Continuing Education Rules & Regulations for Oregon Private Investigators

Continuing Education Requirements

• Private investigators in Oregon must complete 32 hours of continuing education during each two-year licensing period. Provisional investigators must complete 40 hours.
• At least 2 of the required hours must be in ethics.
• Accepted continuing education includes college, internet, and correspondence courses; conferences, seminars, and interactive webinars; and any other education that reasonably could be considered beneficial to the work of the investigator.
• Pre-recorded, non-interactive (self-study) media is capped at 24 hours per period, and books/manuals are capped at 6 hours per period.
• Courses do not require state-specific pre-approval, and out-of-state and self-study courses count. The Department reserves the right to approve or disapprove any continuing education and may audit compliance.
• Excess hours may carry over to the next licensing period, up to a maximum of 15 hours.

Types of Courses

• Live & Interactive Courses: Delivered in real time — in person, virtual, or as an interactive webinar with an instructor available for questions. These can satisfy the full 32-hour requirement.
• Self-Study / Pre-Recorded Courses: Pre-recorded, non-interactive courses completed at your own pace. Accepted, but limited to a maximum of 24 hours of credit per two-year licensing period.

Steps to Receive Continuing Education Credit

1. Complete Qualifying Continuing Education: Choose courses that are reasonably beneficial to the work of a private investigator. State-specific pre-approval is not required.
2. Obtain a Certificate of Completion: After finishing the course, request your CE Certificate of Completion from the course provider.
3. Self-Report on Form PI-6: Report your completed hours on the DPSST Form PI-6 (Continuing Education Summary) when you submit your license renewal.
4. Retain Your Documentation: Keep proof of your completed continuing education for four years in case the Department audits your compliance.

Important Notes

• Continuing education approved in other states — including courses approved by the North Carolina PPSB — qualifies as accepted CE in Oregon, because Oregon accepts any education reasonably beneficial to the investigator rather than requiring state-specific approval.
• Credit is self-reported on Form PI-6 and is not pre-approved by DPSST; the Department reserves the right to approve or disapprove reported hours. Confirm any questionable course directly with DPSST before relying on it.
• PI Leadership Academy issues your completion certificate but does not submit it to DPSST on your behalf. You are responsible for self-reporting your hours on Form PI-6 at renewal and keeping your records for four years.