A person physically goes to the address and establishes whether the property is occupied, whether your subject lives there, and what condition it is in — documented with photographs, GPS coordinates, and a written field report.
Knowing whether someone actually lives at an address changes what everything after it costs.
Databases tell you where someone's mail goes. They do not tell you whether the house is empty, whether the subject moved out eight months ago, whether a new family has been there since spring, or whether the property has been vacant long enough that the utilities are off. Only a person standing in front of the property can tell you that.
Occupancy verification is a field visit with a defined question and a documented answer. We go to the address, observe, make appropriate contact, and report what is actually there: occupied or vacant, by whom, since roughly when, with photographs of the exterior, vehicles present, mail and package accumulation, utility indicators, and posted notices.
Because certified mail is a normal first method here, an unverified address costs weeks rather than days. A verification visit that takes a day can prevent a Rule 4.1(A)(1) mailing from sitting unclaimed for a month at an address the subject left last year. For any file where the address came from an old lease, an old application, or a third party, verifying first is simply the cheaper order of operations.
It also strengthens the record. When a skip trace produces a probable address, a verification turns a strong indication into a documented fact. When a serve needs to happen fast, verifying first means same-day dispatch goes to a real address rather than an empty one.
Verification visits are conducted courteously and without misrepresentation. We identify ourselves appropriately, we do not enter property we have no right to enter, and we do not use pretext to extract information. What we report is what was observed and what was voluntarily stated — which is precisely what makes the report usable later.
Observation, documentation, and a clear conclusion — not an opinion.
A streamlined process built to keep your case moving forward with zero guesswork.
The files where confirming the address first changes the whole plan.
Straight answers to what Indiana firms ask us most about this service.
A skip trace develops where someone probably is, working from records. Occupancy verification confirms whether they are actually there, working from a physical visit. They pair naturally — trace to find the likely address, verify to confirm it before you act.
Most verifications are completed within twenty-four to forty-eight hours across the Indianapolis metro. Same-day verification is available when paired with an urgent serve.
Where appropriate and where it can be done courteously, yes. We identify ourselves properly and never use pretext or misrepresentation. Often the observable indicators alone answer the question without needing to knock.
No. Verification is conducted from public vantage points and lawful approach to the door. We do not enter property we have no right to enter, which is part of what keeps the report usable.
Yes, and it is often the efficient approach when a skip trace turns up two or three plausible addresses. Verifying all of them at once usually costs less than serving the wrong one.
The reports are written to be filed — photographs, GPS stamps, timestamps, and observations recorded contemporaneously rather than reconstructed. A sworn affidavit from the verifying agent is available on request.
The information on this page is general information about service of process in Indiana and is not legal advice. Court rules change and their application depends on the facts of your matter — consult an attorney for advice on your case. Signature Serves & Investigations is a process serving and legal support company, not a law firm.
Find out for certain before you spend money acting on an address that may be two moves out of date.
Most assignments touch more than one of these. We handle them under one file and one invoice.
Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Boone and Hancock counties, under one point of contact.
Call, email, or send the assignment straight through the form — we confirm receipt the same business day.