Sydney Private Investigator FAQs

Answers to your top questions about private investigations in Sydney

Common questions, answered by licensed investigators

Is it legal to hire a private investigator in Australia?

Yes, hiring a private investigator is completely legal in Australia. In New South Wales, investigators must hold a Commercial Agents and Private Inquiry Agents (CAPI) licence issued by the NSW Police Force, and it is an offence for an unlicensed person to carry out investigative work for a fee. Need 2 Know Services operates under CAPI Investigator Licence S00017919 (Class 2E) and Master Licence 000110564. Always ask an investigator for their licence number before you engage them.

What can a private investigator legally do in NSW?

A licensed NSW investigator can conduct covert surveillance from public places, photograph and film activity visible from public vantage points, carry out database and open source intelligence searches, interview willing witnesses, serve legal documents, trace people and assets, and forensically examine devices with the owner's consent. They cannot tap phones, install listening or tracking devices without lawful authority, trespass on private property, impersonate a police officer, or access bank, medical or telecommunications records without a court order. Evidence gathered unlawfully is generally inadmissible, which is exactly why licensing matters.

How long does a private investigation take?

It depends on the case type. A background check or OSINT due diligence report is usually delivered within 24 to 72 hours. Infidelity and surveillance matters typically produce a result within one to two weeks, because operatives need to observe behaviour across several relevant days rather than a single shift. Skip tracing and missing person work ranges from a few days to several weeks depending on how cold the trail is. We give you a realistic timeframe in writing at the quoting stage.

Can a private investigator's evidence be used in court?

Yes, provided it was obtained lawfully and documented properly. We prepare evidence packs with continuous chain-of-custody records, time and date stamped footage, contemporaneous field notes and a factual investigator's statement, which our former law enforcement investigators can give evidence on if required. This standard is accepted in NSW family, civil and criminal proceedings. Evidence collected illegally, including by unlicensed operators, risks being excluded entirely.

Will my partner or employer find out I hired an investigator?

No. Confidentiality is the core of our practice. You choose the safe contact window and method at your first enquiry, and we work strictly within it. Our operatives and vehicles are unmarked and non-descript, we never make contact on a channel you have not approved, and we do not disclose your identity to any third party.

Contact

Reach out discreetly for expert help. Call, text or message us on WhatsApp.

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Bison IT Solutions Trading as Need 2 Know Services

Investigator Licence No.: S00017919 Class: 2E

Master Licence no.: 000110564

Call 0480 041 641
WhatsApp 0480 041 641