Report a missing person

If you have any information on a missing person, or wish to report a missing person to police, call Policelink on 131 444, or call CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000 for anonymous reporting. 

There are around 56,000 people reported missing nationwide each year. In 2025, 8286 people were reported missing to the Queensland Police Service (QPS). Most of these people are found within a short period of time.

Who is a missing person?

"Missing person" means  any  person,  whether  an  adult  or  child,  reported  to  police  whose  whereabouts  are  unknown  and  where there are fears for the safety or concerns for the welfare of that person.

When to report a missing person

You do not have to wait 24 hours to report a missing person.

If you fear for someone’s safety and welfare, and their whereabouts is unknown, you can file a missing person’s report at your local police station. Find your local station

The first 24 hours following a person’s disappearance are crucial. The sooner we can follow up leads, such as CCTV footage, the more likely the person will be found safe and well.

What do I do if I see a missing person?

Let your local police know. Information can also be passed to us by  telephoning Policelink on 131 444, or CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000 (free call within Australia).

Any information received will be treated in confidence.

What to report

When you report a missing person, we will ask you to provide as much information as possible. This will include:

• Name, age, home address, employment details
• A recent, clear and coloured photograph of the missing person
• Details of their physical appearance, what they were wearing and when last seen
• Details of their last known whereabouts and any intended arrangements (for example, if they were travelling by bus to the local shopping centre)
• Details of their social media, telephone and banking information.

What the police will do

When you report a missing person in Queensland, we take the lead in managing and investigating the case, including taking the initial missing persons report. 

We may investigate in a variety of ways, including:

• Searching the home address of the missing person to confirm they are not there and find any information or evidence that might help locate them
• Searching the area where the person was last seen (if different from their home address)
• Checking with local hospitals.

Reporting an Australian missing overseas

If you have concerns for the safety and welfare of a family member or friend missing overseas, and you have been unable to make contact with them (or any known travelling companions), you can report them missing at your local police station. Find your local station

For more information see National Missing Persons Coordination Centre. 

What if I am reported missing?

If you have been reported missing, it is vital that you let us know you are safe and well. Your whereabouts can be kept confidential if you are over the age of 18 years and do not want anyone to know. The person reporting you ​missing will be advised that you are safe and well.

If you are under 18, your whereabouts will not be disclosed if this will endanger you.

What does it take to be reported missing?

If there are concerns for someone’s safety and welfare and their whereabouts are unknown, they can be reported as missing. There is no need to delay reporting as there is no minimum time limit, and it doesn’t matter how old the person is. In fact, the sooner they are reported missing, the sooner police can start investigating.

Their location and details don’t have to be released to anyone else, including the person who reported them missing, unless the individual gives police permission to release that information. If the missing person is a child, the release of their location will depend on the circumstances surrounding their disappearance. Likewise, if a person is reported missing, the report will be kept confidential unless permission is given to share the information, by the family and investigating officers.

Is it a crime to be reported missing?

It is not a crime to be reported to police as missing.

If this has occurred, it is because someone is worried about you.

If you have been reported missing and make contact with police, police will maintain your privacy.

While it may seem like you see missing people on social media and in the news a lot, it’s important to remember that every case is unique and peoples’ reasons for going missing can be completely different.

What factors contribute to people going missing?

There are countless reasons people go missing, whether voluntary or involuntary, but triggers such as mental illness, medical issues, economic problems, social issues and/or family problems can put people at a higher risk.

Different Queensland regions experience different frequencies of missing person reports, for different potential reasons.

Areas with a high elderly population may see more people going missing for reasons linked to dementia, while other areas trend towards younger people going missing.

The most common demographic of missing people in Queensland are teenagers aged 12 – 17 years old who account for more than half of all cases, closely followed by the elderly.

Other reasons for people being reported missing include:

• Cognitive disabilities, dementia, autism
• Experiencing domestic violence
• Australians missing overseas
• Children living in Out of Home Care
• Mental health / suicide
• Child abductions / Family law
• Human trafficking
• Child sexual exploitation
• Drug and alcohol dependency
• Homelessness
• Criminal offences – Murder / kidnapping / deprivation of liberty
• People lost at sea – boating incidents / animal predation
• Voluntary missing

Safe and Found initiative

QPS has partnered with not-for-profit organisation MedicAlert Foundation Australia, to launch the Safe and Found initiative in Queensland, which assists with missing person investigations and search and rescue operations.

The initiative assists people living with dementia, autism or a cognitive impairment who might be at higher risk of becoming lost or reported as missing, by having information from MedicAlert at hand about possible locations or specific behaviour of the person if they go wandering.

Are there specialist officers assigned to every missing person case?

Most officers and units within QPS intersect with missing persons work; from specialist units like Dog Squad, Dive Squad, Polair, to general duty officers exploring initial inquiries and search and rescue-trained staff.

The Missing Persons Unit oversees missing person cases and provides support to frontline police throughout the state, by undertaking specialised searches with financial institutes and insurance companies, making overseas enquiries and employing other specialised intelligence systems.

The Unit is also responsible for long-term missing persons within Queensland and liaises with Homicide’s Cold Case Unit for suspicious long-term missing persons cases. 

When is someone classed as a long-term missing person?

Once someone is missing for more than three months, they are classified as a long-term missing person.

At this point, police will provide the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) with profile information for inclusion on the Australian Public Register.

There are many lines of inquiry and investigative methods police will explore before publicly appealing for information via media releases and talking to news media, and lines of inquiry will vary on a case-by-case basis.

What if someone goes missing multiple times?

Each time someone goes missing it is treated as an individual report and the priority is always to find the person safe and well as soon as possible.

People who have gone missing once are much more likely to be reported missing again than those who have never been missing.

An investigation will not be taken any less seriously based on the number of times the individual has been reported missing in the past.

When is a missing person case closed?

A person remains listed as missing until they are sighted or when their remains are located.

On average, a person is missing for 40 hours before being reported to police, and it then takes an average of 20 hours for them to be found. 

How can I help?

The first step is reporting the missing person.

This can be done at your local police station, or by calling Policelink on 131 444, or call CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000 for anonymous reporting.

After reporting a person missing, you may feel isolated, frustrated and helpless that you are not doing more to help.

You can take some active steps to raise awareness of the missing person throughout your community.

This may include:

• Creating and displaying posters
• Creating a social media campaign
• Engaging with media outlets

Be sure to talk to police before starting any awareness campaigns and keep them informed of your progress. They will be able to provide you with expert advice and tips relevant to your particular case.