Texas Private Investigations: Company Representative Exam Preparation
On-Demand CourseCourse Overview
Prepare for the Texas Department of Public Safety's company representative exam — the licensing exam required to open or qualify a private investigations company in Texas. Taught by Catherine Flowers, a retired police officer and licensed PI, this 8-module course (roughly 10–12 study hours) covers the actual tested material from Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1702 and Texas Administrative Code Title 37, Chapter 35.
What's Included
- • 10 hours of comprehensive training
- • Professional certification upon completion
- • Access to course materials
Learning Objectives
- • How Texas regulates the private investigations industry
- • The exam itself: format, scoring, and how to prepare for it
- • How to qualify for and apply for a company license
- • Individual eligibility and pre-employment requirements
- • What work is regulated — and what's exempt
- • Record-keeping, conduct, and advertising rules
- • The complaint, discipline, and penalty process
- • How to stay licensed after you pass, plus an exam-day plan
Course Content
How Texas Regulates Private Investigations
- • The regulatory framework: one agency (Texas DPS) governing two documents — Occupations Code Chapter 1702 (the "what") and Administrative Code Chapter 35 (the "how")
- • The two-layer licensing system: company license (Class A or Class C) and individual licensing
- • The company representative role — what it is, why it exists, and the 2019 legislative reform that created it
- • How to distinguish a statute question from a rule question on the exam
The Exam, Inside and Out
- • The exam's exact format: 50 questions, two hours, open book, 70% to pass
- • How the state's five published content areas map onto this course's eight modules
- • Scheduling and retesting: the $100 reexamination fee and 90-day retest window
- • The open-book method: answer from knowledge, verify from a tabbed, self-indexed copy of the statutes
Qualifying and Applying for the Investigations Company License
- • Understanding the examination process and its requirements
- • The six qualifying pathways under Rule 35.121 (experience or education routes)
- • Step-by-step walkthrough of the company license application
Individual Eligibility and the Pre-Employment Check
- • Baseline eligibility requirements under Section 1702.113 (age, pending charges, competency, discharge status, registration status)
- • How Rule 35.4's conviction windows layer additional criminal-history screening on top of the baseline
- • The pre-employment check itself, including the 48-hour rule that triggers it
Scope and Exemptions
- • What legally counts as "investigations company" work vs. exempt activity
- • Key service categories, operational rules, and case examples illustrating the distinctions
- • Why getting scope right matters for compliance
Records, Conduct, and Advertising
- • Record retention rules: employee files (Rule 35.111, retained 2 years past last day worked) and business records (Rule 35.112, retained 2 years from service/contract completion)
- • Client contract requirements — written contract furnished within 7 days of request; subcontracting disclosure rules
- • Advertising standards for licensed companies
Complaints, Discipline, and Penalties
- • Administrative penalties: up to $5,000 per violation (each day a separate violation), scaled by seriousness, harm, history, and correction efforts
- • Criminal exposure: unauthorized employment and general violations as Class A misdemeanors, escalating to third-degree felony on repeat/prior conviction (House Bill 1400, 2021)
- • How administrative discipline and criminal prosecution run as separate, independent tracks
After You Pass: Staying Licensed, and Your Exam-Day Plan
- • Company license renewal: annual, with a 90-day renewal window before expiration
- • Individual license renewal: every two years, same 90-day window
- • Consequences of missed deadlines (late fees) and the compliance calendar for year two
- • Final exam-day strategy and readiness plan
Final Quiz
- • A full-length simulation of the actual state exam.
Your Instructor
Catherine D. Flowers
Catherine D. Flowers is the Founder & Director of PI Leadership Academy and Security Compliance Academy, and Founder & Lead Investigator of Cat's Eye Private Investigations. A licensed North Carolina private investigator since 1998 (NC #NCPI 2141) and a retired Raleigh Police Department officer with 25+ years in patrol, investigations, and community policing, Catherine brings over 27 years of combined law enforcement and investigative experience into every course she designs. She is a commissioned U.S. Army Military Police Corps veteran, an FAA Part 107–certified drone pilot, and an approved training provider or continuing education instructor across multiple states.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Texas company representative exam?
It's the licensing exam administered by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) that a company representative must pass to open or qualify a private investigations company in Texas under a Class A or Class C license.
How long does this course take?
Plan on roughly 10–12 study hours total, spread across 8 modules plus a final quiz.
What's the difference between a Class A and Class C license?
A Class A license covers investigations services only. A Class C license is a combined license covering both investigations and security contracting. (There's also a Class B license, for security contracting alone, but that's outside this course's scope.)
What does the actual DPS exam look like?
As of July 2026, it's 50 questions (true/false and multiple choice), two hours long, open book, with a 70% passing score.
Is this course approved by the Texas Department of Public Safety, or does it grant a license?
No to both. This is an independent exam-prep study course, not continuing education, and it isn't approved or endorsed by the DPS (no such approval exists for this course type). Only the DPS can issue your license, after you pass their exam and complete their application process.
Who should take this course?
It's built for experienced investigators moving into independent work, retiring law enforcement or military investigators entering the private sector, and out-of-state agency owners or licensed investigators entering the Texas market. No prior knowledge of Texas licensing law is required.
What happens if I don't pass the exam on the first try?
Texas DPS allows retesting, subject to a $100 reexamination fee and a 90-day retest window — both of which this course walks you through in Module 2.
What Our Students Say
"Catherine Flowers delivered exceptional active shooter response training for our organization that went far beyond basic protocols. Her real-world experience and emphasis on practical application made the training immediately valuable for our staff. She understands the unique challenges faced by victim service organizations and tailored the content to address our specific needs. The combination of situational awareness training and hands-on scenarios gave our team the confidence to implement critical safety protocols. Her professional approach and extensive knowledge made this one of the most valuable training investments for our staff's safety preparedness."
Rhonda.R
Executive Director of InterAct in Raleigh