1. (a) An individual may obtain a license as a private investigator apprentice and work under the supervision of a private investigator.

2. (b) An applicant for a private investigator apprentice license shall meet all of the following criteria to obtain a license:

   1. (1) Be at least 18 years of age.
   2. (2) Be a high school graduate, have earned a GED certification, or have completed other equivalent education as determined suitable by the board.
   3. (3) Meet the requirements of subdivisions (2) to (5), inclusive, of Section 34-25B-12.
3. (c) An individual issued a private investigator apprentice license shall successfully pass an examination required by the board, which shall be taken during a time period designated by rule of the board, not sooner than 45 days after initial licensure. Before taking the examination, a private investigator apprentice licensee may begin working as an intern. If the examination is not successfully passed by the deadline set by rule of the board, the private investigator apprentice license may be suspended until such time that a passing grade has been achieved.

4. (d)

   1. (1) A private investigator apprentice shall be trained under the supervision of a sponsor private investigator who has at least two years’ experience as a licensed private investigator in this state and who is certified by the board as a sponsor. The board may charge a one-time certification fee per sponsor, not exceeding fifty dollars ($50), and may, by rule, establish standards for certification, refusing certification, reporting of apprentices sponsored, and documentation required for sponsorships.
   2. (2) Supervision of a private investigator apprentice may be in person, by telephone, or by other form of electronic communication and oversight. A sponsor may not act as a sponsor for more than five private investigator apprentices at one time. A sponsor shall maintain records of training activities as required by the board, by rule, and shall make those records available to the board upon request. Failure of a sponsor to maintain adequate records may result in the revocation of his or her sponsor certification.

5. (e) A private investigator apprentice shall have three years to complete his or her internship. An internship shall consist of both of the following:

   1. (1) The successful completion of a minimum number of hours of experience in the field and classroom training, not exceeding 300 hours, as established by board rule. Classroom instruction shall be provided by a certified trainer and shall include instruction in administrative functions, including report writing and research.
   2. (2) The successful completion of a minimum of eight hours per year of continuing education credit, as administered by the Alabama Private Investigators Association, or other certified provider of continuing education approved by the board. The coursework shall include instruction in investigations and a minimum of two hours of ethics training annually, and may include business operations training.
6. (f) To qualify for a license as a private investigator, a private investigator apprentice licensee shall submit proof of successful completion of an internship pursuant to this section and shall pay the applicable license fee to the board.
7. (g) A private investigator apprentice licensee who does not complete an internship within three years after being issued a private investigator apprentice license shall be required to reapply for a new private investigator apprentice license. A private investigator apprentice license shall be renewed annually during an internship. Any education and training experience completed during a previous internship shall be credited toward completing a new internship. A private investigator apprentice licensee may obtain a copy of his or her training records from the sponsoring private investigator. A sponsor who fails to provide training records, as requested, may have his or her sponsor certification revoked or be fined by the board, or both.
8. (h) A private investigator apprentice licensee may only perform work under the supervision of a certified sponsor and may not advertise or perform any private investigation services for the general public outside of that supervision.
9. (i) If a private investigator apprentice is instructed by a sponsor to perform any action that violates this article, both the private investigator apprentice and the sponsor may be held responsible by the board. The private investigator apprentice licensee shall be responsible for identifying any conflicts of interest on assigned case work and notifying the sponsor of any conflict.

(Act 2023-397, §3)