National Records Resources
Most records at the national level are in the hands of the federal government.
Non-government organizations, like the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and the Mormon Church
maintain national records. These records sources may be very beneficial to you if you are
searching for a missing person or conducting a background investigation.
Records can be searched either by accessing free public records online via the
record holders database (when available) or by requesting a copy from the agency
holding the record, usually for a small fee. Or...you can run our Expert Assisted
Complete Background Check online right now,
tapping our connections to a vast network of Public Records and Proprietary Databases.
Federal Records
Searching through the giant repositories of records maintained by he federal
government might prove a test of endurance for even the most stalwart and
undaunted. Obtaining data from the records of a national organization or
association, by comparison, might be as simple as making a phone call or writing
a request letter.
Here are some links to sites that will lead you to any Federal Agency:
Search
the website: FirstGov.gov
Federal Information Center
Web Site Address:
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/call/
Phone: 800 688-9889
TTY users: 800 326-2996
For information about any federal agency, department, or office: addresses,
phone numbers, divisions, etc. Ask a FIC Information Specialist for assistance.
The FIC is open for public inquiries from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern time,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Federal Government How-to Books
http://www.env-sol.com/solutions/usgm.html
To help you find your way around the various federal government agencies and
departments, buy or borrow a copy of The United States Government Manual.
The manual lists names, addresses, and department affiliations.
Another publication, US Government Organization Manual, also lists and
provides a description of each government function. This publication is
available from the U.S. Government Printing Office.
Library of Congress
http://marvel.loc.gov/
Library of Congress - Information Office
Washington DC 20540
Main Phone: 202 707-5000
Reference Center: 202 707-5522
The Library of Congress
is the largest information source in the country and contains the original or a
copy of almost every known book and document ever published! Contact the Library
of Congress Information Office, Washington, DC 20540, to find out about the
thousands of references and other information sources available. All the
resources of this great library are available to you through your local public
library. Researchers' information: 202 707-6500
The Library of Congress is a treasure trove of information. Millions of pieces
of information. Just about every book that's ever been written. Every sort of
record. The Library of Congress has city directories for the entire world! If
you want to look up the address 22 Garlandi Road, Rome, Italy, you'll find who
lives there, spouses name, the phone number, and the person's occupation.
National Archives
Web Site:
http://www.nara.gov/
The National Archives
Constitution Avenue
Washington DC
Phone: 202 501-5402
National Archives & Records
Military Archives Division
Washington DC 20408
To inquire about a service person and how to obtain specific records, write:
National Archives & Records
Military Archives Division
Washington DC 20408
The National Archives is the central federal repository for every known
report, study, census, military record, and document the US Government has ever
printed!
The Soundex
Indexing Coding System
http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/soundex.html
Knowledge of the Soundex Coding System used by the National Archives will help you if you are
conducting a (difficult) search for an individual. National Archives and Records Administration The Genealogy Page.
Code Number Key - Letters
and Equivalents1 b,p,f,v
2 c,s,k,g,j,q,x,z
3 d,t
4 l
5 m,n
6 r
The letters a, e, i, o, u, y, w, and h are not coded. The first letter of the surname is retained; it is
not
given a number code. A name yielding no code numbers is coded with three zeros
following the initial letter. If it yields only one code number, then that is
followed by two zeros; two code numbers, by one zero (see examples below). Prefixes
to surnames (such as Van, Von, Di, De) are frequently disregarded in alphabetizing and
coding.
Regardless of length, each name has one letter followed by three numbers. For names with
more than three letters that can be coded following the first letter, only the first three
are coded (see examples below). When double letters appear - or letters bearing the same
code number appear together - the two are coded as one letter.
Sample coded names:
- ASKIN A225
- BAXTER B236
- CARON C650
- DAVIES D120
- DAVIS D120
- LEE L000
- PATRICK P362
- REINHARDT R563
- WHALEY W400
Resource
Books & Pamphlets
The Guide to the National Archives of the US is the most complete
explanation of the several services offered by the National Archives.
Regional Branches of the National Archives details the records which are
held in common at branch archives. National Archives and Select List of
Publications are two other informative periodicals you might request. If you
wish to search the National Archives, request form BC 600.
Bureau of Census
Website: http://www.census.gov/
Finding Treasures in the US Federal Census
http://www.firstct.com/fv/uscensus.html
1660 N Walnut St
Pittsburgh KS 66762
Every ten years Census Bureau personnel manage to survey and count almost
everybody in the country. Census records from 1790 (except for 1890 and 1920
which were destroyed by fire) are housed in the National Archives and at each of
the Branch Archives. The Index of Federal Census
Record
will tell you which roll of microfilm contains the name of a given person in a
given town. You may view the microfilm at any branch Archive and at some state
archives.
Department of Commerce, Interstate Commerce Commission
Web site: http://www.doc.gov/
The Commerce Commission keeps records of people who work within the trucking
industry. If you are attempting to locate a person whose business is governed by
ICC regulations, contact the ICC.
Government
Printing Office
Web Site: http://www.gpo.gov/
The US Government Printing Office (GPO) publishes many pamphlets and
books for and about every government function. It has books to assist you in
locating the kind of information you need from federal departments.
The Index to US Government Periodicals and US Government Books
are excellent sources of reference to help you locate the right materials.
Where to Write for Vital Records, will tell you where to get information
about births, marriages, divorces, and deaths from each state.
National Personnel Records Center
Web Site:
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/
Civilian Records Facility
Website:
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/civilian-personnel/index.html
Civilian Records Facility
111 Winnebago St
St Louis MO 63118-4119
Military Records Facility
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Military Personnel Records
Website:
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.html
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Blvd
St Louis MO 60197-4638
Army Phone: 314 538-4261
Air Force Phone: 314 538-4243
USN, USMC, Coast Guard
Phone: 314 538-4141
There are eleven National Records Centers
located throughout the country. A request for information requires a knowledge
of the system and of the procedures that must be followed.
Call or write to obtain information about access to personnel records of people
who were employed by the Civil Service, US Postal Service, retired military
personnel, and for the medical records of dependents of active duty (U.S. Army
and Air Force) personnel:
The center is part of the General Service Administration and maintains military
personnel records. These records are open only to the servicemen they pertain
to.
Request GSA form 180, pay the fee and service charge, and be sure to include:
- Full name, SSN
- Date and place of birth
- Branch of Service
- Dates of active service
- Service number
US Civil Service Commission
http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/146.html
Office of Personnel Management
Employee's Records Center
Boyer PA 16017
Phone: 412 794-3141
Records are maintained about all employees of the federal government by the US
Civil Service Commission.
The Commission will forward a letter addressed to a retired Civil Service employee.
Social Security Administration
Web Site: http://www.ssa.gov/
Location Services
6401 Security Blvd
Baltimore MD 21234
Phone: 800 772-1213
The Social Security Administration releases records concerning retired SSN numbers and non-valid numbers.
A SSN death claims search will tell you if a SSN has been retired (a death claim filed under that number),
and give you the zip code of the decedent.
There is valuable information to be gained from the SSN itself. The first three numbers of a SSN will indicate
the state in which the card was issued, which is a tip as to the home state of the subject. Keep this in mind
when conducting missing persons investigations.
This government agency maintains a record about everyone ever issued a SSN. It is illegal for the Social Security
Administration to release information about anyone, but the Administration will help you locate the person you
seek for certain reasons:
- The person you seek will somehow benefit
- To locate missing friends, relatives
- To locate heirs to estates
- For medical reasons
Write a letter to the person you seek. Place it inside an envelope. Leave that envelope unsealed and
mail with a letter to Social Security Administration. Include all the information you have, including
name, last known address, SSN, DOB, last known employer, and date of employment.
A social search, often referred to as a "social," is a database search making use of a SSN.
Contact a database Information Provider to arrange for this service.
Internal Revenue Service
Web Site: http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/
Washington DC
IRS records are private, but the Service will release information
if proper procedures are followed. The process is somewhat time consuming, but the information you
receive may prove invaluable, especially if all other information searches have turned up nothing.
The IRS will provide this service if the locate is for "humanitarian" reasons.
- Urgent or compelling in nature, such as illness
- Imminent death, or death of a close relative
- To locate a missing relative
Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/index.html
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement helps locate parents who owe
outstanding child support. Officials search federal and other national records
not ordinarily open to citizens. You must apply for this service through your
state Child Support Enforcement office. See
State
Directory for individual States
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Web Site: http://www.ncmec.org/
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Suite 550
2101 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201-3077
Phone: 703-235-3900
Fax: 703-235-4067
24-hour Hotline: 800-843-5678
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children conducts investigations
concerning missing children and children kidnapped by their parents. Available:
the excellent Investigator's Guide to Missing Child Cases & Parental Kidnapping.
You may order this book by calling 800 843-5678. *24-hour Hotline: 800-THE-LOST
(800-843-5678)
U.S. Justice Department,
Immigration & Naturalization
Web Site: USCIS
Home Page
Immigration & Naturalization - INS
421 I Street NW
Washington DC 20536
Phone: 202 633-5231
If you seek information concerning a foreign born, naturalized US citizen, write
or call to request the proper form. A foreign-born adoptee may require form
G-641 ($15 fee) to obtain a copy of their altered birth certificate. If you seek
information concerning a foreign born, naturalized US citizen, write or call to
request the proper form:
The records will show:
- Full name
- DOB
- Nationality
Some of these records are maintained in federal court.
They will include:
- Full name; spouse
- Date and place of birth
- Occupation
- Arrival date, location
- Aboard which vessel
Interpol
Web Site: http://www.interpol.int/
Headquarters in Lyon
Quai Charles de Gaulle
69006 Lyon, France
Telephone: 33 4 72 44 70 00
Fax: 33 4 72 44 71 63
From USA Phone : 202 272-8383
This International Police Organization may help with child abduction and parental kidnapping
cases.
Department of State, Passport Service
Web Site:
http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html
Correspondence Branch
Passport Office
Department of State
Washington DC 20520
This department can provide birth certificates and information about citizens born outside the USA. Information about
those who may be traveling or residing abroad is available. Also, help for foreign born adoptee through its Correspondence Branch.
Selective Service Commission
Web Site: http://www.sss.gov/
Selective Service Commission
PO Box 4638
North Suburban IL 60197-4638
Phone 708 688-6888
The Selective Service Commission office maintains
records of every man who has ever registered for the draft.
Federal Witness Protection Program
This office may verify if a person is in the Program and may forward a letter for you. Write or call for further information:
Federal Witness Protection Program
Department of Justice
1001 G Street NW
Washington DC 20530
Phone
202 514-3684
Federal
Courts
Web Site:
http://www.uscourts.gov/
Called District Courts, these Federal government offices maintain records about
cases involving civil, criminal, and bankruptcy litigation. There are 93 Federal
Judicial Districts, called "United States District Courts." All districts are
located within a state's boundaries.
See individual listings of U.S. District Courts
Department of Justice, Federal Prison System
Web Site: http://www.bop.gov/
County Jail Locator:
http://www.corrections.com/links/county.html
Department of Justice -
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Inmate Locate Service -
Office of Communications & Archives
320 First St, NW
Washington, DC 20534
Phone: 202 307-3126
The Inmate Locate Service has information about all inmates in the federal
prison system.
To contact the Federal Prison System Inmate Locate Service for information on
from 1982 to the present, call 202-307-3126 (due to the large volume of
requests, callers may experience slight delays).
For information on federal inmates released before 1982, please write to the
Office of Communications and Archives. Attn: Historic Inmate Locator Request.
Please include as much identifying information as possible - name, including
middle name/initial if known, aliases, date of birth, race, crime, approximate
dates in prison, name of prison, etc. The more information you provide, the more
quickly the request can be processed.
Securities & Exchange Commission
Web site: http://www.sec.gov/
Email:
help@sec.gov
SEC Headquarters
450 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20549
Phone: 202 942-7040
Office of Investor Education and Assistance
The SEC Litigation Index lists persons involved in litigation with the
SEC and provides information about all public companies. The SEC frequently
requires in-depth information from public companies. That information is open to
you.
The Federal Trade Commission maintains records that pertain to interstate trade.
The Security and Exchange Commission maintains records for business firms. If
you are doing an investigation on a business firm, one of the first places you
should begin would be at the SEC.
Complete records may also be kept at United States District Courthouses. Look
under "United States Federal Government" in the white pages of your telephone
book.
Federal Aviation Administration
http://www.faa.gov/
US Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center
PO Box 25082
Oklahoma City OK 73125
Phone 405 680-6231 Press 3
Will confirm license,
rating. type and medical record by phone. No fee. Include per inquiry: name, date of birth or SSN. Will confirm ownership, address, date of registration and description by phone. Records are computerized by number (tail number). If not known, a record search may be accomplished by name
Social Security Death Search
Search the data base free:
http://www.ancestry.com/ssdi/advanced.htm
LDS maintains the SSN's of all deceased individuals. You need only furnish a full name.
The search will reveal the deceased person's SSN, date of death, state of residence at time of death, and zip code.
This organization also maintains records of military casualties, POW files, and numerous telephone directories on microfilm.
Web Site: http://www.nara.gov/regional/nrmenu.html
California
Serves Arizona, Southern California Counties, including; Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles,
Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura and Clark County Nevada.
Los Angeles
24000 Avila Road
Laguna Niquel CA 92607-6719
Phone 714 643-4229
Records available by mail. Include per inquiry: Name, date filed, case number, agency box number, FRC location number.
San Francisco
Serves California except Southern California, Hawaii, Nevada except Clark County and the Pacific Ocean area.
1000 Commodore Drive
San Bruno CA 94066
Phone 415 876-9001
Records available mail. No search fee. Include per inquiry: Name, date filed, case number, agency box number,
accession number, FRC location number.
Colorado
Serves Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, south Dakota, Utah and Wyoming
Denver Federal Center
Building 48
Denver CO 80025
Phone 303 126-0804
Records are available by mail. No search fee. For each inquiry include: Name, date filed,
case number, RFC location number.
Georgia
Serves Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee
1577 S Joseph Ave
East Point GA 30344
Phone 404 763-7477
Records are available by mail. No search fee. For each inquiry include: name, date filed, case number, accession number,
agency box number, RFC location number
Illinois
Serves Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
7358 South Pulaski Road
Chicago IL 60629
Phone 312 353-0162
Records are available in person by appointment.
Kansas
Serves Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
2312 East Bannister Road
Kansas City MO 64131
Phone 816 926-7272
Records available mail. No search fee. Include per inquiry: name, date filed, case number,
agency box number, accession number, FRC location number.
Massachusetts
Serves Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
380 Trapelo Road
Whaltham MA 02154
Phone 617 647-8104
Records available mail. No search fee. Include per inquiry: Name, date filed, case number,
agency box number, accession number, FRC location number.
New York
Serves New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
Building 22 Mot
Bayonne NJ 07002
Phone 201 823-7545
Records available mail. No search fee. Include per inquiry: name, date filed, case number,
agency box number, accession number, FRC location number.
For records prior to 1967
New York, Northeast Region
201 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014
Pennsylvania
Serves: Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, & West Virginia
5000 Washington Ave
Philadelphia PA 19144
Phone 215 951-5588
Records available mail. No search fee. Include: name, date filed, case number agency box number, FRC location number.
Texas
Serves Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
PO Box W. Felix Street
Fort Worth TX 76115
Phone 817 334-5525
Records are available by mail. No search fee. For each inquiry include: name, date filed, case number, accession number, agency box number, RFC location number
Washington
Serves Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
6125 Sand Point Waw NE
Seattle WA 98115
Phone 206 553-4501 Records are available by mail. No search fee. For each inquiry
include: name, date filed, case number, accession number, agency box number, RFC location number.
National Associations & Organizations
Many national associations and organizations, including churches, provide information
about their members.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
(LDS) Web Site: http://www.lds.org/LDS
50 East North Temple Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84150
Phone 801-240-2331
Fax 800 531-1798
LDS
Historical Society of the Reformed Church of America
21 Seminary Place
New Brunswick NJ 08901
The largest genealogical archives are maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS).
The Mormons hold the biggest collection of family histories in the world. The organization has compiled
and developed multitudinous records from family histories, census records, and from references in published works.
The International Genealogical Index, compiled by the LDS, lists more than 108 million names.
Nearest Family History Center:
http://www.genhomepage.com/FHC/fhc.html
Family History Web site:
http://www.familysearch.org/LDS Church Archives
Historical Department
50 E North Temple St
Salt Lake City UT 84150There is an LDS State Family History Center located in each state, headed by a Family Organization Registrar
and Research Coordinator.
Write or call for forms. LDS will furnish data from Genealogical Index Files, Computer File Index, and
Family Group Archives Records. Microfilm records are available through the LDS interlibrary loan system.
This organization offers full search services as well as individual name searches. It also has vital records,
property records, and family group archives.
The Salvation Army
Web Sites:
http://www.salvationarmy.org/
Web Sites:
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/home.htm
The Salvation Army National Headquarters
615 Slaters Lane
Alexandria, VA 22313
Telephone: (703) 684-5500
Fax: (703) 684-3478
Call for Assistance800-SAL-ARMY
This service organization operates a Missing Persons' Center that attempts to locate and reunite immediate
family members. When a person is located, his or her whereabouts is not disclosed without consent.
The Salvation Army does not become involved in legal matters, such as child support, child custody,
alimony, parental kidnapping, closed adoption, inheritance, estate matters, or tracing family trees.
Write or call to request a Missing Persons Inquiry Form or call for assistance: 800-SAL-ARMY
American Red Cross
Web Sites: http://www.redcross.org/
Public Inquiry Office
6th floor
8111 Gatehouse Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
Telephone 703-206-7090
This dedicated organization will help you locate an active member of the US Armed Forces for
emergency purposes through Red Cross offices located at each military installation.
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