Florida Unclaimed Property: Search Claim Your Cash Florida and Get Your Money

Where Florida keeps unclaimed property

Florida runs a custodial program. When a bank, employer, insurer, or utility cannot reach you, it reports the property to DFS, which holds it in your name. Your ownership does not expire. The statute calls these businesses “holders,” and they must file their reports before May 1 each year, covering the prior calendar year (F.S. 717.117).

While the money waits, Florida puts it to work. Under F.S. 717.123, cash goes into the Unclaimed Property Trust Fund; DFS may keep up to $15 million there to pay claims and costs, and the rest is moved to the State School Fund. When you claim, the state pays you from those funds.

Recent results: DFS reported record monthly returns of $88 million in February 2026 and $92 million in March 2026, and said in July 2026 that more than $847 million had been returned during the CFO’s first year in office. On September 15, 2026, DFS renamed the program Claim Your Cash Florida and said it manages about $3 billion in unclaimed property.

How long before property is reported

Florida’s general rule is five years without owner contact (F.S. 717.102), but several types move faster or slower. These periods come from the 2026 Florida Statutes:

Before reporting property worth $50 or more, the holder must send you a notice 90 to 180 days ahead. If the value is over $1,000, a second notice goes by certified mail at least 60 days before the report (F.S. 717.117). Replying to either notice keeps the money with the business.

Searching Claim Your Cash Florida

Use the state’s official search at FLTreasureHunt.gov, which now carries the Claim Your Cash Florida name and address, ClaimYourCashFL.gov. The public database lists property valued at $10 or more (F.S. 717.118). Searching is free.

• Search last name first, then narrow by city. Florida’s list is very large, so a full name can miss records with a middle initial or typo.
• Include every name you have used, plus snowbird addresses and any Florida city where you worked.
• Search businesses you owned and nonprofits you handled. DFS has been returning money to universities, colleges, and local governments under its new campaign.
• Search relatives who have died, since heirs can claim.
• Come back after spring, when new holder reports have been filed.

If you have lived in other states, see our unclaimed money guide for a multi-state search plan.

Filing a Florida unclaimed property claim

Select your items on the search site and file the claim online. Chapter 717 sets the core rules in F.S. 717.124:

• Photo ID. A legible copy of a valid driver license or other government photo ID must come with the claim. A notarized sworn statement can stand in for it. A claim without either is void.
• Current address. If your ID shows an old address, DFS asks for a recent document, such as a utility bill, that shows where you live now.
• Proof of connection. Be ready to show you lived at, or are linked to, the address or account on the record.
• Small claims. For claims of $250 or less, DFS may accept an affidavit in place of documents you no longer have. For electronic claims of $2,000 or less, it may use other identity checks.

DFS must decide each claim within 90 days after receiving it, or after your answer to a request for more information, whichever is later. It can add 60 days for good cause or for listed situations, such as a claimant outside the United States or documents not in English. Joint accounts follow special rules: on an “and” account, every owner generally must claim; on an “or” account, either owner can claim the full amount (F.S. 717.12403).

Stock is often sold after it reaches the state. You then receive the sale proceeds, not shares, and there is no claim for any rise in value after the sale (F.S. 717.122). For tips on gathering papers, see our documents checklist.

Payments sent without a claim

Florida law gives DFS a way to pay some owners directly. Under F.S. 717.124(8), DFS may send an account valued at $2,000 or less to its apparent owner once it has verified the owner is living and the current address is correct, with a notice explaining the amount, source, and type of property. The Claim Your Cash Florida site also posts a sample notification letter.

DFS has not published, on the pages we could check, how many people receive these payments or how often. Do not wait for one. If you see your name in the database, file the claim yourself; it is free and usually simple.

Claims for a deceased owner

Heirs and estates can claim Florida unclaimed property. DFS generally asks for a certified death certificate plus identification and signed claim forms from each heir, or from the personal representative if the estate is still open.

The small-estate affidavit must state that all beneficiaries agree on how to divide the money and that funeral costs, last-illness expenses, and other lawful debts have been paid. Include a copy of the will if there was one. People who receive money this way are personally liable, up to what they received, if someone with a better right comes forward. An estate may not claim on an heir’s behalf until that heir has been located (F.S. 717.12405).

Claimant representatives and the 30 percent cap

Florida lets paid “claimant representatives” file claims for others, but only under strict rules. Under F.S. 717.1400, a representative must be a Florida attorney, a Florida certified public accountant, or a Florida-licensed private investigator, and must register with DFS. Firm names that suggest a government connection, such as “Florida,” “state,” or “department,” are not allowed. Unregistered “locators” may not file claims.

Under F.S. 717.135:

• Representatives must use DFS’s official recovery agreement or purchase agreement form, unchanged. Any other fee agreement is void.
• Total fees and costs may not exceed 30% of the claimed amount. If a recovery agreement charges more, DFS cuts the fee to 30% and pays the difference to you.
• In a purchase agreement, where the representative buys your right to the property, a discount of more than 30% means the claim is denied.
• Fees can be paid only after a filed claim has been approved.
• A recovery agreement may not be made irrevocable or assign part of your property.

Since filing is free and DFS staff answer questions at no charge, a representative mainly makes sense for complicated estate or business claims. Filing a false claim is a crime in Florida, with penalties that rise with the amount (F.S. 717.1341).

Avoiding unclaimed money scams

The renaming of the state site in 2026 means letters and articles may still mention FLTreasureHunt.gov, and scammers can use the confusion. Protect yourself:

• DFS never charges a fee to search for or claim your property.
• Type the official address yourself instead of tapping a link in a text or email.
• No real agency will ask for gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or your bank password.
• A pitch that says your money will be gone if you do not act now is false; Florida has no claim deadline.

Report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Our scam warnings page lists more red flags.

Other places your money may be

Florida only holds property reported to Florida. Many residents moved here from another state, so check where you lived before. MissingMoney.com, endorsed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, searches most states at once. Federal money, such as uncashed IRS refunds and old savings bonds, is held by federal agencies; our guide on how to find unclaimed money from the government covers each source.

Related guides

• Florida hardship program
• NAUPA unclaimed property
• Unclaimed money in Nevada
• IRS tax refunds

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. The Florida Department of Financial Services decides every claim; follow its instructions and forms. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the Florida Department of Financial Services or any government agency.