What does a private investigator cost in Australia?
See PartnerCheck’s current package prices and $132 GST-inclusive hourly rate, with a worked surveillance example and what to agree before paying.
Published by PartnerCheck · Content checked · Editorial approach
Before you proceed
- Compare the same scope, not just hourly rates.
- Ask for a GST-inclusive total and any travel or record fees.
- Confirm the change-approval and cancellation arrangements.
Current PartnerCheck prices
All amounts below include GST. Each price applies to the linked package’s defined scope and is subject to suitability assessment. Fieldwork receives a complete location-specific total before payment.
- Dating Profile CheckOne supplied dating profile
- $99
- Social Media SearchOne person or business with sufficient identifying details
- $199
- Lawful Locate — Initial SearchOne person with sufficient last-known details
- $295
- Personal Background ReviewOne Australian individual with adequate identifiers
- $349
- Focused SurveillanceFour hours of fieldwork by one investigator
- $990
- Extended SurveillanceEight hours of fieldwork by one investigator
- $1,518
A worked surveillance example
The standard Focused Surveillance package is $990 including GST. It includes four hours of fieldwork by one investigator, agreed planning, travel and administration, ordinary reporting and available relevant media.
If the agreed location-specific scope remains unchanged and you approve one additional hour at $132 including GST, the arithmetic total would be $1,122 including GST. This is an illustration, not an automatic extension or a quote. Any changed travel, expenses or other work must also be agreed first.
Four hourly units alone total $528 including GST. That does not represent the complete four-hour package, because the package also provides the agreed support work. Ask for the whole-job total before comparing quotes.
Request a confidential assessmentCompare the scope for your location
Fieldwork costs depend on the location, timing, travel and agreed work. See how we assess enquiries in Brisbane and South East Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne. PartnerCheck also assesses suitable enquiries elsewhere in Australia, with availability and the complete cost confirmed before payment.
Start with the question you need answered
A small desktop review and a field investigation involve different work. Ask what the fee includes, what information is needed and what report you will receive. A cheap hourly rate does not establish the total cost.
Separate field time from support work
Preparation, travel, kilometre charges, report writing and expenses can all affect the total. Before a surveillance booking, get an agreed observation period, the travel basis, included deliverables and the approval process for extra time in writing.
Understand a fixed-price check
A fixed price should correspond to a defined scope. Check the number of profiles, people or research questions included. Ask whether necessary record fees are included and what happens if the available information is inconclusive.
PartnerCheck’s approach
Our hourly rate is $120 plus GST, or $132 including GST. Package scopes are assessed against your enquiry and brief. A field booking receives a location-specific total before payment. We do not guarantee a finding.
What should a written quote include?
Ask for the investigation question, included hours or searches, reporting format, GST, travel and any record fees. Confirm whether unused field time is refundable under the agreed terms and how a changed scope is authorised. Compare like-for-like deliverables rather than assuming that every advertised hourly rate covers the same work.
When do you pay PartnerCheck?
Start with a confidential enquiry. If the matter is suitable, you receive an invitation to provide the necessary brief and documents through the client portal. The proposed scope and price are confirmed before a payment request is issued. You can review the request in your portal. A payment buys the agreed work, not a guaranteed discovery.
What if the investigation is inconclusive?
A report can explain that a claim could not be resolved or that no relevant activity was observed during the agreed period. That is different from proving that something never occurred. Review the scope and cancellation terms before proceeding and ask how additional research would be priced. Do not assume an inconclusive finding automatically creates a refund entitlement.
General information only. Each enquiry is assessed individually. This guide is not legal advice.
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