How to Find a Mailing Address: Tips and Tricks

Richard Grey - April 10, 2025

We live in a digital world where it’s often easier to reach out with a quick email or social media message than a letter. However, sometimes, you still need a physical mailing address. Sending a birthday card to a long-lost friend or applying for a job that requires a paper resume are just two common cases where this will be necessary, so knowing how to find a mailing address can be very helpful.

With that in mind, in this article, we’ll take you through all the methods of finding a mailing address, both online and offline. For the most part, you’ll only need free and easily available resources to help you get the information you need, which we’ll cover in detail later on. 

Ways to Find a Mailing Address

Finding a mailing address can happen online and offline. Given how everything is becoming digital, online search methods should cover most of your needs, though you may need to give physical records a look if online methods prove insufficient.

Online Methods

These are the most convenient ways of getting a mailing address, and we’ve only included free methods, so you don’t have to worry about paying for a subscription or a one-time fee.

Google (Or Any Other Search Engine) Search

All search engines are generally a good first step when looking for anything, including a mailing address. The focus in your search needs to be on writing the right search queries. We recommend starting by entering the person’s full name alongside their city and state. If you have a hunch about their profession or workplace, include that as well. 

Search engines are specifically designed to find the most relevant results, which include public mentions of individuals, so the results you get are likely going to comprise online profiles, business listings, or even news articles. Look for websites that explicitly mention a physical address, like a local business directory or a personal website, if they have one. Visit these and scour the content for any contact information sections or “about us” pages.

You might also just be shown social media profiles. Most social platforms will restrict the visibility of mailing addresses due to privacy settings, but you can still get clues about the person’s current workplace or hometown. Use this as a lead to continue searching until you find the address you need.

White Pages

White page directories can be both online and offline, and they’re an absolute goldmine for mailing addresses. This is especially true for people with landlines or those who have a preference for printed phone books. 

These directories function like giant phone books. When you find one, you should see alphabetically listed names with corresponding addresses and phone numbers if the person has not opted out. 

Once you’re ready to search, start by entering the person’s full name. If it’s a common name, prepare to sift through a lot of duplicates. If this is proving difficult, try narrowing down your search as much as you can with more details like the person’s city, state, or even zip code if you have it. Once you find a match, carefully look at the details and make sure they align with what you already know about the person. 

That’s not all, either. If you have the person’s address, but not the mailing address or name, white page directories can also let you do a reverse address lookup. This way, you’ll be able to find the residents at an address. The only caveat to keep in mind is that white page directories typically rely on user-submitted information, so the accuracy can vary widely.

Socials

A lot of platforms won’t let you see too much information about a person unless it’s a public profile or you’re already connected with each other. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get any information out of them. 

For starters, check public profiles and bios. Most social media platforms, like LinkedIn and Facebook, let users create public profiles that can include their current city or even their employer’s address. 

When you’re on the profile, look for sections that mention contact information or “about me” descriptions. When searching for a professional, this will usually be the place that shows you their mailing address.

People upload pictures to social media all the time, and most pictures come with location tags. This means that you can see where that image was taken and lead your search from there. If the person you’re searching for posts pictures with a specific location tag often, you discover an address right there. Remember to combine this information with everything else you’ve gathered so far to get a full picture.

If you have mutual friends or have the same social media circles as the person you’re looking for, you might be able to get their address indirectly, too. While it might not be appropriate to ask directly for someone’s personal address, your mutual connection can still point you in the right direction to make your search easier

People Search Tool

CheckPeople’s free people search tool can also help you find someone’s mailing address. A people search tool is essentially a combination of all the methods we have shared above. It quickly searches through public databases, including social media profiles, to find relevant information.

It creates a report of the person whose information you’re looking for, which usually includes things like their mailing address if it’s available publicly, criminal records, social media handles, phone number, and email address. 

Using a people search tool is much faster and more convenient since all you have to do is type the person’s name on the site, and the tool will automatically look up the information for you. 

Offline Methods

Online ways of finding someone can often only take you so far. If the above methods prove ineffective, it’s time to get your detective hat on and search public records for the mailing address.

Public Records

Public records are the treasure chest equivalent of mailing addresses, but you’ll need a bit more legwork here than you did for online searches. Libraries and government offices usually keep and maintain databases of public records, which include things like voter registration rolls, property ownership records, and even marriage licenses. 

Some of this information may well be available online, but it’s not the most reliable (out of date, missing, etc.). To have the best chance of getting what you need, make sure you visit these institutions in person.

Start local. Begin at your local library or county clerk’s office, where librarians or government employees will guide you to the appropriate public records databases. If there’s any place that has the mailing address you need, this is it. You’ll find the database(s) organized by category, so make sure you’re checking the most likely one first and moving from there.

If you suspect the person you’re looking for owns a home, property ownership records are your best bet. If you’re looking for recent voters in your area, voter registration rolls will be better instead. One thing to keep in mind here is that some public records may be locked behind a small fee.

Another problem you may run into here is that the public records don’t actually get you to a mailing address. This is because some people choose to opt out of directory listings, and sometimes privacy laws can restrict your access to certain types of information too. Be prepared for the possibility that you only get vague clues about the target person here and continue your search with other methods.

Advice to Keep In Mind

Always double-check any addresses you find, especially those you get online. You can do this by cross-referencing it across the other methods we talked about (search engines, white pages). Outdated addresses are a common pitfall, so keep in mind that the information you find might not be current.

We also want to emphasize that there’s a fine line between resourcefulness and intrusiveness. During your search, be mindful of privacy, particularly when there are regulations restricting access to certain types of personal information. If you’re unsure about the legality of obtaining an address, it’s best to err on the side of caution and go for a different method in this guide.

Concluding a Mailing Address Search

You now have all the information you need to get any mailing address out there. Once again, we want to emphasize that the key to success is in combining all of the methods we discussed – search engines will get you initial leads, people search tools will get you specific details, and so on. 

With each method, you’ll get a couple more pieces of the puzzle, and you can put those together to get the address you need, rather than relying on just one incomplete source. 

Lastly, make sure you’re not compromising on the accuracy of data and respect for others’ privacy. Double-check everything. A physical address isn’t always attainable, but the search methods in our article will help you find as much information as possible.