woman mailing a package

A past address lookup is helpful if you plan on moving somewhere new or need to apply for a loan. In fact, if you plan on filling out a rental application, there’s a good chance they’ll ask for information about your previous address. Bankruptcy searches, finding liens, and even learning more about your assets can be done with a past address lookup.

Furthermore, a past address lookup can be useful if you want to learn more about someone. It can help you determine if someone is a good fit for renting or help you verify their identity. Plus, when you use the right tools, a past address lookup can help you find someone’s criminal records or sex offender status.

Regardless of why you need to run a past address lookup, you’re in the right place. Read on to learn more about how to find your past addresses or someone else’s.

Why A Past Address Lookup Is Useful 

A past address lookup is useful for a lot of reasons. Not only can it help you remember where you used to live, but you might need this information if you’re applying for credit or a loan. 

Some other uses for a past address lookup include:

  • Filling out an application for a rental 
  • Locating some of your old friends or associates 
  • Updating credit card accounts or other personal details 
  • Finding court records 
  • Finding criminal records 
  • Bankruptcy information 
  • Marriage or divorce records
  • Finding your assets 
  • Information for voter registration 
  • Genealogy searches for DNA and family verification 
  • Background checks 

These are only some situations where a past address lookup can be useful. Depending on your situation, you may have additional reasons to find an address.

Past address lookups can also be helpful for people who want to learn more about job applicants or tenants. Learning more about where someone used to live can help you pull records in that state and refine your search. For landlords, it verifies that someone has a good rental history and has rented in the past.

How Far Back Can a Past Address Lookup Go?

A past address lookup can go back to your first address. It doesn’t matter if you’re 20 or 70 years old, there is a record of you living at your first address. This information is available through census data and even credit bureaus or private companies. Educational institutions, previous employers, and even the IRS will also track your address information from the past and present.

That said, there are laws in place that prevent some companies from viewing your past addresses under the right circumstances. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), for example, may limit how far back employers or landlords can go for this information. Check the rules in your state to find out how far back they can go.

5 Ways to Perform a Past Address Lookup 

A past address lookup can be run in a few ways, so it comes down to the tools you have available. We always recommend starting with our reverse address lookup tool, but you can also check your previous tax returns, contact your bank, search through your online accounts, and even look through job offers. 

You can also contact relatives or family members to learn more about past addresses you may have lived at as a child. 

Learn more about how you can perform a past address lookup below.

1. USPeopleSearch.com 

One of the best ways to perform a past address lookup is to use USPeopleSearch.com. You can use any of our people search tools to find your past addresses, and we can help you find all of them in a matter of minutes.

To get started, all you need is your current address or your first and last name, city, and state; you can even search with a phone number. Once you enter this information into our search tool, we’ll get to work and compile a full report that includes all of the past addresses you’ve lived at. 

While we can take you through all of your past addresses, we can also reveal anything publicly available. When you run a search with USPeopleSearch.com, you can find the following information:

  • Date of birth 
  • Social media accounts 
  • Dating profiles 
  • Current address 
  • Phone numbers 
  • Email addresses 
  • Relatives 
  • Criminal records 
  • Civil court records 
  • Marriage and divorce records 

Overall, we can help you find anything that’s out there in a matter of minutes.

At USPeopleSearch, we can also help you learn more about others’ past addresses. All you have to do is enter their name, state, and city to learn more. We can help you find anything publicly available about someone as long as it’s online. 

2. Check Your Credit Report 

When you need to find your past addresses, your credit report is your best friend. Your credit report consists of information gathered and reviewed by major credit bureaus. You can request your credit report for free once every 12 months from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.

Aside from past addresses, your credit report can help you keep an eye on your finances and reveal additional personal information. Credit card companies need to know a lot about you, so plenty of information should be available.

The only drawback to your credit report is that it can have limited information at times due to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Unfortunately, your credit report may only go back seven to ten years, so past address information might not be available if it’s from a long time ago. In these cases, you’ll want to use a people search tool instead of a different public records search tool.

3. Check Your Tax Records 

When you need to view your previous addresses, the IRS is your best friend. When you file your taxes, you have to list your address, so they should have that information on file. This should work for most of your addresses because most people start working and paying taxes at around 16 to 18 years old. 

To view information from the IRS, you can visit their website, create an account, and request your records. You can also get this information by calling the IRS or having them send it to you via mail. Checking old tax documents in your home will also help if you don’t want to wait to contact the IRS.

However, if you didn’t start working until you left your first address, there’s a chance that the IRS won’t have your original address on file. In these cases, you’re better off starting with a people search tool instead.

4. Look Through Old Documents 

Searching through old documents is another way you can look for your past addresses. If you have old documents from the government, credit card bills, or other information, they may reveal some of your previous addresses. Make sure you check all types of documents if you’re unsure about your previous addresses. 

We recommend checking the following documents for the best results:

  • Tax records 
  • Credit card bills 
  • Utility bills 
  • Cable bills 
  • School transcripts 
  • Old employment records 
  • Phone bills 
  • Internet bills 

Unfortunately, a lot of this information is through old bills. Even if you don’t keep paper records, you can always check online. Many companies will have your address information saved online, and if you haven’t changed it yet, you can find your past address. 

Some apps and websites may also have detailed records of personal information dating back to your first address, something it’s worth exploring.

5. Speak with Friends and Family 

One method that doesn’t get covered a lot is speaking with your relatives. If you have family, parents, or people you used to live with, they can help you find your previous addresses. In fact, you may get lucky, and they might know it off the top of their heads. If you’re not sure about where you lived as a kid, this might be one of the fastest ways to find that information. 

That said, if you’ve moved around a lot or don’t have people you can ask, you’ll want to use a people search tool instead. We only recommend going this route if you have someone you can ask quickly.

Past Address Lookup Today

A past address lookup is something you can run today without leaving your couch. All you need is an internet connection and USPeopleSearch.com. We can help you find all of your past addresses, along with information about liens, taxes, and much more. Therefore, we always recommend starting a past address lookup with USPeopleSearch.com. 

That said, there are other options. You can check old tax records, work with any of the three major credit bureaus, and even go through some of your old documents. Overall, there are plenty of resources that can help you find your past addresses, so you don’t have to worry about coming up empty-handed.

Toby Jacob

Toby Jacob

author