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DETECTIVES AND DETECTIVE AGENCIES

SEA-MC tit. 6, subtit. I, ch. 6.14
in effect

Seattle Mun. Code § 6.14.010 Definitions.

6.14.010 - Definitions. The words and phrases used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, shall have the following meanings: A. "Private detective business" means and includes the business of, or the representation of being engaged in the business of, making for hire or reward investigation or investigations with reference to any of the following matters: 1. Detecting, discovering or revealing crime or criminals, or securing secret information or evidence relating thereto; 2. Discovering or revealing the identity, whereabouts, character or actions of any person or persons, thing or things; 3. The habits, conduct, movements, whereabouts, associations, transactions, reputations or character of any person, firm or corporation; 4. The credibility of witnesses or other persons; 5. The location or recovery of lost or stolen property; 6. The causes, origin or responsibility for fires or accidents or injuries to real or personal property; 7. The affiliation, connection or relation of any person, firm or corporation with any union or nonunion organization, with any official member or representative thereof, or with any person or persons seeking employment in the place of any person or persons who have quit work by reason of any strike; 8. The truth or falsity of any statement or representation; 9. The business of securing for hire or reward evidence to be used before authorized investigating committees, boards of award or arbitration, or in the trial of civil or criminal cases. B. Nothing in this chapter shall apply to any officer or employee of any state, county, city or town, appointed or elected by due authority of law; to any person, firm or corporation, whose business is the furnishing of information as to the business and financial standing and credit of persons, firms or corporations; nor to any person, firm or corporation inquiring as to the personal habits and financial responsibilities of applicants for insurance, indemnity bonds, or commercial credit, or of claimants under insurance policies. C. 1. "Detective agency" means and includes any person who as principal or employer engages in or who advertises or holds himself out as being engaged in, the private detective business. 2. "Private detective" means and includes any natural person of either sex who engages in, or who advertises or holds himself out as being engaged in, the private detective business as agent or employee of a duly licensed detective agency. (Ord. 77699 § 1, 1949; Ord. 67473, § 2, 1937; Ord. 48022 § 89, 1924.)

Seattle Mun. Code § 6.14.020 License required—Certain persons prohibited.

6.14.020 - License required—Certain persons prohibited. It is unlawful for any person, unless duly licensed so to do pursuant to this chapter, to engage in, or to advertise or hold himself or herself out as being engaged in the private detective business; provided, that no license required by Sections 6.14.030 or 6.14.040 shall be granted to any person who within ten years of the date of application for such license has been convicted of any felony, or any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or intent to defraud, or has within ten years of the date of application been released from a penal institution or from active supervision on parole as a result of any such conviction; provided, further, however, that the Director of Finance and Administrative Services may waive not to exceed five years of such period upon satisfactory showing by the applicant of rehabilitation. (Ord. 123361, § 202, 2010; Ord. 120794, § 159, 2002: Ord. 117169, § 73, 1994 Ord. 102636, § 36, 1973; Ord. 93050, 1964; Ord. 67473, § 3, 1937; Ord. 48022 § 90, 1924.)

Seattle Mun. Code § 6.14.030 Detective agency license—Fee.

6.14.030 - Detective agency license—Fee. It shall be unlawful to engage in business as a detective agency without having first obtained a valid and subsisting license so to do, to be known as a "detective agency license" and having on file a surety bond as required by Section 6.14.090. The initial fee for a detective agency license shall be Five Hundred Forty Dollars ($540.00) and may thereafter be renewed annually for a fee of Two Hundred Fifteen Dollars ($215.00). Such license shall be obtained in conformity with Section 6.02.190 and may be revoked as prescribed by Section 6.02.270 of this subtitle. (Ord. 113185, § 1(part), 1986: Ord. 110888, § 1(part), 1982; Ord. 93369, § 1, 1964; Ord. 88789, § 6, 1959: Ord. 67473, § 4, 1937; Ord. 48022 § 90-1, 1924.)

Seattle Mun. Code § 6.14.040 Private detective license—Fee.

6.14.040 - Private detective license—Fee. It is unlawful for any person whether licensed as a detective agency or not, to engage in the private detective business or to act, or engage in business, as a private detective without first obtaining and being the owner and holder of a valid and subsisting license so to do, to be known as a "private detective license," the fee for which shall be and is fixed in the sum of Forty-five Dollars ($45.00) per year; provided, that a private detective license shall without the payment of any fee therefor be issued to an individual, to one (1) member of a partnership, or firm, or to one (1) officer of a corporation holding a detective agency license, or employed by a holder of a detective agency license. On such private detective license shall be designated the number of the detective agency license by reason of which the private detective license is issued, and such license shall be in force and effect only so long as such person is possessed of, or is a member of a partnership or officer of a corporation holding, or is employed by the holder of, such detective agency license. (Ord. 113185, § 1(part), 1986: Ord. 110888, § 1(part), 1982: Ord. 106063, § 1, 1976: Ord. 67473, § 5, 1937; Ord. 48022 § 90-2, 1924.)

Seattle Mun. Code § 6.14.050 Expiration of licenses.

6.14.050 - Expiration of licenses. All annual licenses issued under Sections 6.14.030 and 6.14.040 shall expire at midnight on October 31st of each year. (Ord. 75088 § 9, 1946.)

Seattle Mun. Code § 6.14.060 Private detective license—Application.

6.14.060 - Private detective license—Application. A. Applications for private detective license shall be made to the Director on forms to be furnished by him/her for that purpose, shall be signed and verified by the applicant, and shall state his/her full name, age and residence, his/her present and previous occupations and the address of the place of business and the name of his/her employer. The Director upon presentation of an application for a private detective license, and before acting upon the same, shall request the Chief of Police to make a full investigation as to the truth of the statements contained therein and as to any and all other matters which might tend to aid the Director in determining whether or not the license shall be issued. The Chief of Police shall, within five (5) days after the date of such request, furnish a written report to the Director containing the result of his/her investigation. If the Director is satisfied that the statements contained in the application are true, that the applicant is of good moral character and has complied with all requirements of this chapter, he/she shall issue the license; otherwise the license shall be denied. Each such license shall bear the photograph of the license holder. B. The Director may, upon recommendation of the Chief of Police pending completion of the required investigation, issue a temporary permit to any applicant for a private detective license and/or private guard license who has been a resident of the state for a period of at least five (5) years next preceding the date of application. Such temporary permit shall authorize the permittee to act either as a private detective, private guard, or both, while he/she is employed by, or an agent of, the detective agency specified in the permit and the same shall be valid for a period of not to exceed forty-five (45) days. C. Private detective licenses may be revoked as prescribed by Section 6.02.270 of this subtitle. (Ord. 109191, § 1, 1980: Ord. 107157, § 13, 1978: Ord. 102636, § 37, 1973; Ord. 98196, 1969; Ord. 94649, 1966; Ord. 67473, § 6, 1937; Ord. 48022 § 90-3, 1924.)

Seattle Mun. Code § 6.14.070 Employees not to divulge information.

6.14.070 - Employees not to divulge information. It shall be unlawful for any person who is or has been an employee of a detective agency to divulge to any person, other than his employer, except as his employer may direct and except as may be required by law, any information acquired by him during such employment with respect to any of the work to which he, or any other employee of such detective agency, shall have been assigned by such detective agency, or with respect to any of the work, business or affairs of such detective agency. (Ord. 67473, § 7, 1937; Ord. 48022 § 90-4, 1924.)

Seattle Mun. Code § 6.14.080 Unlawful acts.

6.14.080 - Unlawful acts. It shall be unlawful for any licensee under this chapter to knowingly incite, encourage or aid in inciting or encouraging any person or persons who have become a party to any strike, to commit unlawful acts against the person or property of anyone, or knowingly to incite, stir up, create or aid in inciting discontent or dissatisfaction among the employees of any person, firm or corporation with the intention of having them strike, or to send letters or literature to employees offering to eliminate labor unions, or for any person to falsely state or represent that he is or has been a private detective or employed by a detective agency, or for any licensee under this chapter or employee thereof to assume to act as an officer of the law without proper authority. (Ord. 67473, § 8, 1937; Ord. 48022 § 90-5, 1924.)

Seattle Mun. Code § 6.14.090 Surety bond.

6.14.090 - Surety bond. Every applicant for a detective agency license at the time the application is made shall furnish to the Director of Finance and Administrative Services for filing with the City Clerk, a surety company bond running to the City, in a penal sum of $2,000.00, conditioned that the licensee will faithfully comply with all the requirements of this title, insofar as they relate to the business of detective or detective agency. (Ord. 123361, § 203, 2010; Ord. 120794, § 160, 2002: Ord. 117169, § 74, 1994: Ord. 116368, § 188, 1992; Ord. 102636, § 38, 1973: Ord. 48022 § 91, 1924.)

Seattle Mun. Code § 6.14.100 Private guard license—Fee.

6.14.100 - Private guard license—Fee. It is unlawful to engage in the occupation of private guard to prevent theft or unlawful taking of goods, wares, and merchandise or to purport to engage therein without a private guard license, the fee for which shall be $30.00 per year and which shall expire October 31st of each year. No private guard shall operate except as an employee under a duly licensed detective agency. Application for such license shall be made to the Director of Finance and Administrative Services on a similar form and shall follow the same procedure as is provided in Section 6.14.060 hereof for a private detective license; provided, anyone holding a valid merchant's patrol agency license or merchant patrolman's license under Section 6.38.020 of this subtitle shall be exempt from such license requirements. (Ord. 123361, § 204, 2010; Ord. 120794, § 161, 2002: Ord. 117169, § 75, 1994: Ord. 113185, § 1(part), 1986: Ord. 110888, § 1(part), 1984: Ord. 106063, § 2, 1976: Ord. 102636, § 39, 1973; Ord. 94188, § 2, 1965; Ord. 88789, § 7, 1959: Ord. 77699 § 2, 1949: Ord. 48022 § 91-1, 1924.)
Source: City of Seattle, Seattle Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT6BURE_SUBTITLE_ILICO_CH6.14DEDEAGFetched: 11/1/2026

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