Call the non emergency number of the police department that covers the address where the person is, and say you are requesting a welfare check.
No court order is needed and you do not have to be a relative. Anyone with a genuine concern can ask.
If you believe the person is in immediate danger — a threat of suicide, a medical crisis happening now, or violence in the home — call 911 instead. A welfare check through the non emergency line is for concern, not for emergencies in progress.
When a welfare check makes sense
- You have not heard from someone who is normally in daily contact, and calls and messages are going unanswered.
- An older relative or neighbour who lives alone is not answering the door or the phone.
- Someone has a health condition that could leave them unable to call for help.
- A message or social media post has left you worried about their safety or mental health.
- A neighbour’s mail and deliveries are piling up and their car has not moved.
Which department to call
This is the part people get wrong. The check is carried out by the agency with jurisdiction over the address where the person is. If your mother lives three states away, you call her town’s police department, not yours. If she lives outside city limits in an unincorporated area, it will usually be the county sheriff’s office rather than a city police department.
You can look up the department that covers that address in our directory and call the non emergency number listed there.
What to have ready
| Information | Why they ask |
|---|---|
| Full name, age and physical description | So officers know who they are looking for at the door. |
| Exact address, including apartment or unit number | It decides which agency responds, and saves time on arrival. |
| When you last had contact, and how | It separates “quiet for a day” from “missing for a week”. |
| Medical conditions and medications | It changes how urgently the call is treated. |
| Whether weapons may be in the home | An officer safety question they will always ask. |
| Whether anyone else lives there | Officers may be met by a roommate or partner. |
| Your name and callback number | So they can tell you what they found. |
What actually happens
An officer is dispatched to the address, usually as a lower priority call than emergencies in progress, so it can take anywhere from minutes to several hours depending on how busy the shift is. They knock, try to make contact, and look for signs that something is wrong.
If the person answers and is fine, that is the end of it. Officers can enter without permission if they have reasonable grounds to believe somebody inside is hurt or in danger. If the person needs medical or mental health help, officers can arrange it.
What they will and will not tell you afterwards
Do not expect a detailed report. Privacy rules limit what officers can share with a third party, even a close relative. In most places you will be told whether contact was made and whether the person appeared to be safe — not their medical details, and not what was said. An adult who is well is also entitled to decline contact with you.
If you want the incident documented, ask whether a report number was generated, and see how to get a copy of a police report.
Before you call
Try the obvious things first, because a welfare check sends officers to someone’s door: call more than once, message people who might have seen them, check with their workplace, and try a neighbour or the building manager. If none of that resolves it, make the call.
Procedures and response priorities vary by jurisdiction, so the department that covers the address is always the authority on how they handle it. Find their non emergency number here.
Before you call, try this first
Call and message again
More than once, and at a different time of day. Phones get left on silent and batteries die.
Ask someone closer
A neighbour, the building manager, a workplace or a mutual friend can often resolve it in one message.
Then make the call
If none of that works, request the check. Officers would rather attend and find nothing wrong.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be a relative to request a welfare check?
No. Anyone with a genuine concern can ask — a neighbour, a friend, a colleague or a landlord. You do not need a court order and you do not need to explain your relationship in any formal way.
Can I request a welfare check anonymously?
Policies differ by department. Most will take the call without your name, but giving a callback number helps: it lets officers ask a follow up question, and it is how you find out what they found.
Will they tell me what they found?
Usually only whether contact was made and whether the person appeared to be safe. Privacy rules stop officers sharing medical details or the content of the conversation, and an adult who is well can decline contact with you.
Find your local non emergency number
157 agencies across 6 states, every number checked against the agency’s own official website.