Texas One-Party

Licensing & Regulation

Texas licenses PIs through the Texas Department of Public Safety, Private Security Bureau, under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1702. Applicants for the "Class A" investigations company license must demonstrate three years of investigations-related experience (or qualifying education), pass a Texas Manager's Test, submit fingerprints, post a $10,000 surety bond, and pay licensing fees. Individual investigator employees are registered under the company. Renewal is biennial. Texas has reciprocity arrangements with several states.

Physical Surveillance

Public surveillance is permitted. Texas's stalking statute (Tex. Penal Code §42.072) constrains intrusive conduct. Texas's "Privacy Act" provisions and unlawful-installation-of-tracking-device statute (Tex. Penal Code §16.06) make GPS tracking on a vehicle owned by another person without consent a Class A misdemeanor. Drone use is regulated under Tex. Govt. Code §423.

Audio & Video Recording Consent

Texas is a one-party-consent state under Tex. Penal Code §16.02 (wiretapping). The recording party must be a participant. Video voyeurism (recording a person in a private location without consent) is a separate felony under §21.15.

Domestic, Marital & Infidelity Investigations

Texas is a community-property state. It allows fault-based divorce; adultery is a ground and can affect property division and spousal maintenance. PIs do extensive matrimonial work. Accessing a spouse's accounts violates Tex. Penal Code §33.02 (breach of computer security).

Cybersecurity, Hacking & Digital Investigations

Tex. Penal Code §33.02 (breach of computer security) is broad. OSINT is permitted; pretexting is barred. Texas has a comprehensive data-privacy statute under the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act.

Missing Persons, Skip Tracing & Harassment

Texas DPS Missing Persons Clearinghouse coordinates state-wide. DPPA fully applies. Tex. Penal Code §42.072 (stalking) is broad. Texas's status as a frequent migration corridor produces high skip-trace volume.