Business and legal matters
Skip Tracing Explained
Skip tracing is the work of finding someone who has 'skipped': moved without a forwarding address, sometimes on purpose.
Key points
- Used for service, collections, witnesses and heirs
- Databases are leads, not answers
- Permissible purpose and safety rules apply
Who uses it
Attorneys, creditors, process servers, landlords, insurers and families.
How it works
Analysis of address histories, utilities and associations where lawfully available, employment, court records and online presence, followed by verification. See skip tracing.
Why verification matters
Serving the wrong person or pursuing the wrong debtor causes real harm and legal exposure.
Legal limits
Permissible purpose requirements, the Driver's Privacy Protection Act, the FDCPA for collectors, and a ban on pretexting for protected records.
Common questions
Is skip tracing legal?
Yes, for lawful purposes using lawful sources.
How is it different from a people search?
The subject is often avoiding contact, so the work is more investigative.
Do you contact the person?
Not unless agreed and appropriate.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and vary by state; consult an attorney about your situation. See our legal disclaimer.
Related services
Services connected to this guide.
Skip Tracing
Locating people who have moved without leaving a forwarding address.
Locate & Records ResearchDebtor Location
Current-address and contact research on individuals who owe money.
Legal & Litigation SupportLocate & Identify Defendants
Identifying the correct party and current address for a legal action.
Keep reading
Related guides.
How to Find Someone Who Moved
How to find someone who moved: what you can try yourself, why online results mislead, and how detectives verify a current address.
Business and legal mattersHow to Collect on a Judgment
Steps to collect a court judgment: locating the debtor, identifying assets and income, and the legal remedies your attorney can pursue.
Business and legal mattersHow to Find a Witness for a Case
How to find witnesses who moved or stopped responding: what to gather, locate methods, field verification, and lawful contact.
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