Your duties

Learn how private security workers must identify themselves, the records they must keep, along with the responsibilities of private investigators.

Update your details or classes of work

You must let us know if any of your personal or company details change, or if you want to change a class of security work you do.

Present your licence or certificate of approval

If asked, you must provide your licence or certificate to:

  • the authority
  • a police officer
  • a person authorised by the Chief Investigator of the Complaints, Investigations, and Prosecution Unit
  • anyone you deal with when working as a private security operator in any of the classes on your licence or certificate.

If you don’t, you may be fined up to $2,000.

Give the name and address of your employer

If you hold a certificate, you must give the name and address of your employer if you are asked by one of the people above.

If you don’t, you may be fined up to $2,000.

Wear an identification (ID) badge

If you have an individual licence or a certificate, we will give you an ID badge.

Your ID badge must always be visible when you are working. If it isn’t, you may be fined up to $2,000.

Exceptions

You don’t need to wear a visible ID if:

  • you reasonably believe that wearing it would make it unsafe for you or other people
  • you're a private investigator.

Keep records

You must keep records of your training and your staff (if you have them).

Staff records must include their:

  • full name
  • licence or certificate number
  • details of any temporary or emergency application.

Training records must include where you trained, what course you did, and when.

Find out more about the records you need to keep(external link)

You must give these records to the police or the Complaints, Investigations, and Prosecution Unit if asked.

If you don’t, you could be fined up to $2,000.

Make sure your employees have certificates of approval

If you have a company or individual licence, all your employees who provide private security services must have a current certificate of approval.

If they don’t, you could be fined up to $20,000.

Special responsibilities of private investigators

As a private investigator, when you promote your business you must give:

  • your name
  • the fact you have a licence as a private investigator
  • your trading name (if you have one).

Private investigators surveillance code of conduct

View the Private investigators code of conduct for surveillance(external link)

The code limits what private investigators can do when they carry out surveillance of other people. It doesn’t affect any other law. All laws apply to private investigators in the same way that they apply to all other people.

If you breach the code, a complaint may be laid against you with the authority. Punishments range from a warning to having your licence or certificate suspended or cancelled.

You can find more information about the definition of a private investigator:

  • in the Act
  • by getting legal advice
  • from the New Zealand Institute of Private Investigators.
 
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