Missing persons: locating someone legally

Written by Guillaume Pouillier, CNAPS-licensed private detective, licence no. AGD 095-2024-03-06-20190240581 · Last updated: July 14, 2026

Locating someone is not finding a lead: it is verifying an address. Online searches produce namesakes and stale addresses; our method combines open sources, administrative research and field verification to deliver a certain location, usable for anything from a registered letter to formal service of process.

Who can you search for, and on what grounds?

A debtor to serve or enforce against, a relative you lost touch with, a witness needed in proceedings, an heir called to an estate, a former partner or contractor who vanished. The common thread: a legitimate purpose, which we verify at the initial consultation, a legal requirement, not a formality.

We decline requests whose purpose is vague or risky: locating an ex-partner without proceedings or serious grounds, finding someone who has clearly chosen to cut ties when no legal right is at stake. That filter protects the person sought, but also the client, a location misused engages everyone’s liability. For worrying disappearances, reporting to the authorities always comes first; our investigation complements, never replaces, police work.

How does a person trace unfold?

Three phases: reconstruction (civil status, chronology, last known environment), documentary research (open sources, administrative and digital footprint, professional surroundings) and field verification, because an address only counts once verified on site, not deduced from a screen.

Difficulty varies widely: a settled person is found within days; a mobile debtor organising their own untraceability takes weeks and several successive verifications. Internationally, our correspondents take over (Europe, North America, North Africa notably). In every case you know from the consultation the estimated probability of success and the budget per phase, and if the trail goes cold, we tell you rather than bill useless hours.

What do you receive at the end of the assignment?

A report with the verified actual address, the verification elements (dates, observations, cross-checks) and, per the mandate: apparent professional situation, solvency indicators, photograph of the location. The document is designed for its intended use, service, proceedings, renewed contact.

If your goal is renewed family contact, we can carry a first message rather than hand you the raw address: the person found keeps control of the relationship, which respects their privacy and markedly increases the odds of a positive answer. That discreet mediation often makes the difference between a reunion and a closed door. For contentious use, see also debtor tracing, calibrated for enforcement.

Is it legal: and will the person know?

Yes, it is legal: the activity is regulated by the French Internal Security Code (art. L621-1) and the data-protection authority, subject to legitimate purpose and proportionality. And no, the person is not alerted during the investigation: our checks are done from public space, with no unsolicited contact.

The hand-over complies with the GDPR: data collected is limited to the mandate’s purpose, kept for the statutory period then deleted, and never passed to third parties. If the person found declines any contact in a family matter, we relay that refusal, not their address, where no legal right overrides it. That clear line is also your legal protection.

How much does it cost?

Our assignments start at €85/hour (excl. VAT) (full day €850, volume discounts). Every case gets a free written quote before any commitment, no hidden fees.

A standard trace in France is handled through documentary sessions plus one field verification. Old or international files are quoted in phases, with a stop point at each stage: you never fund a dead trail.

See the full price list.

Frequently asked questions