State of california controllers office unclaimed property

Holders of Unclaimed Property include:

• Business associations, 
• Banking and financial organizations, 
• Life insurance corporations, and 
• Other businesses and entities holding property belonging to another person. 

Businesses are required to review their records each year to determine if they hold any property, whether tangible or intangible, that has remained unclaimed for the required dormancy period. Once property has remained unclaimed for the required dormancy period, it becomes reportable. 

Important Reporting Dates

Extension requests due no later than 30 days prior to the report due date.

What is unclaimed property?

Unclaimed property is generally defined as any financial asset left inactive by its owner for a period of time, typically three years. California unclaimed property law does not include real estate.

The most common types of unclaimed property are:

• Bank accounts and safe deposit box contents
• Stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and dividends
• Uncashed cashier’s checks and money orders
• Certificates of deposit
• Matured or terminated insurance policies
• Estates
• Mineral interests and royalty payments
• Trust funds and escrow accounts
• Utility account deposits

Unclaimed property is returned to owners in the form of a check from the state.

How does the state get unclaimed property?

California law requires corporations, businesses, associations, financial institutions, and insurance companies (referred to as “holders”) to annually report and deliver property to the State Controller’s Office if there has been no activity on the account or contact with the owner for a specified period of time (generally three years).

Contact is often lost when the owner forgets the account exists or moves and does not leave a forwarding address. In some cases, the owner dies with heirs who have no knowledge of the property.

What efforts are made to find property owners?

California law requires all holders (corporations, businesses, associations, financial institutions, and insurance companies) of unclaimed property to attempt to contact owners before reporting their property to the State Controller's Office.

Holders are required to send a notice to the owner’s last known address informing them that the property will be transferred to the State Controller's Office for safekeeping if the owner does not contact them to retrieve it.

The State Controller’s Office sends notices to all owners of property that will be transferred to the state. These notices are sent out before the property is to be transferred, giving owners an opportunity to retrieve property directly from the holder.

You must file a claim with the State Controller’s Office.

If your claim is eligible, you will be given the option to file electronically after you have entered the requested information for your claim.

If a paper claim is required, the site will provide instructions on how to complete that process.

To begin the claim process, “Search for Property”.

Filing Instructions and Required Documentation

The type of documents you will need to include with your Claim Affirmation Form will depend upon whether you are the owner, the heir, representing a business or government agency. Please refer to the filing instructions for a list of acceptable documents to include with your claim. Once a complete claim package is received, the property information is removed from our web site while the claim is processed.

Please select one of the links below to print the filing instructions and list of documentation that must accompany the signed claim form

• Filing Instructions for a Property Owner 
  If you are listed in our database or on our website as a Property Owner...
• Filing Instructions for an Heir Filing a Deceased Owner Claim 
  If the Deceased Owner is listed in our database or on our website, and you are filing this claim as an Heir, Trustee, or Personal Representative/Executor/Administrator...
• Filing Instructions for a Business 
  If the Business name is listed in our database or on our website, and you are filing this claim as an Official for the Business, Corporation, Non-profit Organization, Partnership, Association...
• Unclaimed Property for a Government Agency 
  If the Government Agency name is listed in our database or on our website, and you are filling this claim as an official for the agency. Also learn about automatically transferred unclaimed property to government agencies...

Forms

Unclaimed Property Claim Affirmation Form

If your property search is successful, a highlighted Property ID number will appear on the Search Results page next to your name and address. Click on the Property ID number link. This link will take you to the Property Details page. On that page, you will find a printable copy of the Claim Affirmation Form. Be sure to follow all of the instructions on the form.

Your signature must be notarized only if the claim amount is $1,000.00 or greater. All claims for Securities and/or Safe Deposit Boxes must be notarized.

For an Heir Filing a Deceased Owner Claim

• Declaration Under Probate Code 13101

• Table of Heirship

Tutorials

• Video: Completing the Declaration Under Probate Code 13101 Form
• Video: Completing the Table of Heirship Form

Safe Deposit

• Safe Deposit Box Property Release Form

Donations

• Donation to the State of California Form

How do I claim my property from state controller's office?

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How do I contact the State Controller's Office?

How do I claim unclaimed assets in California?