So what does it really cost to hire a Professional Private Investigator in Flagler County , FL?  At Premier-Investigations & Forensics we have flat rate fees and  bundle services together so the client gets the most value for there  money. All our fees are transparent with no secondary costs. We have 4  different payment options available to make hiring a Private  Investigator reasonable for anyone in need as well as several discounts  running at any given time. We even bundle in some Free services. But we  get one questions above all others and that’s whats the price? How much  is it going to cost me to hire a Flagler County Private Investigator, whats the bottom  line or at least give me a ballpark figure? According to several  articles and studies there is no straight answer to this question. It  can be very case specific but most Private Investigators are licensed  professionals with hundreds of hours of training under their belts. But  unlike plumbers or mechanics Private Investigators are often called to  testify in legal proceedings as expert witnesses on your case and are  more akin to attorneys than other professional service providers. Like  any other professional service the hourly rate can vary significantly  anywhere from 60-$200 a hour. This can vary based on case type and area,  what it costs in Montana will be drastically different than what it  costs in NYC (which is about $200 or more a hour). You also need to be  prepared to pay a retainer up front for a specific amount of hours as  this is how 99% of investigative agencies work much like law firms. Most  retainers start around $1,500 and its not uncommon to see them as high  as $5,000 depending on your case. The national average seems to be  around $2,500-$3,000 This is for complex cases like criminal defense  investigations which involve reviewing discovery, formulating opinions,  interviewing witnesses,going to criminal court. Infidelity/cheating  spouse cases involving ongoing surveillance and photo video  documentation, cell phone forensics and going to family court, child  custody investigations, cyber investigations, missing person and cold  case investigations. Its not for flat rate services like a background  check, bug sweep or service of process. You should also be prepared to  pay for secondary costs like sales tax and mileage as well as courtroom  testimony. Review your retainer agreement carefully and also get copy of  the investigators state license! We encourage anyone looking to hire a  Private Investigator to do there own research into the average costs so  you have an understanding of what you can expect to pay.