California Unclaimed Property: How to Search, File a Claim, and Avoid Fees

What California unclaimed property includes

Under California's Unclaimed Property Law, a business that loses touch with an owner for a set period must report the property and send it to the State Controller. For most bank accounts that period is generally three years without contact, and it is shorter for some items, such as unpaid wages. The state then acts as a custodian. It does not become the state's money; it waits for you.

Common types include:

• Checking and savings accounts left inactive.
• Uncashed paychecks, final paychecks, and vendor checks.
• Refunds and credit balances, such as utility deposits, overpayments, and insurance premium refunds.
• Life insurance payouts and annuity benefits that were never collected.
• Stocks, mutual fund shares, dividends, and bonds.
• Contents of safe deposit boxes.
• Escrow balances, court deposits, and money from closed businesses.

The Controller's office said in June 2026 that it safeguards about $15 billion in unclaimed property belonging to millions of individuals, businesses, and government agencies. Many accounts are small, but some are worth thousands of dollars.

Searching ClaimIt.ca.gov the right way

The official search is at ClaimIt.ca.gov. It is free and you do not need an account to search. A good search takes a few minutes and several tries:

• Use the last name plus a first initial rather than a full first name. Businesses often report names in short or misspelled forms.
• Search every name you have used: maiden name, married names, nicknames, and names with or without a middle initial.
• Search your business names, a church or nonprofit you run, and the names of relatives who have died.
• Check the city in each result. An old address you once lived at is a good sign the property is yours.
• Search again every year or so. Businesses report new property every year, and records are not public until the state publishes notice or a year after the property is delivered.

California holds only property reported to California, usually because the owner's last known address was in the state. If you have lived elsewhere, search those states too, and check federal sources such as old savings bonds and IRS refunds separately. Our guide on how to find unclaimed money from the government walks through the federal side.

Filing a claim

When you find a result that looks like yours, select it and start a claim on ClaimIt.ca.gov. You can add more than one property to the same claim if they belong to the same owner.

What happens next depends on the property:

• Simple cash claims. Some single-owner cash claims can be filed fully online (the office calls this eClaim) and verified electronically. The office has set the online limit at $5,000 in the past; larger or more complex claims use the paper process.
• Standard claims. You print and sign the claim form and mail or upload proof. The Controller's claim form says claims for securities or safe deposit boxes must be notarized.
• Claims for others. Heirs, estate representatives, guardians, conservators, and business officers need extra proof of their authority.

Proof usually means a copy of your photo ID, your Social Security number, and something that ties you to the address on the record, such as an old bill, lease, pay stub, or tax return. If you have no papers from that address, explain why in writing; the office may accept other evidence. Our documents checklist has tips for finding old records.

How long does a California claim take?

California law sets an outer limit. Under Code of Civil Procedure section 1540, the Controller must consider each claim within 180 days after it is filed. Many simple claims are paid sooner; claims with several heirs, securities, or missing proof can take months.

The court deadlines come from section 1541. Before going to court, call the office to ask what is missing; most delays are fixed by sending one more document.

Interest, stocks, and safe deposit boxes

Interest. California does not pay interest on unclaimed property claims. Section 1540 states plainly that interest is not payable on any claim paid under the Unclaimed Property Law. An old savings account is returned at the balance the bank reported, not the balance it might have grown to.

Stocks and other securities. Under section 1563, the Controller sells reported securities no sooner than 18 months and no later than 20 months after the holder's report. If you claim before the sale, you can receive the shares. After the sale, you receive the net sale proceeds, even if the stock's price has since risen. Digital financial assets follow a similar 18-to-20-month timeline before conversion to dollars.

Safe deposit boxes. Box contents may also be sold, with the money held for the owner. The Controller's investigator guidance says that when box contents have been sold, payment is made as a regular cash claim, and the office does not disclose box contents for security reasons. Some items of historical or military value may be kept rather than sold.

Letters from the State Controller

In the last year the Controller's office has started mailing letters to people it can match to unclaimed property, instead of waiting for them to search:

• December 2025: more than 100,000 letters, which the office says reunited owners with more than $30.4 million.
• June 2026: about 130,000 more letters, based on a match between Controller records and Franchise Tax Board tax records, announced in a news release on June 4, 2026.

According to the office, people who receive one of these letters do not need to search the database or file a traditional claim. They go to the web address on the letter, enter the claim code, verify their information, and confirm ownership, and a check follows in about two weeks. Real letters identify the State Controller's Office and point to ClaimIt.ca.gov. If a letter or text asks for a fee, a bank login, or a payment to "release" your money, it is not from the state.

If you did not get a letter, that does not mean nothing is waiting. Search ClaimIt.ca.gov yourself.

Claiming for a relative who died

The law lets an owner's heirs or the legal representative of the estate claim property. How you prove that depends on whether there is a probate case:

• With probate: the executor or administrator files using court papers, such as letters testamentary or letters of administration.
• Without probate: heirs of smaller estates may be able to use a small-estate declaration under the California Probate Code. The claim instructions explain which forms and certified copies are needed, such as the death certificate and proof of your relationship.
• Several heirs: the office may require everyone with a share to sign or be accounted for, which is why these claims take longer.

Search under the person's full name, any other names they used, and their business names. If the estate is large or the family disagrees, talk with a probate attorney or legal aid office before filing.

Finder fees and scams

Private "finders," investigators, and heir locators sometimes contact people about California unclaimed property. Using one is optional, since you can claim directly for free. Section 1582 sets firm limits on these deals:

• Timing: any agreement signed between the date a business reports the property and the date it is delivered to the state is invalid.
• No upfront fees: an agreement that requires you to pay before the claim is approved and paid is invalid.
• Disclosure: a valid agreement must be in writing, name the property and its value, say that the Controller holds it, and give the address where you can claim it yourself.
• Fee cap: the fee cannot be more than 10% of the recovered property.
• Your right to challenge: you can argue at any time that a finder's fee is excessive or unjust.

Scam warning signs include requests for a fee before you get paid, a demand for your bank password, pressure to sign quickly, or a website that looks official but is not ClaimIt.ca.gov or sco.ca.gov. You can report fraud to the California Attorney General. See our scam warnings page for more red flags.

How California differs from other states

All states run unclaimed property programs, and the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators at unclaimed.org links to each one. California's rules stand out in a few ways:

• It holds property indefinitely. There is no cutoff date for owners or heirs.
• No interest on claims. Some states pay interest on certain interest-bearing accounts; California law says interest is not payable.
• Securities are sold on a schedule, 18 to 20 months after reporting, so a late claim gets cash rather than shares.
• A strict finder fee cap of 10%, with a ban on agreements made before the property reaches the state.
• Mailed notices with claim codes, using Franchise Tax Board data, rather than requiring every owner to search and file.

Claiming your money, step by step

1. Search ClaimIt.ca.gov under every name and business name you have used.
2. Check the address on each result to confirm it is yours.
3. Start the claim online and follow the instructions for the property type.
4. Gather proof of identity and of your link to the old address, and notarize if the form asks.
5. Submit and keep copies of everything, including your claim ID.
6. Follow up by phone at 1-800-992-4647 if you have not heard back after a few months.

Related guides

• How to find unclaimed money from the government
• Nevada unclaimed property
• Oregon unclaimed property
• Scam warnings

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Claim rules and forms are set by the California State Controller's Office. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the State of California or any government agency.