Skip Tracing in Florida — Golden Process Service
Golden Process Service provides professional skip tracing to locate defendants who have moved, gone into hiding, or otherwise cannot be found at their last known address. When standard service attempts fail, our investigative tools and database resources help you find the person — or build the documentation you need for service by publication.
Quick answer
Skip tracing is the process of locating a defendant who cannot be found at the address on the pleadings. Golden Process Service runs licensed database searches, verifies the address in person before dispatching a server, and — where the subject truly cannot be found — returns an Affidavit of Diligent Search that supports constructive service under Chapter 49.
What Is Skip Tracing?
"Skip tracing" refers to the process of tracking down a person who has "skipped" — left their known address without providing forwarding information, often to avoid legal obligations. In service of process, a trace becomes essential when a defendant cannot be located at the address provided by the plaintiff or when multiple service attempts at a known address have failed.
Golden Process Service employs professional-grade investigative databases, public records searches, and field verification techniques to locate individuals across Florida and nationwide. Founded in 2018 and headquartered at 9715 W Broward Blvd, Ste 322, Plantation, FL 33324, we serve attorneys, law firms, landlords, and individuals who need to find someone to advance their legal case.
A good trace is not guesswork. It is a systematic process that draws on multiple data sources — utility records, DMV data, voter registration, property records, social media, employment databases, and more — to develop a current, verified address for the target individual. Done carefully, it significantly increases the odds of successful service.
When Do You Need a Skip Trace?
Failed Service Attempts
When Golden Process Service or another server has made multiple attempts at the defendant's last known address without success — the person has moved, the address is vacant, or neighbors confirm the person no longer lives there — a skip trace is the next step.
Outdated Address Information
Cases filed months or years after the underlying events often involve stale address data. People move. Leases expire. A database search through Golden Process Service can locate a current address using the most up-to-date databases available.
Intentional Evasion
Some defendants actively avoid service. They refuse to answer the door, use alternate addresses, or instruct family members to deny their presence. Our searches can uncover alternate locations — workplaces, relatives' addresses, vehicles — to enable successful service.
Limited Information
Sometimes all you have is a name. Golden Process Service can work from minimal information — a name, a previous address, a phone number, a date of birth — and build a complete location profile using professional investigative tools.
How Our Locate Process Works
1. Information Gathering
We start with everything you have: the defendant's full name, last known address, date of birth, Social Security number (if available), phone numbers, email addresses, employer information, vehicle details, and any other identifying data. The more information you provide, the faster and more accurate the search.
2. Database Searches
Golden Process Service subscribes to professional investigative databases that aggregate billions of records from public and proprietary sources. We search utility connections, property ownership records, DMV registrations, voter rolls, court records, credit header data, and other sources to identify the target's current whereabouts.
3. Cross-Referencing & Analysis
Raw database hits are just the beginning. Our team cross-references results across multiple sources to verify accuracy. A new address must be corroborated by multiple data points — a utility connection, a DMV record, and a property record, for example — before we report it as a verified location.
4. Field Verification (When Needed)
In complex cases, Golden Process Service can arrange field verification — sending a server to confirm the target is actually at the identified address before a formal service attempt. This is especially valuable when multiple addresses surface or when the defendant has a history of moving frequently.
5. Reporting & Next Steps
You receive a detailed skip trace report with all findings. If a current address is located, Golden Process Service can immediately assign a process server to attempt service. If the target cannot be located despite diligent efforts, we prepare an Affidavit of Diligent Search.
Professional Skip Tracing That Gets Results
Golden Process Service uses professional databases and investigative techniques to find evasive parties — then serves them on the spot.
Affidavit of Diligent Search for Service by Publication
When a defendant cannot be located despite a thorough search, Florida law provides an alternative: service by publication. Under Florida Statute §49.031, a plaintiff may serve a defendant by publishing notice in a newspaper — but only after filing a sworn Affidavit of Diligent Search and Inquiry with the court.
This affidavit must detail every effort made to locate the defendant, including the databases searched, the addresses checked, the records reviewed, and the results obtained. Courts scrutinize these affidavits carefully because service by publication is a last resort that may limit the defendant's ability to respond.
Golden Process Service prepares thorough, court-ready Affidavits of Diligent Search that document every step of the investigation. Our affidavits are designed to satisfy the requirements of Florida courts and withstand challenges from opposing counsel. We include:
- A detailed chronology of all search efforts
- Identification of every database and public record source consulted
- Results of each search (addresses found, attempts made, outcomes)
- Sworn statement that diligent efforts were made to locate the defendant
If you are preparing a motion for service by publication, Golden Process Service provides the documentation your court requires. Call (888) 766-7497 or send work online.
Locating Defendants Across Florida and Nationwide
Golden Process Service locates subjects anywhere in the United States. Our database access is national in scope, and when we locate a defendant outside Florida, we coordinate with partner servers for out-of-state service.
Skip Tracing FAQ
What is skip tracing?
Skip tracing is the process of locating a person who has "skipped" — moved or gone into hiding to avoid legal service, debt collection, or other obligations. Golden Process Service uses professional investigative databases, public records, and field verification to find current addresses for defendants across Florida and nationwide. Call (888) 766-7497 to get started.
How much does skip tracing cost at Golden Process Service?
Fees vary based on the complexity of the search. Basic database searches are available at a flat rate, while advanced investigations requiring multiple database pulls and field verification are priced accordingly. Call (888) 766-7497 for a quote tailored to your case.
What is an Affidavit of Diligent Search?
An Affidavit of Diligent Search is a sworn document detailing all efforts made to locate a defendant. Under Florida Statute §49.031, this affidavit is required before a court will authorize service by publication. Golden Process Service prepares court-ready affidavits that satisfy Florida court requirements.
When should I request skip tracing from Golden Process Service?
Request a trace when the defendant cannot be found at their last known address, when multiple service attempts have failed, when you have limited identifying information, or when you suspect the defendant has relocated to avoid service. Send your request online or call (888) 766-7497.
Can Golden Process Service skip trace and serve process together?
Yes. Golden Process Service bundles the locate with process serving. Once we locate the defendant, we immediately assign a licensed server to attempt service at the new address. This saves time and ensures continuity throughout the process. Send work now.
Can't Find the Defendant?
Golden Process Service locates evasive parties and prepares Affidavits of Diligent Search for service by publication.
What Sets Golden Process Service Apart on Locates
Golden Process Service has handled locates for Florida attorneys, paralegals and corporate legal departments since 2018. What separates a competent trace from the kind that gets challenged is not speed — it is the affidavit. Ours names the date, time, address, method and person served, every time, because that document is the only part of this work a judge ever reads.
Service of process in Florida runs under Chapter 48, Florida Statutes, which sets out who may serve, how personal and substitute service work, and what a return has to state. Golden Process Service uses certified servers appointed in the circuits we work, and we are members of both FAPPS and NAPPS.
Every locate request is started the same business day it arrives, tracked step by step, and covered by flat-rate pricing published on our rates page. Once an address is confirmed, a server is assigned to attempt service there, so the search and the serve run as one job. See our service locations for city and county coverage, or contact Golden Process Service to talk through a specific matter.
Skip Tracing by Florida City
Golden Process Service covers all 67 Florida counties. These cities have dedicated local pages with courthouse, ZIP code and neighbourhood detail.