Las Vegas/Nevada/SW MSing

January 10, 2026 12:15PM

I've heard or read that one cannot do any MS shops in Las Vegas without a special license?

In a couple weeks, I am headed to LV, then a portion of Route 66, then Yuma and finally San Diego
This will be a road trip.
Is there some boundary line beyond which one can do shops? like outside the city limits or is it state wide?
Anyone who shops the desert SW, would appreciate any tips.
Many thanks

Life was passing like a hand waving from a train I wanted to be on

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More About Gas Station Mystery Shopping

January 10, 2026 02:52PM

My understanding is thst all of Nevada (Stste law) requires mystery shoppers work (often as a contrsctor) under a licensed private investigator. Mystery shopping in Nevada requires a Private Investigator (PI) work card due to state law (NRS 648.012) regulating it as a PI activity.

Shopping South Jersey, Southeast Pennsylvania, and Delaware above the canal since 2008

January 10, 2026 03:12PM

thank you for clarifying that for me!

Life was passing like a hand waving from a train I wanted to be on

January 10, 2026 05:21PM

Have fun! But yeah, don't work in NV. I think the MSCs have guardrails in place to keep people without a license on file from claiming tasks but if you managed to assign one, I doubt very much they would pay you.

January 10, 2026 09:30PM

Sounds like fun Bare, You can't shop in the state of NV. I don't know the rules exactly but I've been told you either have to have a PI license or be employed by a PI. I can't concentrate on a shop in Vegas anyway, I'm constantly looking at stuff I want to do or get drunk at..

January 11, 2026 09:06AM

You are an EMPLOYEE of a licensed PI firm when doing mystery/secret shopping in all of NV. You have to have a license through the state and it was like $75 the last time I did it and it is for 5 years. It's a fingerprint/background check. If you find an MSC that is assigning you as a non-licensed shopper, the penalties are huge for both the company and the person doing the shop.

It's beautiful weather now in the desert, but it is on the colder side too (not midwest or buffalo cold) but still cold.

January 11, 2026 01:41PM

ok, I won't even look in NV, maybe when we cross over into AZ lol....not sure. See how it all goes.
Yes, i am thrilled to be headed to the desert...jacket weather is good.

I love desert hiking in winter.... and taking photos. I love the desert. May leave the rental car in Yuma
and head over to Log Algodones for the day.....extra pair of glasses lol and margaritas and tacos!

Life was passing like a hand waving from a train I wanted to be on

January 13, 2026 05:48PM

Moriedzep is correct; You either have to have a PI license or be employed by a PI. No, you cannot mystery shop legally in NV without a license. If you do, both you and the licensed PI for whom you are employed will need to pay a substantial fine. If you make a trip to NV, have fun and enjoy it. Working on vacation is for people who are not self-employed.

Here is a consideration that none of you have mentioned: What shops do you think that as a one-time NV shopper you will get? You will probably get the hard-to-fill shops that the NV resident shoppers do not want. IMO, it is not worthwhile to buy a license to shop one time while on vacation. BTW, $75 for a license is a historical price.

January 14, 2026 11:50PM

Does this only include traditional mystery shopping or od apps like Field Agent also have to abide by these PI laws? Just out of curiosity I put a Las Vegas ZIP code into Field Agent and it showed me jobs.

January 15, 2026 12:24AM

@eclark3 wrote:

Does this only include traditional mystery shopping or od apps like Field Agent also have to abide by these PI laws? Just out of curiosity I put a Las Vegas ZIP code into Field Agent and it showed me jobs.

How many shops would you have to do to cover the fine if you get caught once? It was $2500 last I heard. Covert photos seem a pretty obvious example of a mystery shop activity to me, why risk it?
If you are going to MS in NV, do it right so you can get the good jobs.

January 16, 2026 09:33PM

Call coyle, RBG, Bestmark and Marketforce. A Google Search gave me these.

January 17, 2026 08:26AM

Coyle does not have PI license. They use a Nevada company to fill their shops. I do not know what Bestmark does. Marketforce used to use a Nevada company. I think they invested in getting a license since they do so many shops and felt it might be worth it to not have to pay a 3rd party.

I think I remember @AZwolfman saying that if you shop for Marketforce in Nevada...you cannot shop them in any other state.

January 17, 2026 02:49PM

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

I think I remember @AZwolfman saying that if you shop for Marketforce in Nevada...you cannot shop them in any other state.

Yes; Back when I was licensed for NV, Marketforce made me choose. The code you as a Nevada shopper if you are in that system and then you cannot see any other shops.

It seems crazy on one hand, sine obviously shoppers from NV could come to CA and be useful, but the pay system was tied into their software as I recall it, which is why they make a clean division. I got paid MUCH better for MF shops in Vegas, so I went that direction.

January 17, 2026 04:56PM

@SteveSoCal

Clearly short-sighted thinking on behalf of Marketforce. It would be easy to code an "if shop = NV, then x, else y"

HS Brands doesn't make you choose. They must realize it's smarter to have non-NV residents be shoppers in NV and surrounding states.

People in Georgia must not understand the amount of business/travel in NV that comes from CA.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/2026 04:56PM by hbbigdaddy.

January 19, 2026 04:01PM

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

People in Georgia must not understand the amount of business/travel in NV that comes from CA.

In the way back, QSI used to pay me to teach their shoppers how to handle the hospitality shops, since they were getting complaints about them always being made. It was basically a class in how to look like you were from CA.

January 24, 2026 01:28AM

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

@SteveSoCal

HS Brands doesn't make you choose. They must realize it's smarter to have non-NV residents be shoppers in NV and surrounding .

Actually, I think it's the other way around. They realize it's smart to have NV residents also shop surrounding states.

January 30, 2026 09:25PM

ALL Mystery shops in Nevada require a PILB. Any company doing undercover audits of this type in NV must have a licensed PI on staff and each shopper must have their PILB Card (simple background check as others have mentioned) to perform shops/undercover audits. This is mandated and regulated by the NV PILB.

January 30, 2026 09:29PM

From my understanding you are associated with a mystery shopping company.
May I ask why you don't have this listed in a signature line? I always thought that was required here???

@Dutch55 wrote:

ALL Mystery shops in Nevada require a PILB. Any company doing undercover audits of this type in NV must have a licensed PI on staff and each shopper must have their PILB Card (simple background check as others have mentioned) to perform shops/undercover audits. This is mandated and regulated by the NV PILB.

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