Private investigator rates in France
Full transparency: clear, free quotes with no hidden costs. VAT not applicable (art. 293 B of the French Tax Code).
- CNAPS state licence
- Reply within 24 hrs
- English spoken
Quick answer
A typical investigation in France (for example, documenting adultery over 10–15 hours of surveillance) costs between €1,100 and €1,600 net. Surveillance is billed at €90 per hour, with an all-inclusive half-day package at €400 and administrative enquiries from €390. In French proceedings, article 700 of the Code of Civil Procedure allows these fees to be claimed back from the opposing party.
Three packages, zero surprises
HOURLY
Tailored surveillance
€90 / hour
- Minimum assignment: 3 hrs (€270)
- Biarritz–Anglet–Bayonne area: min. 2 hrs (€180)
- + €80: detailed court-ready report
- Night / Sunday surcharge: +25%
HALF-DAY PACKAGE
The recommended option
€400 4 hours
- Detailed court-ready report included
- Time-stamped photographs
- 50 km of travel included
- All-inclusive — no surprises
ENQUIRIES
Administrative
From €390 per enquiry
- People tracing: paid only on success
- Employer & solvency enquiries
- Report within 48–72 hrs
- Simple checks (seller, landlord): from €190
Detailed 2026 rate card
All prices are net — VAT not applicable, art. 293 B of the French Tax Code. No file fees, no urgency surcharges.
Surveillance & fieldwork
- Hourly
- €90 / hour
- Half-day package — 4 hrs
- €400
- Full-day package — 8 hrs
- €720
- 12-hour package
- €1,080
- Case package — 20 hrs
- €1,700
- Complex case — 40 hrs
- €3,200
Minimum 3 hrs (€270), BAB area 2 hrs (€180). Written summary of the assignment included; detailed court-ready report +€80. Nights (9pm–6am) and Sundays: €112.50/hr.
Detailed report (€80 value) and 50 km included.
8 × €90: detailed report and 50 km included.
12 × €90: detailed report and 50 km included.
€85/hour all-inclusive: evening and weekend slots without surcharge, detailed report and 50 km included.
Surveillance spread over 1–2 weeks, interim report at mid-assignment, legal summary ready for your lawyer.
Beyond the 50 km included: €0.70/km. Night (9pm–6am), Sunday and public holiday surcharge: +25% — the 20-hr and 40-hr packages include it at no extra cost.
Administrative & technical enquiries
- Express check (seller, contractor, landlord)
- from €190
- Address & employer tracing
- €390
- Pre-employment screening
- from €450 / candidate
- Solvency / asset analysis
- from €800
- Bug & GPS tracker sweeps
- vehicle €350 · home from €650
Report within 72 hrs
Payable only if the person is successfully located (France)
Career history, qualifications, references
Property, vehicles, actual business activity
Full technical sweep
Secure archiving of your file for 3 years included (GDPR). Complex or international cases: tailored quote within 24 hours.
Your fees may be reimbursed (art. 700 CPC)
In France, article 700 of the Code of Civil Procedure lets the judge order the losing party to pay the other side’s costs — including private investigator’s fees, where the report was useful to resolving the dispute. Your lawyer simply needs to request it in the submissions.
Expert tip
“Always ask your lawyer to include our fees in the submissions under article 700.”
A written engagement letter before anything starts
CNAPS licence no. AUT-064-2125-01-21-20251012287
Engagement letter
A written contract defining the assignment, its legitimate purpose, duration and budget. Nothing starts without your signature.
Legitimate interest
We verify that your request rests on a legitimate interest (divorce, debt, litigation…) — the legal precondition for any investigation.
Ethics & GDPR
Lawful, proportionate and documented methods. Your data — and the subject’s — are processed in line with the GDPR.
Rates: your questions
Do your rates include VAT?
Our fees are net: VAT is not applicable (article 293 B of the French General Tax Code). €90 per hour is the equivalent of €108 including VAT at a VAT-registered firm.
Can I recover the investigator’s fees?
In French court proceedings, article 700 of the Code of Civil Procedure lets the judge order the opposing party to reimburse your costs — including investigator’s fees where the report was useful to the case. Ask your lawyer to include them in the submissions. The decision rests with the judge; no reimbursement is ever guaranteed in advance.
How do I pay from abroad?
By bank transfer (SEPA, in euros) or card. A written engagement letter fixes the scope and budget before any work starts — no hidden costs, no urgency surcharges.
What do I receive at the end of the assignment?
Every assignment includes a written summary of the assignment. The detailed court-ready report — full chronology, time-stamped photographs, legal framework — is included in the packages and available for €80 on the hourly formula. An English summary is available on request.
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