstore

Other resources of public information (7.5% of exam)

• Code Reviser’s Office
• Washington Secretary of State
• Washington State Department of Health—Center for Health Statistics
• County recorder’s offices (Please contact the county auditor or clerk where the event occurred.)
• World Wide Locator
• Computer databases
• Federal and state laws and acts can be found on the Internet.

Explanation of abbreviations

• RCW—Revised Code of Washington (Washington State laws)
• WAC—Washington Administrative Code (Washington State agency regulations)
• USC—United States Code (federal laws)
• CFR—Code of Federal Regulations (federal agency regulations)