Matrimonial Investigations
Infidelity Private Investigator in New York City
Discreet infidelity and matrimonial investigations when you think a spouse or partner is cheating, with proof a New York court will accept.
An infidelity private investigator watches your spouse or partner in public, records where they go and who they meet, and gives you dated photos, video and a written report. At New York Intelligence Agency that costs $240 an hour with one investigator. It is fully legal in New York, and the first talk with David is free.
At a glance
- Court ready reports your divorce attorney can use
- Investigators who can testify if your case goes to trial
- A private first talk by phone, by text or at our Fifth Avenue office
- Photos, video and GPS tracking where the law allows
- $240 an hour, a five hour daily minimum, and a written estimate first
When trust breaks down in a marriage, you need the truth. You cannot plan your next move without it. Our team has spent more than 40 years proving infidelity in New York. We work for divorce attorneys, for family law cases, and for people just like you. We do it quietly, and we gather proof that holds up in court.
When to Call an Infidelity Investigator
Most people call us after months of worry. The late nights. The odd charges. A partner who pulls away. A phone that is suddenly locked. By the time you call, you often already feel it. What you need is proof. Proof to face the truth, protect your money in a divorce, or simply close this chapter and move on.
Is It Legal to Hire a Private Investigator for Infidelity in New York?
Yes. Hiring a licensed private investigator to look into a cheating spouse is legal in New York. Investigators are licensed by the New York Department of State. Ours is license #11000169770, and you can look it up yourself below.
The law draws a clear line, and we stay on the right side of it.
What we can do
- Follow a person in public places, on foot or by car
- Photograph and film what anyone could see from a public spot
- Search public records, marital records and backgrounds
- Talk to people who agree to talk to us
What we will not do
- Record calls or talks we are not part of. In New York that is eavesdropping, a felony.
- Get into a phone, email or social media account
- Go into a home, hotel room or office without permission
- Put a tracker on a car you have no right to
That line protects you too. Proof gathered the wrong way can be kept out of court, and it can get the person who gathered it charged. It is also why spy apps are a bad idea. Read more on how private investigators legally collect evidence in New York.
How an Infidelity Investigation Works
- A free, private talk. Call, text or visit our Fifth Avenue office. Tell us what you have noticed. We tell you honestly if surveillance can answer it.
- A plan built around their routine. We pick the days and hours most likely to show something, like a late night at the office or a weekend trip.
- A written estimate. You see the cost before any work starts.
- Surveillance. Unmarked vehicles, rotating investigators, and no contact with the subject, ever.
- Your report. Time stamped notes, photos and video, sent to you securely.
- Court, if you need it. Your investigator can testify to what they saw and how the proof was kept.
What Evidence Holds Up in a New York Divorce
New York splits property in a fair way, not always an equal one. So what you can prove about a spouse can change the outcome of a divorce. We write our reports for your attorney to use. We document the chain of custody. We match surveillance logs to photo timestamps. And our investigators can testify if your case goes to trial. We work with many of New York City’s top divorce firms, and our work is built to hold up.
Proof that tends to hold up
- Photos and video taken from public places, with the date and time
- A surveillance log that matches each photo to the minute
- A clear chain of custody from the camera to the courtroom
- An investigator who can take the stand
- Public records, like property, business and court filings
Proof that tends to cause trouble
- Recordings of calls or talks you were not part of
- Texts or emails taken by logging into their phone or account
- Spy apps put on a phone that is not yours
Does cheating even matter in a no fault state? Sometimes a great deal. New York has allowed no fault divorce since 2010, so you do not need to prove an affair to end a marriage. But proof still counts when marital money was spent on the affair, when a spouse lives with a new partner and still asks for support, or when a parent’s conduct affects the children. If kids are part of it, read what a PI can legally do in a child custody investigation.
Discretion Is the Entire Job
If a subject realizes they're being followed, the investigation is over. That's why we use experienced field investigators, rotate vehicles, and operate at the level of patience this work demands. No subject we've worked has ever been spooked by our team. That's the standard.
Official Sources You Can Check Yourself
We would rather you check this than take our word for it. These are the primary sources behind the guidance on this page.
- Domestic Relations Law 236 Part B. The equitable distribution statute that decides how a New York court divides marital property.
- Penal Law 250.05, Eavesdropping. Wiretapping and intercepting communications is a class E felony in New York. This is the line no licensed investigator crosses.
- New York Department of State license search. Look up any New York investigator by name or license number. Ours is #11000169770.
Just for Fun
The Unofficial Cheating Detector
Eight quick questions, zero judgment. It proves absolutely nothing on its own. Only a real investigation does that. But it might tell you whether your gut is onto something. Answer honestly.
Question 1 of 8
Got it. We will be in touch.
Somebody reads this personally. If it is urgent, call (646) 461-4650 any hour.
Free, Confidential Consultation
Infidelity & Cheating case in New York?
Infidelity & Cheating case in New York?
Call David directly.
Matrimonial & Infidelity
How Our Infidelity Investigations Help
- ✓Document a partner’s movements with time stamped photos and video
- ✓Confirm or rule out an affair so you can stop guessing
- ✓Act as a discreet private detective for cheating concerns, never making contact
- ✓Gather evidence that holds up with a family law attorney
- ✓Offer last minute surveillance when you need answers fast
- ✓Hire a licensed private investigator in New York City
Cost & What You Get
What an Infidelity Investigation Costs in New York
Matrimonial work is almost entirely surveillance driven, so it is billed by the hour rather than as a single flat fee. Usually with a minimum block of hours per outing, because a real surveillance operation cannot be done in fifteen minutes.
The main things that move the fee:
- how many hours of surveillance the situation realistically needs
- whether one investigator is enough or the subject’s movement calls for a team of two
- time of day, distance, and whether the subject crosses boroughs or heads to the suburbs
- whether you need video, a written report, or an investigator who can testify
- how fast you need us on it
| What you book | Price |
|---|---|
| Surveillance, one investigator | $240 an hour |
| Surveillance, two investigators | $280 an hour |
| Vehicle | $100 a day |
| Daily minimum | 5 hours |
| A standard day, one or two investigators | $1,300 or $1,500 |
| Marital records search | $600 flat |
| Background check | $400, free with surveillance |
Matrimonial surveillance is $240 an hour with one investigator and $280 with two, with a five hour daily minimum and a $100 daily vehicle charge. That is $1,300 or $1,500 for a standard day, and a multi day operation with a full evidence package scales from there. A marital records search is a flat $600. Every case is quoted individually. The initial consultation with David is free and confidential, and you’ll get a written estimate before any work begins, with no obligation.
What You Receive
- a timestamped written report of what we observed
- date stamped photo and video evidence
- a plain English summary you can actually use
- secure digital delivery of the file
- an investigator who can testify to the chain of custody if the case reaches court
Frequently Asked Questions
Infidelity Investigations, Your Questions Answered
Straight answers to what clients ask most. If yours isn't here, call David directly for a free, confidential consultation.
Is it legal to hire a private investigator for infidelity in New York?
Yes. A licensed New York investigator can follow a spouse in public, note where they go and who they meet, and photograph what anyone could see from a public spot. We cannot enter a home without permission, put a tracker on a car you have no right to, or record private talks we are not part of. Everything we collect follows state and federal law, so it holds up if you ever need it.
How much does an infidelity private investigator cost in New York?
Surveillance is $240 an hour with one investigator and $280 an hour with two, with a five hour daily minimum and $100 a day for the vehicle. So a standard day is $1,300 or $1,500. A marital records search is a flat $600, and a background check is $400 or free when you book surveillance. The first talk is free, and you get a written estimate before any work begins.
Can the evidence be used in a New York divorce case?
Yes. New York is a no fault divorce state, so you do not need to prove cheating to get divorced. But proof still matters in a contested case. It can affect support when marital money was spent on an affair, back up a claim that a spouse lives with a new partner, or inform custody when a parent's conduct affects the children. We write a clear, dated report your attorney can use.
How long does an infidelity investigation take?
It depends on your spouse's routine. Many cases get real results within one to three surveillance days, timed around a certain evening or trip. We talk through the pattern you have noticed first, then watch the windows most likely to show something, rather than billing open ended hours.
Will my spouse find out I hired an investigator?
No. Discretion is the core of the work. Our investigators are trained in covert mobile and foot surveillance, use unmarked vehicles, and never make contact with the subject. Your talk with us and your case stay strictly confidential. Your name never appears in anything that leaves the office.
Can a private investigator read my spouse's texts or track their phone?
No. No licensed investigator in New York can legally get into another person's phone, texts, email or social media, or tap their calls. Anyone who offers to is offering you a crime, and the proof would likely be kept out of court. What we can show you is where your spouse goes and who they meet, which is usually the real question.
Can you put a GPS tracker on my spouse's car?
Only where the law allows. That depends on who owns the car and who drives it, so we go over it with you before anything is placed. We never put a tracker on a car you have no right to. Often, good mobile surveillance tells you more than a tracker, because it shows who they meet and not just where the car was parked.
What if the investigation finds nothing?
Then you have an answer too. You get the same dated report either way, showing where your spouse went and what they did during the hours we watched. For many people, learning the worry was wrong is the result they hoped for.
What should I do before I call?
Write down the days, times and places where you noticed something odd, and do not confront your spouse, which only makes them more careful. Bring that timeline to a free talk and we will tell you honestly whether surveillance is likely to answer your question and what it would involve.
Do you handle infidelity cases outside Manhattan?
Yes. We work in all five boroughs, Westchester, Rockland and Long Island. If the case leads somewhere else, tell us on the first call and we will tell you honestly how we can handle it.
How does a private investigator catch a cheating spouse?
An investigator watches in public places, records where the person goes and who they meet, and gives you dated photos, video and a written report. It costs $240 an hour with one investigator, and the first talk with David is free.
What does a marital records search cost?
A marital records search at NYIA is $600. It helps confirm past marriages and divorces. For a fuller check on a future spouse, our pre marital service covers past marriages, money trouble and criminal records, and you can order any search on its own.
Related Services
Investigations That Often Go Together
New to working with an investigator? See how we work, our confidentiality standards, or why a licensed PI matters. For a full price guide, see what a private investigator costs in New York.
From the field: Hiring an infidelity private investigator in New York · How a private eye uncovers infidelity · Cohabitation surveillance in alimony disputes · What a PI can legally do in custody cases · What to do if you suspect your spouse is cheating · Hiring a private detective for your divorce case.
Working in New York City
The city we operate in. Today’s conditions and who lives here
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New York Intelligence Agency works across all five boroughs and the surrounding metro. Understanding the population we serve. Its scale, density, and makeup. Informs how we plan surveillance, locate people, and build cases in the city.
8.5M
Residents across the five boroughs
3.2M
Households citywide
$76,600
Median household income
38
Median age (years)
41%
Hold a bachelor’s degree or higher
68%
Live in renter occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (New York City).