New Hampshire investigator matching
Find a Licensed Private Investigator in New Hampshire
Use this page to hire a licensed investigator anywhere in New Hampshire, from Nashua and Manchester to the Seacoast, the Lakes Region and the North Country. In this state Delator Group only coordinates. You describe the matter and the town, and we refer it to an independent investigator licensed by the Department of Safety, who contracts with you directly.
- Department of Safety licensed investigators
- All 10 counties listed
- Confidential request
- 10New Hampshire counties
- RSA 106-Fgoverns private investigative agencies
- All-partyrecording consent (RSA 570-A:2)
- 234cities and towns
Quick answer
How do I find a private investigator in New Hampshire?
Hire an investigator who holds a New Hampshire private investigator license and works for, or owns, an agency licensed under RSA 106-F by the Commissioner of Safety, then confirm both with the State Police Permits and Licensing Unit in Concord. Rather not research licensees yourself? Send Delator Group the town and a short description. It is passed to an independent New Hampshire licensee, who calls you, quotes the work and signs directly with you.
01Why people hire investigators
What brings New Hampshire clients to an investigator
New Hampshire combines fast-growing suburbs on the Massachusetts line with mill cities, a short but busy seacoast and a North Country of mountains and logging roads. The matters people bring to investigators vary with that geography. A parent in a Circuit Court family case in Hillsborough County wants a reliable picture of parenting time. A Seacoast business owner suspects an employee of diverting customers. A family has lost touch with a relative who may be living off-grid somewhere north of the notches. An insurer handling a workers' compensation claim in Manchester doubts the injury is as limiting as reported.
Each of those needs facts gathered lawfully and written so an attorney, a judge or an adjuster can rely on them. RSA 106-F defines a private investigator as a person, other than a sworn law enforcement officer, engaged in conducting investigations, including unsolved crimes, insurance claims and missing persons. A private investigative agency is the business of offering or providing that kind of work for a fee. So the first decision is not which listing looks polished, but which investigator and agency actually hold current New Hampshire licenses and have handled your type of matter.
Attorneys send much of this work. Family law practitioners, criminal defense lawyers and civil litigators across southern New Hampshire use investigators to find witnesses, take statements and document conduct. If your lawyer already works with an investigator, start there.
- Family matters: divorce, parenting plans and custody in the Circuit Court Family Division
- Civil disputes: witness locates and asset research
- Insurance and workers' compensation claim reviews
- Company matters: insider theft, misconduct and vetting a partner
- Safety: a documented pattern of harassment for counsel or police
02Licensing
Department of Safety rules for a private investigator in New Hampshire
New Hampshire regulates investigators under RSA Chapter 106-F, which also covers security guard services and bail recovery agents. Licenses are issued by the Commissioner of the Department of Safety, and applications are processed by the Permits and Licensing Unit of the Division of State Police in Concord, under the administrative rules in Saf-C 2200. There are two layers. RSA 106-F:3 says no person may engage in the business of a private investigative agency without a license from the commissioner, and individual investigators and agency employees file their own applications and qualifications under RSA 106-F:5.
The definitions matter. RSA 106-F:2 describes a private investigative agency as the business, within or from New Hampshire, of offering or providing investigative services for a fee, and defines doing business to mean advertising in New Hampshire or soliciting work, clients or customers in or from the state. RSA 106-F:10 lets the commissioner act against anyone who provides a service requiring licensure without being licensed, or who falsely represents that a person holds a valid license.
Under RSA 106-F:14, engaging in business as a private investigative agency without a license is a misdemeanor for an individual and a felony for any other person, such as a company. For a client, the practical steps are simple: ask for the agency name and license number and the investigator's individual license, then confirm them with the Permits and Licensing Unit before you sign. Program information is on the State Police Permits and Licensing page.
03Legal limits
New Hampshire's strict recording law and other limits
A New Hampshire license allows investigative work for pay. It is not police authority. A licensed investigator cannot arrest, search, force anyone to answer questions or enter private property without permission. Most work is done from public places, public records, lawful databases and interviews people agree to give.
Recording is the biggest legal trap in New Hampshire. RSA 570-A:2 prohibits intercepting a telecommunication or oral communication without the consent of all parties, and a violation is generally a class B felony. The statute also makes it a misdemeanor for a person to record a conversation they are part of, or with one party's consent, when the others have not agreed. New Hampshire is therefore an all-party consent state, and secretly made recordings can be excluded as evidence. Investigators here typically rely on notes, written statements and video without audio. An attorney can confirm how the statute applies to a particular situation.
Surveillance is limited too. The stalking statute, RSA 633:3-a, turns on a course of conduct targeting a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety, which is why professional surveillance is planned, limited and documented. Placing a GPS tracker on a car the client does not own raises stalking and privacy problems and should be cleared with counsel first. Federal statutes also outlaw pretexting for bank and phone records and limit DMV data use.
- Generally allowed: watching from public areas, records, consensual interviews
- Restricted: recording any conversation without the consent of all parties
- Lawyer first: tracking devices on any vehicle the client does not own
- Illegal: acting as a police officer or using lies to obtain financial or phone records
04Regions
Why local knowledge matters across New Hampshire
Most of New Hampshire's people live in the southern tier. Nashua, Manchester, Salem, Derry and the towns along I-93 and the Everett Turnpike are closely tied to Greater Boston, and many residents commute into Massachusetts. Because New Hampshire has no general sales tax, border towns draw shoppers from the south, and a subject's job, bank or second address may be across the line. The Seacoast around Portsmouth, Hampton and Exeter faces Maine across the Piscataqua River and has heavy summer traffic.
Farther north the work changes. The Lakes Region around Laconia and Lake Winnipesaukee fills with seasonal residents and visitors. The Upper Valley around Lebanon and Hanover ties New Hampshire to Vermont across the Connecticut River. The White Mountains and the North Country of Coös County are sparsely settled, with long drives, limited cell coverage in places and a border with Quebec. Surveillance on a rural road north of the notches looks very different from surveillance in a Nashua apartment complex.
Courts are organized as a Superior Court in each county, with two in Hillsborough County, and a Circuit Court with district, family and probate divisions at many locations. Land records are kept by each county registry of deeds. Delator Group therefore routes each request by town and county. For matters that cross borders, see the pages for Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine.
05Pricing
How New Hampshire investigators tend to bill
Rates are the investigator's own, quoted case by case. Field hours are typically billed by the hour, and many investigators set a daily floor. Travel is a real factor for work in the Lakes Region, the White Mountains or Coös County, so mileage and travel time are commonly added for work outside the investigator's home area, and winter weather can lengthen a planned day. Records searches, database fees and registry copies are usually passed through as expenses.
Retainers are common. Charges come out of that deposit, with a refund or final bill at the close. Narrow tasks, such as a single records search or a defined background report, are sometimes quoted at one price. Before agreeing, ask what the quote covers, how often you will receive updates, whether report writing and video editing are billed separately and what happens if the subject stays home on a planned surveillance day. A clear written agreement covering scope, fees and reporting protects both sides.
06Before the first call
Information to gather before the first New Hampshire call
Make the first call specific. List the question, its importance and what you will do once you know. With a pending case, keep the docket number, court, county, attorney name and deadlines handy. On the subject, gather name, birth date, recent addresses, vehicles, workplace, a photo and a rough weekly pattern. For workplace concerns, pull the records that raised the alarm and the names involved.
Be prepared to explain the purpose. A licensed investigator may decline work that looks like harassment or an attempt to find someone who has good reason to stay hidden, and may ask to see a protective order or parenting plan if one exists. Mention anything that affects safety, such as firearms or past violence. Because of the all-party recording law, do not secretly record calls with the subject yourself. Then send the request with your town and what you want to learn.
- A short statement of the goal
- Where it is happening, by town and county
- Whatever identifiers you have, such as name, address and vehicle
- Docket, court location and your attorney's details
- Budget range and any firm deadline
Cities
Top 20 New Hampshire cities and towns for private investigator requests
New Hampshire has 13 cities and more than 200 towns, and several towns are larger than most of its cities, so this list ranks the 20 largest municipalities of either kind by 2020 Census population. Each is shown with its county. Superior Court and the registry of deeds follow county lines, so the town where an address sits matters. List the town or ZIP code when you write.
| City | County | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester | Hillsborough | Largest city; Hillsborough County Superior Court, northern district, sits here. |
| Nashua | Hillsborough | Border city on the Massachusetts line, home of the southern district Superior Court. |
| Concord | Merrimack | State capital, home of the State House and the New Hampshire Supreme Court. |
| Derry | Rockingham | Large town along I-93 between Manchester and the Massachusetts line. |
| Dover | Strafford | Strafford County seat and one of the oldest settlements in the state. |
| Rochester | Strafford | Small city on the Spaulding Turnpike, gateway to the Lakes Region. |
| Salem | Rockingham | Border town on I-93 with large retail areas that draw Massachusetts shoppers. |
| Merrimack | Hillsborough | Town on the Everett Turnpike between Nashua and Manchester. |
| Londonderry | Rockingham | Town that shares the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport with Manchester. |
| Hudson | Hillsborough | Town across the Merrimack River from Nashua. |
| Bedford | Hillsborough | Residential suburb on the west side of Manchester. |
| Keene | Cheshire | Cheshire County seat in the southwest, home of Keene State College. |
| Portsmouth | Rockingham | Seacoast port city on the Piscataqua River, across from Maine. |
| Goffstown | Hillsborough | Town west of Manchester along the Piscataquog River. |
| Laconia | Belknap | Belknap County seat and hub of the Lakes Region near Lake Winnipesaukee. |
| Hampton | Rockingham | Seacoast beach town with a large summer population. |
| Milford | Hillsborough | Souhegan Valley town west of Nashua. |
| Exeter | Rockingham | Historic Seacoast town and home of Phillips Exeter Academy. |
| Windham | Rockingham | Fast-growing town along I-93 near the Massachusetts line. |
| Durham | Strafford | College town and main campus of the University of New Hampshire. |
Counties
All 10 New Hampshire counties for investigator requests
New Hampshire has 10 counties, and unlike some of its New England neighbors it still has working county government, with elected commissioners, sheriffs, attorneys and registries of deeds. Each county has a Superior Court, and Hillsborough County has two, in Manchester and Nashua. The table lists all 10 counties from most to least populous, with their seats.
| County | County seat | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough County | Manchester and Nashua | Most populous county, with northern and southern Superior Court districts. |
| Rockingham County | Brentwood | Seacoast and southern border towns; the Superior Court sits in Brentwood. |
| Merrimack County | Concord | Capital region in central New Hampshire along I-89 and I-93. |
| Strafford County | Dover | Dover, Rochester and Durham, home of the University of New Hampshire. |
| Grafton County | Haverhill | Western county including Lebanon, Hanover and Dartmouth, and part of the White Mountains. |
| Cheshire County | Keene | Southwestern county around Keene and Mount Monadnock, bordering Vermont and Massachusetts. |
| Belknap County | Laconia | Lakes Region county on Lake Winnipesaukee with strong seasonal swings. |
| Carroll County | Ossipee | Eastern White Mountains and the North Conway area, bordering Maine. |
| Sullivan County | Newport | Claremont and small towns along the Connecticut River and the Vermont line. |
| Coos County | Lancaster | North Country, largest by area, bordering Maine, Vermont and Quebec, and home to Mount Washington. |
Investigation types
Investigations licensed New Hampshire investigators handle
Delator Group can refer matters such as these to licensed New Hampshire investigators. Acceptance and approach are decisions for the investigator. Each entry notes how New Hampshire law affects that kind of work.
- SurveillanceA licensed investigator observes and records activity from public places, keeps a time-stamped log and writes a report, usually filming without audio because of the state's all-party recording law.Learn more
- Child custody and family mattersInvestigators document conditions during parenting time, a parent's conduct and who is present in the home, producing evidence a family lawyer can present in the Circuit Court Family Division.Learn more
- Background researchInvestigators search court records, county registries of deeds, business filings and lawful databases. Background reports used to screen employees, tenants or borrowers must follow the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.Learn more
- Locating peopleLocate work draws on records, commercial data and interviews to find witnesses, heirs, debtors and relatives. Investigators generally refuse to find a person who seems to be hiding for safety unless legal process is in place.Learn more
- Asset searchesInvestigators look for real estate in county registries, business interests, vehicles, boats, camps and judgments. Bank details normally require a subpoena, because pretexting for them breaks federal law.Learn more
- Insurance and workers' compensation claimsInvestigators help insurers and employers check claimed injuries through surveillance, canvasses and records, documenting public activity that can be compared with the restrictions described in a claim file.Learn more
- Criminal defense investigationWorking for defense counsel, an investigator interviews witnesses, photographs scenes, gathers records and reviews the state's evidence so the lawyer can test it before trial in Circuit or Superior Court.Learn more
- Missing personsWhen a relative has vanished from contact, an investigator can search records, online traces and acquaintances, bringing in police if the person may be in danger.Learn more
How matching works
How investigator matching works in New Hampshire
- 01
Send your request
Use the contact form or call. Outline the matter, the town, any deadline and your contact preference. Share the sensitive particulars later, directly with the investigator.
- 02
Request review
Delator Group confirms the request is lawful and complete, and may ask about the county, timing or a court case.
- 03
Referral to a licensed investigator
The request is referred to an independent investigator who holds a New Hampshire license under RSA 106-F and covers the county where the matter is.
- 04
Investigator contacts you
You will be contacted to review the plan, timeline and fee. Engagement terms and payment are settled only between you and the investigator.
- 05
Verify and decide
Confirm the agency and individual licenses with the State Police Permits and Licensing Unit, review the written agreement and decide whether to hire. There is no obligation.
Licensing
How New Hampshire licenses private investigators
New Hampshire licenses private investigative agencies and individual investigators through the Department of Safety. The commissioner issues licenses under RSA 106-F, and the State Police Permits and Licensing Unit in Concord handles agency, individual and employee applications and renewals. The statute reaches anyone offering or providing investigative services for a fee, and treats advertising or soliciting in New Hampshire as doing business there. Confirming a license with the unit before you hire is the simplest protection a client has.
| Topic | New Hampshire |
|---|---|
| Licensing authority | New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of State Police, Permits and Licensing Unit |
| Governing law | New Hampshire RSA Chapter 106-F (RSA 106-F:2, 106-F:3, 106-F:10 and 106-F:14); rules Saf-C 2200 |
| Who needs a license | A business offering or providing investigative services for a fee needs a private investigative agency license from the Commissioner of Safety, and individual investigators and employees must also be licensed. |
| How to verify a license | Ask for the agency and individual license numbers and confirm them with the State Police Permits and Licensing Unit in Concord. |
Before you hire
What to check before you hire an investigator in New Hampshire
| Check | Why it matters | How to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Agency license | RSA 106-F:3 bars running a private investigative agency without a license. | Get the agency's license number and confirm it with the Permits and Licensing Unit. |
| Individual license | Investigators and employees file their own licensing applications. | Ask for the investigator's own license and confirm it with the same unit. |
| Accurate license claims | RSA 106-F:10 targets false claims that a person holds a valid license. | Make sure the names on the license, website and contract match. |
| Written agreement | Disagreements usually trace back to terms that were never written down. | Ask for a signed agreement listing fees before paying a retainer. |
| Recording practices | Recording without all-party consent can be a crime under RSA 570-A:2. | Ask how interviews will be recorded in writing, and confirm with counsel. |
| Local experience | Travel, seasons and courts differ from Nashua to the North Country. | Ask how far north the investigator regularly works. |
How this service works
Important information about investigator matching in New Hampshire
Delator Group is a private investigation firm licensed in Tennessee and headquartered in Nashville. In New Hampshire, Delator Group is not licensed as a private investigator or private investigative agency and does not perform, supervise or direct investigations. Delator Group acts as a private investigation coordinator: we take your request, review it for completeness and refer it to an independent private investigator who holds the license New Hampshire requires (issued by New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of State Police, Permits and Licensing Unit).
The investigator you are matched with is an independent business, not an employee or agent of Delator Group. That investigator contracts with you directly, sets and quotes their own fees, decides how the work is carried out and is solely responsible for it. Delator Group may receive compensation from participating investigators for referrals. Delator Group does not provide legal advice, and nothing on this page is an offer of investigative services by Delator Group in New Hampshire. You can confirm any investigator's license with the New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of State Police, Permits and Licensing Unit before you hire.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is Delator Group the investigator?
No. Delator Group does not operate as a New Hampshire private investigative agency; it coordinates referrals. We check the request and forward it to an independent investigator licensed under RSA 106-F. The investigator gets in touch, quotes a price, contracts with you and is solely responsible for the investigation. Delator Group is headquartered in Nashville and holds its investigation license in Tennessee.
How do I verify a New Hampshire private investigator's license?
Ask the investigator for the agency license number and their individual license, then contact the Permits and Licensing Unit of the New Hampshire State Police, part of the Department of Safety, in Concord to confirm both are current. Compare the names with your contract and the investigator's website. Keep a note of who confirmed the license and the date you checked.
Does New Hampshire require all parties to consent to recording?
Yes. RSA 570-A:2 prohibits intercepting a telecommunication or oral communication without the consent of all parties, and a violation is generally a class B felony. Even a person who is part of the conversation can commit a misdemeanor by recording without the others' consent. Secretly made recordings can also be excluded as evidence. An attorney can confirm how the statute applies to your situation.
How much does a private investigator in New Hampshire cost?
Investigators set their own prices; rely on the written quote. Surveillance and field work are usually billed hourly, often with a daily minimum, plus mileage or travel time, which can be significant for northern work. Records costs are commonly passed through. A retainer is often requested at the start. Ask for a written estimate covering hours, expenses and reporting.
How long will a New Hampshire investigation last?
Records checks and simple locates often finish in days. Surveillance for custody or insurance matters often spans several days or weekends to show a pattern, and North Country work may take longer because of travel and weather. Witness work for litigation can run for weeks. Share court dates and deadlines early so the investigator can build the plan around them.
Can an investigator find out where someone lives?
Often, yes. Licensed investigators use public records, county registries of deeds, court files and lawful commercial databases that are not open to the public, then confirm a current address in the field. Federal law keeps DMV and phone company records limited to specific purposes. Locates may be declined when the person appears to be staying away for safety.
Are GPS trackers legal for New Hampshire investigators?
Speak with an attorney first. Secretly tracking a person can support a stalking charge under RSA 633:3-a and a civil privacy claim, especially when the client does not own the vehicle. Watching from public places is the lawful alternative most investigators choose. An attorney should review ownership, consent and any court orders before a device is placed on any vehicle.
Is my request confidential?
Delator Group uses your request only to review and route it. From then on, your contract with the investigator and state law govern how information is handled. If the work supports litigation, having your attorney retain the investigator can help protect the results as attorney work product. Ask how reports, video and notes are stored and who can see them.
Can a New Hampshire investigator testify at a hearing?
Many will. An investigator can take the stand as a fact witness about surveillance, interviews or locates they handled, subject to evidence rules and subpoenas. Court time is normally billed under the investigator's agreement with you. Ask early whether the investigator has testified in the Superior Court or the Circuit Court.
Does an out-of-state investigator need a New Hampshire license?
Generally, a business that advertises in New Hampshire or solicits clients in or from the state is doing business there under RSA 106-F:2 and needs a license for investigative work. Many southern New Hampshire firms hold licenses in Massachusetts too. If the matter crosses borders, see our pages for Massachusetts and Vermont, or list every location in your request.
Nationwide
Find an investigator in another state
Delator Group investigations
Investigator matching
Delator Group is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, and is licensed as a private investigation firm in Tennessee. In New Hampshire, Delator Group provides investigator referral and coordination only; investigations are performed by independently licensed New Hampshire investigators. Photography: Nils Huenerfuerst / Unsplash · Seth Dewey / Unsplash · Brian Yurasits / Unsplash. Last reviewed .
Delator Group · Investigator matching in New Hampshire
Begin a New Hampshire investigator request
Give us the basics of the matter and the town, whether in Manchester, Nashua, the Seacoast or the North Country. Delator Group refers it to an independent New Hampshire licensee who covers that county. Once the investigator explains scope and cost, the decision to hire is yours, after you confirm the license with the State Police.
Delator Group · Nashville headquarters · In New Hampshire, investigations are performed by independently licensed investigators who contract with you directly
