Utah Unclaimed Property: How to Search MyCash and Claim Your Money

What Utah unclaimed property includes

The division's FAQ describes unclaimed property as intangible property that a company holds for someone else. Its list includes checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, overpayments, insurance checks, payroll checks, utility refunds, money orders, uncashed checks, dividends, stocks, bonds, and safe deposit box contents. The Treasurer's news releases add overpaid medical bills, which are a common source in Utah.

Utah has run this program since 1956, when it adopted an early version of the national uniform law, and it received its first report in 1957. The idea is consumer protection: without it, a business that cannot find you could simply keep your money. Instead, the state holds it in a custodial role, and the FAQ says the money is kept until the rightful owner or an heir can be found.

True gift cards and gift certificates generally are not reported in Utah. The exception is a card registered to a name with a Utah address and redeemable for cash.

Recent totals from the Treasurer

Reported unclaimed property in Utah has climbed sharply. The Treasurer's office says yearly reports stayed in the $30 million to $60 million range for nearly a decade before surging in 2023.

The gap between money coming in and money going out is the point of a January 2026 release: more property now enters the system each year than the division can pay out with its current methods. The office says it is hiring claims processors, adding a fraud investigator, and working under 2026 legislation meant to speed claims and improve how it finds owners. For you, the practical message is the one Treasurer Oaks gives: search, because the money will not find you on its own right now.

Dormancy periods for common accounts

Businesses send property to Utah after a set time without owner contact, figured as of June 30 each year and reported by early November. The Treasurer's 2026 holder reporting guide lists these periods:

The division's tip for staying off the list: make a deposit or withdrawal, update your address, or contact your bank at least once every three years.

MyCash Now automatic checks are paused

MyCash Now launched in November 2023 under a 2023 state law. It matched division records with Utah State Tax Commission data to confirm an owner's identity and recent address, then mailed a check to people owed $2,000 or less without any claim. Owners matched for more than $2,000 got a letter asking them to file a signed claim form.

In October 2025, the Treasurer's office said the program was temporarily paused while it adds staff and stronger fraud safeguards. A January 2026 release repeated that the program remains paused and will restart once staffing is sufficient, fraud controls are in place, and electronic payments are enabled. Until the office announces a restart, do not wait for a check in the mail. Search for yourself and file a claim.

Searching and filing step by step

1. Search mycash.utah.gov using your last name or business name. Adding a first name is optional. Repeat with maiden names, married names, and the names of relatives.
2. Select your property and start a claim online.
3. Attach evidence. The division says strong evidence leads to faster payment. The next section lists what it accepts.
4. Sign and, if asked, notarize. If your claim form has a notary section, you need it. In that case, upload the signed form and also mail the original; the division needs your original signature to pay. A faxed form also needs the original mailed in.
5. Check your status with your claim ID on the claim status page.

The FAQ says some claims take as long as 90 days, and heir or business claims take longer than simple owner claims. If you have not heard anything within a few weeks, check the status page or call the office. If you lived outside Utah, our NAUPA and multistate search guide explains where to look next, and our main unclaimed money guide covers federal sources too.

Evidence the division accepts

The division's evidence FAQ is detailed. For an owner claiming their own property, it asks for three things:

• Identity: a clear copy of an official photo ID, or a notarized claim form instead.
• Social Security number: if you lost your card, a tax return, insurance card, or other document showing the number works.
• Address on record: proof you lived or got mail at the address shown on the website. Accepted examples include a driver's license, vehicle registration, tax return, postmarked envelope, bank or utility statement, Medicare or insurance card, credit report, school transcript, court papers, or a birth, death, or marriage certificate.

Other situations add items. A name change needs a marriage certificate or court document. Someone claiming for a living owner, such as under a power of attorney, must show current authority and a copy of the owner's photo ID. A business needs its federal employer identification number, proof of ownership (such as a purchase agreement or Schedule K-1), and proof the person filing can act for the company. Our documents checklist can help you replace missing records.

Collecting for someone who has died

The division says heirs can claim, and that property is held for rightful owners "forever." The main form is the Affidavit for Collection of Unclaimed Property, which asks three key questions:

Heirs also send a death certificate, a copy of their own photo ID (or a notarized form), and proof that the person who died lived at the address on record. An obituary helps because it usually lists survivors. The division may also ask for an affidavit of heirship signed and notarized by someone who knows the family but is not related and has no stake in the money.

When there is no valid will, Utah follows its intestacy rules. In simple terms, the division's FAQ explains that a surviving spouse alone, or children alone, receive everything; a spouse and shared children leave everything to the spouse; if some children are from another relationship, the spouse gets half and those children split the rest; then parents, then siblings and their families, then grandparents. An heir who does not want their share can assign it to another heir on the same affidavit.

Fee finders and the 20% limit

A fee finder (also called an heir finder) locates unclaimed property and offers to recover it for a percentage. The division's fee finder FAQ sets out Utah's rules:

• Cap: 20% of the property, under Utah Administrative Rule R966-1-36.
• Waiting period: an agreement is valid only if made at least 24 months after the property was delivered to the division.
• Power of attorney: the finder must send an original, property-specific power of attorney. General powers of attorney are rejected, and the power of attorney cannot contain fee terms; the fee contract must be a separate document, with a copy sent to the division.
• Records: unclaimed property records are private under Utah's records law, and the division says it does not give or sell lists for commercial use.

Before signing with a finder, search mycash.utah.gov yourself. Filing your own claim costs nothing and keeps the full amount in your pocket.

Protecting yourself from fake notices

Real Utah notices point to mycash.utah.gov and never charge a fee. When MyCash Now was active, the Treasurer told people to check a letter's claim ID on the official claim status page or call the division. That advice still holds for any letter you receive. Watch for:

• Messages that link to look-alike websites or ask you to "unlock" funds with a payment.
• Requests for gift cards, wire transfers, or your online banking password.
• Promises that the money will arrive automatically right now. MyCash Now is paused as of the latest Treasurer release.

Report suspected fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and call the division at (801) 715-3300 if you are unsure about a notice.

Related guides

• How to find unclaimed money from the government
• Texas unclaimed property
• Utah hardship program
• Utah rent relief

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Claim rules are set by the Utah State Treasurer and Utah law. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the Utah State Treasurer or any government agency. Searching and claiming through the official program is free.