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 pre-assignment 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
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
- 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 judgments
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 Judgments
- 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)
