Miami PI cost guide
How much does a private investigator cost in Miami?
The short answer: our licensed investigative work runs $100-$200 per hour, surveillance carries a 4-hour minimum per assignment, and background reports are quoted per report. Those are our real, published terms, and every case gets a fixed written quote before any work begins.
No open-ended billing. No hidden fees. You approve the exact number first.
Florida Class A Licensed Agency #A1900157 · Se habla español
Our published rates
What we actually charge.
Most agencies hide their pricing until you call. We publish ours, because if you are comparing investigators you deserve a straight answer before you pick up the phone.
- Hourly investigative work
- Covers surveillance, fraud, corporate and most casework. The exact rate depends on case type, complexity, location and scope, and is fixed in writing before we start.
- Surveillance minimum
- Surveillance needs time on site to produce usable evidence. Shorter blocks waste your money, so we do not sell them.
- Background reports
- Scoped in your free consultation and usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours.
- Initial consultation
- An honest assessment of what can be investigated and what it will cost. Confidential, no obligation.
$100-$200 per hour
4 hours per assignment
Quoted per report
Free
What drives the price
Four things decide what your case costs.
Case type
A background report is a fixed, research-driven product. Surveillance is fieldwork billed by the hour. Corporate fraud or asset work can involve records research across several jurisdictions. The type of case sets the baseline more than anything else.
Hours and personnel
The biggest variable in surveillance is simply how many hours it takes for the subject's real routine to play out, and whether the situation needs one investigator or a multi-vehicle team. We scope this honestly in the consultation instead of letting hours run open-ended.
Urgency
Surveillance can usually begin within 24 to 48 hours of your go-ahead, but compressed timelines can require pulling in additional personnel. If your matter can wait a day or two for proper planning, that usually works in your favor.
Travel and location
Casework across Miami-Dade is our home turf. Assignments in Broward or Palm Beach, multi-county cases, or subjects who move around a lot add drive time and sometimes a second vehicle. Any travel appears in your quote, never as a surprise.
Cost by service
Typical cost by type of investigation.
Where we publish an anchor, it is listed below. Services marked "quoted per case" vary too much for an honest flat number, so we price them individually after the free consultation. Either way, the quote is fixed in writing before work begins.
| Service | Pricing | What affects it |
|---|---|---|
| Infidelity and domestic surveillance | $100-$200/hr, 4-hr minimum | Most cases take one to several assignments depending on the subject's schedule. |
| Background checks and verification | Quoted per report | Delivered in 24 to 48 hours for most reports. |
| Insurance fraud and claim surveillance | $100-$200/hr | Scoped per claim; multi-day observation is common. |
| Corporate and business investigations | Quoted per case | Depends on records scope, interviews and duration. |
| Asset search and recovery | Quoted per case | Depends on jurisdictions and depth of research. |
| Bug sweeps (TSCM) | Quoted per space | Priced by square footage and number of rooms or vehicles. |
| Executive protection | Quoted per assignment | Depends on team size, hours and the risk profile of the assignment. |
Rates shown are typical ranges and starting points, not a quote. The exact rate for your case is confirmed in writing before work begins. Case-related expenses such as approved travel or database costs are itemized in your quote.
Market context
How Miami rates compare.
Rates vary widely across South Florida. Some firms advertise a low hourly number, then add report fees, mileage or administrative charges that only appear on the invoice. Others quote per engagement, where the total depends on hours and personnel and is hard to compare until you're already committed.
What we do differently is simple: our rates are published, the consultation is free, the quote is fixed and written, and every expense is itemized in that quote. The number you approve is the number you pay.
Payment options
Pay the way that works for you.
You choose the payment method after you approve the quote. Nothing is charged before the scope and price are agreed in writing.
Zelle, Cash App or Venmo: no fees
You pay exactly the quoted price. Call us and we set it up in a minute.
Card, including Klarna installments
Convenient and instant, and you can split the cost into installments with Klarna. A small card-processing fee applies, disclosed with your quote before you pay.
A warning about cheap
The most expensive investigator is an unlicensed one.
If a quote sounds too good to be true, ask for the Florida agency license number before anything else. Unlicensed operators are breaking Chapter 493, carry no required insurance, and evidence they gather unlawfully can be thrown out of court or, worse, expose you to legal liability. Paying twice, once for the cheap investigator and once for a licensed one to redo the work properly, costs far more than doing it right the first time.
Every licensed Florida agency and investigator can be verified with the state in minutes. We encourage you to check ours before you hire us.
Verify us first. We insist.
- Florida Class A Investigative Agency
- A1900157
- Florida Class C Private Investigator
- C1500297
Rated 5.0 from 11 Google reviews. Licensed, insured, and directed personally by our lead investigator on every case.
Questions
Answers before you call.
How much does a private investigator cost in Miami?+
Most licensed Miami investigators charge hourly, and rates vary widely across South Florida; some firms advertise a low hourly number, then add report fees, mileage or administrative charges on the invoice. Our published rate is $100 to $200 per hour depending on the type of case, complexity, location and scope. Your consultation is free and you receive a fixed written quote before anything begins.
How much does infidelity surveillance cost?+
Surveillance is billed hourly with a 4-hour minimum per assignment, so a single assignment typically starts at four times the hourly rate. The total depends on how many assignments the case needs, which follows the subject's schedule. You get a fixed quote for your specific situation before we start.
How much does a background check cost?+
Background reports are quoted individually and usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. Deeper investigations, such as full due diligence on a business partner, are scoped per case after the free consultation.
Is the consultation really free?+
Yes. You tell us what is happening, we tell you honestly what can be investigated, what it will cost, and whether an investigation even makes sense. There is no charge and no obligation, and you do not need to give your full name to have that first conversation.
Are there hidden fees?+
No. Any case-related expenses, such as approved travel, specialized research or database costs, appear in your written quote before work begins. Payments by Zelle, Cash App or Venmo carry no fees at all; card payments add a small processing fee that is disclosed with your quote.
Can I pay a private investigator in installments?+
Yes. If you pay by card you can split the cost into installments with Klarna. Many clients prefer this for larger surveillance cases.
Why are some private investigators so much cheaper?+
Unusually low rates often mean an unlicensed operator, and hiring one is a real risk: evidence gathered unlawfully can be useless in court and can expose you legally. Always verify a Florida agency license with FDACS before you hire anyone. Ours is #A1900157 and you can check it in minutes.
Get your exact number, free.
Tell us what is happening in one confidential conversation. You get an honest assessment and a fixed written quote, and you decide from there. No pressure, no obligation.
Call for a free, confidential consultation · 24/7
(786) 273-5915