You will need to apply for your Unique Student Identifier number.
You can then apply for a course to study Certificate III in Investigative Services either in a classroom (recommended if you have no previous experience) or online. If you have served as a Police Officer, you can apply for Recognition of Prior Learning and if your service was in the UK, then Contact Us for guidance.
Follow the instructions here in order to get your licences through WAPOL at Cannington and have your fingerprints taken by them. The licences usually take 3-4 weeks to come through.
What many trainers neglect to tell you right from the start, is that without an Inquiry Agent’s Licence, your Investigator’s Licence could be a waste of time and money. Due to the inconsistencies in the industry (no-one can predict when or where an investigation will be required), no company will employ you full or part-time, it is usually subcontract work. In order to advertise your services or simply supply your resume in response to someone else’s advert, you need an Inquiry Agent’s Licence. In WA, this entails taking an open book multiple choice test, which you take at the Licensing Section. See this link https://www.police.wa.gov.au/About-Us/Our-Agency/Police-Licensing-Services/Security/Licence-applications#Inquiry_Agent_Licence for further conditions.
If you are a migrant, you will need to apply for a Police Check in any other countries you have lived in. For example, if you are from the UK, you will need to apply to the CRO here , where you can now pay by EFT. You may need your fingerprints taking first, which we can do for you. The certificate will probably take weeks to come through. If you have lived in several countries, it is recommended that you contact your Police Licensing Section to find out how far back they want you to go. You do not need to apply for a Police Check in Australia, that will be done automatically when you submit the application for your licences.
Although FNSMCA303 Serve Legal Process is one of the modules in the Certificate III in Investigative Services, it is not taught as a stand-alone subject.
You do not need any licences to be a Process Server in Western Australia (unlike some eastern states), you just need a driving licence, a vehicle, a mobile phone, a computer, a colour printer/scanner capable of scanning multiple pages into one pdf document, and an ABN.
Process Servers visit residential or business premises to serve Court Documents and complete a pre-filled Affidavit of Service, which is then witnessed in the presence of a Justice of the Peace.
This type of work suits mature persons who are former police officers, prison officers, security guards, or those with military or credit control backgrounds. While assaults are very rare, they are a theoretical risk, and you would need to know instinctually when to back away and how to defend yourself. You would need to have a balance of persistence and tact and be capable of showing empathy to victims of domestic violence.
While we endeavour to supply you with information about the Defendant/Respondent’s routine, it would be up to you to decide what time of day to make an attempt at service, which could be between 5am-9pm (more likely 7am-7pm) 365 days of the year (contrary to popular opinion, we can serve on public holidays). As a result, this type of work suits those working full or part time or retired persons.
Although full guidance will be provided regards the clerical side of things, you would need to be able to speak and write English fluently and have a meticulous eye for detail on Court documents.
We used to employ Process Servers on an ad hoc contract basis, however, due to legislative changes, we can only give this kind of work now to independent service providers. We are always looking to expand our list of service providers, especially in regional areas so, if you are interested, please Contact Us with the following details:
