# Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 23: Necessity of private detective license; exceptions > Massachusetts · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S23 ## Section - **Citation:** Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 23 - **Heading:** Necessity of private detective license; exceptions - **Jurisdiction:** Massachusetts - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** MA Code / Part I / Title XX / Chapter 147 / Section 23 ## Text Section 23. No person shall engage in, advertise or hold himself out as being engaged in, nor solicit private detective business or the business of watch, guard or patrol agency, notwithstanding the name or title used in describing such business, unless licensed for such purpose as provided in section twenty-five. The provisions of this section shall not apply to an agent, employee or assistant of a licensee, to any corporation, if its resident manager, superintendent or official representative is a licensee, nor to the following:— 1. A person employed by or on behalf of the commonwealth, including the general court or either of its branches, any committee of the general court or either of its branches, any special commission required to report to the general court, any political subdivision of the commonwealth or any public instrumentality, while such person is engaged in the discharge of his official duties. 2. A charitable, philanthropic or law enforcement agency, duly incorporated under the laws of the commonwealth, or any agent thereof while he is engaged in the discharge of his duties as such agent; provided, that such agency is promoted and maintained for the public good and not for private profit. 3. A person employed as an investigator, detective, watchman, guard, patrolman, or employed or assigned to perform any of the activities described in the definition ''watch, guard or patrol agency'' or whose duties include an inquiry into the fitness of an applicant for employment, in connection with the regular and customary business of his employer and whose services are not let out to another for profit or gain, but only while so acting for his employer. 4. A credit reporting bureau or agency whose business is principally the furnishing of information as to business and financial standing and credit responsibility. 5. Investigations as to the personal habits and financial responsibility of applicants for insurance or indemnity bonds, provided, such investigations do not include other activities described in section twenty-two. 6. An attorney at law in the practice of his profession. 7. Investigations with respect to, or the compilation or dissemination of, any data or statistics pertaining to any business or industry, by any trade or business association, board or organization, incorporated or unincorporated, not operated for profit, representing persons engaged in such business or industry, or by any agent of any such trade or business association while he is engaged in the discharge of his duties as such agent. 8. An insurance adjuster or investigator while acting in such capacity as an employee. 9. Any trade or business association, board or organization, incorporated or unincorporated, which furnishes as a service to members thereof, information pertaining to the business and financial standing, credit responsibility or reputation of persons with whom such members consider doing business; provided, that an investigation conducted by such association, board or organization shall be no more extensive than is reasonably required to determine the business and financial standing, credit responsibility or reputation of such person. 10. A person engaged in earning his livelihood by genealogical work and the compilation of family history while so engaged. 11. A person hired by the owner of a residential dwelling for the limited purpose of inspecting the exterior of an unoccupied residential dwelling for storm damage. 12. Individuals who are independently and currently licensed by the commonwealth in a profession or field of expertise, whereby they are exclusively utilized and confined in conducting an investigation to that profession or field of expertise, inasmuch as the context and extent of their inquiry and investigation does not exceed the particular area of their profession or field of expertise in which they are independently licensed within the commonwealth nsed by the commonwealth in a profession or field of expertise, whereby they are exclusively utilized and confined in conducting an investigation to that profession or field of expertise, inasmuch as the context and extent of their inquiry and investigation does not exceed the particular area of their profession or field of expertise in which they are independently licensed within the commonwealth. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than two hundred nor more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Section 23. No person shall engage in, advertise or hold himself out as being engaged in, nor solicit private detective business or the business of watch, guard or patrol agency, notwithstanding the name or title used in describing such business, unless licensed for such purpose as provided in section twenty-five. The provisions of this section shall not apply to an agent, employee or assistant of a licensee, to any corporation, if its resident manager, superintendent or official representative is a licensee, nor to the following:— 1. A person employed by or on behalf of the commonwealth, including the general court or either of its branches, any committee of the general court or either of its branches, any special commission required to report to the general court, any political subdivision of the commonwealth or any public instrumentality, while such person is engaged in the discharge of his official duties. 2. A charitable, philanthropic or law enforcement agency, duly incorporated under the laws of the commonwealth, or any agent thereof while he is engaged in the discharge of his duties as such agent; provided, that such agency is promoted and maintained for the public good and not for private profit. 3. A person employed as an investigator, detective, watchman, guard, patrolman, or employed or assigned to perform any of the activities described in the definition ''watch, guard or patrol agency'' or whose duties include an inquiry into the fitness of an applicant for employment, in connection with the regular and customary business of his employer and whose services are not let out to another for profit or gain, but only while so acting for his employer. 4. A credit reporting bureau or agency whose business is principally the furnishing of information as to business and financial standing and credit responsibility. 5. Investigations as to the personal habits and financial responsibility of applicants for insurance or indemnity bonds, provided, such investigations do not include other activities described in section twenty-two. 6. An attorney at law in the practice of his profession. 7. Investigations with respect to, or the compilation or dissemination of, any data or statistics pertaining to any business or industry, by any trade or business association, board or organization, incorporated or unincorporated, not operated for profit, representing persons engaged in such business or industry, or by any agent of any such trade or business association while he is engaged in the discharge of his duties as such agent. 8. An insurance adjuster or investigator while acting in such capacity as an employee. 9. Any trade or business association, board or organization, incorporated or unincorporated, which furnishes as a service to members thereof, information pertaining to the business and financial standing, credit responsibility or reputation of persons with whom such members consider doing business; provided, that an investigation conducted by such association, board or organization shall be no more extensive than is reasonably required to determine the business and financial standing, credit responsibility or reputation of such person. 10. A person engaged in earning his livelihood by genealogical work and the compilation of family history while so engaged. members consider doing business; provided, that an investigation conducted by such association, board or organization shall be no more extensive than is reasonably required to determine the business and financial standing, credit responsibility or reputation of such person. 10. A person engaged in earning his livelihood by genealogical work and the compilation of family history while so engaged. 11. A person hired by the owner of a residential dwelling for the limited purpose of inspecting the exterior of an unoccupied residential dwelling for storm damage. 12. Individuals who are independently and currently licensed by the commonwealth in a profession or field of expertise, whereby they are exclusively utilized and confined in conducting an investigation to that profession or field of expertise, inasmuch as the context and extent of their inquiry and investigation does not exceed the particular area of their profession or field of expertise in which they are independently licensed within the commonwealth. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than two hundred nor more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. ## Nearby sections - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 1 Definitions and duties of commissioner and division of occupational licensure](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S1.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 2 Inspectors; powers and duties; appointment as special state police](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S2.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 3 Rewards or gifts for services; failure to perform duties](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S3.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 8 County police; appointment; badge; powers](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S8.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 8A Carrying police weapons and equipment](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S8A.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 10F Parking control officers](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S10F.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 11 Cities authorized to establish police force; appointments to force](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S11.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 12 Number of members](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S12.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 13 Assignment to duty; powers and duties; compensation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S13.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 13A Towns authorized to establish reserve police force; number; appointments; removal; regulations; powers and duties; compensation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S13A.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 13B Reserve police forces in cities; appointments from civil service eligible list](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S13B.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 13C Reserve police forces in towns; appointments from civil service eligible list](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S13C.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 14 Days off for police; one day out of thirty](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S14.md) - [Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 147, sec. 15 Days off for police; one day out of fifteen](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S15.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MA_PI_TXX_C147_S23. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.