Florida
Florida Unclaimed Property: How to Search & Claim Your Money (2026)
Florida's Division of Unclaimed Property is holding more than $2 billion in forgotten money and property for residents and former residents, from dormant bank accounts to uncashed paychecks and matured CDs. Checking whether any of it belongs to you costs nothing and takes only a few minutes on the state's official database. This guide explains how Florida's program works, how to search, and how to file a claim without paying anyone a fee.
Information last verified on 2026-07-15. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
How Florida's unclaimed property program works
Florida uses what's called custodial escheat, not the old common-law kind where the government simply keeps abandoned property. When a bank, employer, insurer, retailer, or other business, known legally as a "holder," loses touch with the rightful owner of money it's holding (a forgotten savings account, an uncashed paycheck, a matured but never-cashed CD, an old security deposit), Chapter 717 of the Florida Statutes requires the holder to stop trying after a set waiting period and turn the property over to the state instead of keeping it.
The Florida Department of Financial Services, through its Division of Unclaimed Property, then holds that money in a custodial account. The state becomes the property's custodian, not its owner. You, or your heirs, remain the legal owner and can generally file a claim to get it back at any time. This is the same framework nearly every state uses, and it applies to a long list of property types: dormant checking and savings accounts, uncashed dividend and payroll checks, unclaimed insurance payouts, matured CDs, unredeemed U.S. savings bonds, and the contents of safe deposit boxes drilled open for nonpayment of rent, among others.
How to search for unclaimed money in Florida
The Division of Unclaimed Property's own database, at FLTreasureHunt.gov, is the authoritative place to search, and it's updated daily. Search using your current legal name as well as any past names, such as a maiden name or a legal name change, and try variations of your name and any address you've lived at, since a small spelling difference in an old company's records can keep a real match from turning up.
Florida also participates in MissingMoney.com, the free multi-state search portal sponsored by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA). Searching there can be useful if you've lived in more than one state, since it queries most participating states' databases in a single search. But because FLTreasureHunt.gov is Florida's own system of record, it's worth checking directly there too rather than relying on a multi-state tool alone. Heirs can search for family members as well; unclaimed property doesn't disappear when someone dies, and a surviving spouse, child, or other heir can generally still file a claim for a deceased relative's forgotten account, with proof of the relationship.
How to file a claim in Florida
Filing a claim in Florida is free. The Division of Unclaimed Property is the only organization legally allowed to collect, hold, and return unclaimed property in the state, so any "processing fee" charged for the basic act of filing isn't something the state itself charges. After a database search turns up a match, the site issues a claim number and a claim form; you upload supporting documents through the online portal rather than mailing originals.
Typical documentation includes a copy of a current government-issued photo ID showing your name (and address, or a separate document establishing your address if your ID is outdated), and something establishing your connection to the property, such as an old bank statement, a W-2, or an address history. Claims for larger amounts, business claims, or claims filed by an heir on behalf of a deceased owner generally require more documentation, such as a death certificate or letters of administration.
Once a claim is submitted, Fla. Stat. 717.124(1)(c) gives the department 90 days to determine it, counted from the day it receives the claim or the day you respond to a request for additional information, whichever is later. That 90-day period is extended by 60 more days for good cause, or where the owner was a debtor in bankruptcy, the property was reported with an address outside the United States, the claimant is outside the United States, or supporting documents are not in English and arrive without a translation. So the statutory ceiling is 150 days rather than 90, and the enumerated triggers are specific circumstances rather than simply incomplete paperwork. You can check your claim status online using the claim number the system assigns you.
How long does Florida hold unclaimed property?
Florida requires holders to report property to the state after set dormancy periods of owner inactivity, and the period varies by property type: generally five years for most accounts and instruments, one year for unclaimed wages, two years for property held in trust, three years for safe deposit box contents, and fifteen years for traveler's checks.
Stock, other equity interests, and business debt follow a separate rule. Under Fla. Stat. 717.1101(1)(a), as rewritten in 2026, they are presumed abandoned on the earliest of three dates: five years after the most recent account activity or communication initiated by the owner showing continued interest, three years after a first-class mailing to the owner is returned undelivered by the Postal Service, or two years after the owner's death. Routine automatic reinvestments do not count as activity and do not reset that clock.
Once property reaches the state, Florida sets no general deadline to claim it, and Chapter 717 contains no statute of limitations cutting off an owner's or heir's right to file. Three limits are worth knowing before treating that as absolute. Matured U.S. savings bonds can be lost permanently: Fla. Stat. 717.1382 lets the department bring a civil action in Leon County to escheat them, and on that judgment all property rights to the bond, including the rights and privileges of survivorship of an owner, co-owner, or beneficiary, vest solely in the state. A later claim is still possible under 717.1383, but the department "may approve" it on sufficient proof rather than being required to. Second, tangible property may not survive the wait, because Fla. Stat. 717.128 lets the department destroy or otherwise dispose of property of insubstantial commercial value and bars any action against the state or the holder afterward. Third, property delivered to the state is sold at public sale under Fla. Stat. 717.122(1), and the purchaser takes ownership free of all claims of the owner, so a successful claimant receives the sale proceeds rather than the original asset and has no claim to any appreciation after delivery. That last point matters for the drilled safe deposit box contents and securities the state holds.
Watch out for unclaimed money scams
Two very different things get lumped together under "unclaimed money," and it's worth knowing which is which. Paid "unclaimed property finder" or "asset recovery" firms are generally legal businesses, and Florida regulates them more tightly than most readers expect.
Fla. Stat. 717.135(2)(j) caps a claimant representative's total fees and costs, or a purchaser's net gain under a purchase agreement, at 30 percent of the claimed amount; if a recovery agreement exceeds that, the fee is cut to the cap and the excess goes to the claimant, and a purchase agreement that would exceed it results in a denied claim. The department's own Abandoned Property Recovery Agreement and Abandoned Property Purchase Agreement are the exclusive contract forms for this work, and Fla. Stat. 717.135(6) makes any engagement, authorization, recovery, or fee agreement not authorized by that section void.
The most useful rule is the narrowest. Fla. Stat. 717.101(12) limits who can act as a "claimant representative" at all: an attorney in good standing with The Florida Bar, a certified public accountant licensed in Florida, or a private investigator licensed in Florida who is registered with the department. It expressly excludes locators who engage in locating owners of abandoned property for a fee but are not registered with the department. So if someone contacts you offering to recover your money for a cut, the first question is which of those three they are and whether they are registered. A representative is never necessary in Florida in any case, since the state's own search and claim process is free and takes only a little more effort than handing someone else a share of your money.
Outright phishing scams are a separate problem. The Federal Trade Commission has warned about unsolicited calls, texts, and emails that impersonate government agencies and claim the recipient has unclaimed funds waiting, sometimes framed as unclaimed life insurance proceeds. Red flags include being asked for personal or financial information out of the blue, being pressured to pay an upfront "processing" or "release" fee, or being told a claim is about to expire. Florida's Division of Unclaimed Property does not call or text demanding payment to release money that's already legally yours. If you already gave one of these callers a card number or bank login, our guide to phishing, smishing and vishing explains what to do next, starting with a call to your bank's fraud line.
Watch out: If a caller, text, or email asks you to pay a fee, wire money, or share your bank account number to "release" unclaimed funds, hang up or don't respond. Search FLTreasureHunt.gov directly instead, and report suspected scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Related articles
- Unclaimed Money & Property by State
- Florida Landlord-Tenant Laws
- Florida Divorce Laws
- Florida Power of Attorney Laws
Disclaimer
This article provides general information about Florida's unclaimed property program and is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Unclaimed property rules, dormancy periods, and claim procedures can change, and individual situations vary, especially for claims involving deceased owners, businesses, or property held outside Florida. Consult the Florida Department of Financial Services directly, or an attorney licensed in Florida, for guidance on a specific claim.
Last updated: 2026-07-15.
More Florida Laws
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Florida's unclaimed property search really free?
Yes. Searching FLTreasureHunt.gov and filing a claim is always free. The Florida Department of Financial Services is the only entity legally authorized to hold and return unclaimed property in the state, and it does not charge for either step.
How do I know if Florida is holding money for me?
Search the Division of Unclaimed Property's database at FLTreasureHunt.gov using your current name and any past names or addresses. The database is updated daily and covers dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance payouts, and more.
Is there a deadline to claim unclaimed property in Florida?
Generally no. Chapter 717 sets no statute of limitations on claims, so you or your heirs can usually file at any time. There are limits, though. Matured U.S. savings bonds can be escheated permanently to the state under Fla. Stat. 717.1382, after which a claim may be approved under 717.1383 but is not guaranteed. Property of insubstantial commercial value can be destroyed under 717.128, and property delivered to the state is sold under 717.122, which leaves a successful claimant entitled to the sale proceeds rather than the original asset.
What documents do I need to file a claim in Florida?
Typically a copy of a current government-issued photo ID and something connecting you to the property, such as an old bank statement or a document showing a former address. Claims filed by an heir usually require additional documents, like a death certificate.
How long does it take to get paid after filing a claim in Florida?
Fla. Stat. 717.124(1)(c) gives the department 90 days to determine a claim, measured from when it receives the claim or when you respond to a request for additional information, whichever is later. The statute adds 60 more days for good cause or in defined situations, including an owner who was a debtor in bankruptcy, an address or a claimant outside the United States, or supporting documents not in English without a translation. That makes the statutory ceiling 150 days rather than 90.
Does Florida's unclaimed property show up on MissingMoney.com?
Yes. Florida participates in MissingMoney.com, the free multi-state search tool run on behalf of state unclaimed property administrators, but FLTreasureHunt.gov is Florida's own system of record and is worth checking directly.
Can I claim unclaimed property that belonged to a deceased relative in Florida?
Generally yes. Heirs can file a claim for a deceased owner's unclaimed property, though the Division typically asks for a death certificate and documentation showing your relationship or right to inherit, such as letters of administration or a small-estate affidavit.
Do I have to pay a company to find my unclaimed money in Florida?
No. Florida's own search and claim process is free, so a finder is only ever a convenience. If you do use one, Florida law limits them sharply: Fla. Stat. 717.135(2)(j) caps total fees and costs at 30 percent of the claimed amount, the department's prescribed recovery or purchase agreement is the only valid contract form under 717.135(4) and (6), and Fla. Stat. 717.101(12) restricts the claimant representative role to registered Florida attorneys, CPAs, and private investigators, expressly excluding unregistered locators.
Updates
Corrected Florida's stock and equity dormancy period to the five-year inactivity rule in the 2026 rewrite of Fla. Stat. 717.1101, qualified the claim-any-time statement for savings bonds that can be escheated and for property the state destroys or sells, added Florida's 30 percent cap on finder fees and its registration limits on claimant representatives, and corrected the claim decision window to 90 days extendable to 150.
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Florida Statutes
§ 717.102Property presumed unclaimed; general rule.In force
(1) All intangible property, including any income or increment thereon less any lawful charges, that is held, issued, or owing in the ordinary course of the holder’s business and the owner fails to claim such property for more than 5 years after the property becomes payable or distributable is presumed unclaimed, except as otherwise provided by this chapter. (2) Property is payable or distributable for the purpose of this chapter notwithstanding the owner’s failure to make demand or to present any instrument or document required to receive payment. (3) A presumption that property is unclaimed is rebutted by an apparent owner’s expression of interest in the property.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-03 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
§ 717.124Unclaimed property claims.In force
(1) Any person, excluding another state, claiming an interest in any property paid or delivered to the department under this chapter may file with the department a claim on a form prescribed by the department and verified by the claimant or the claimant’s representative. The claimant’s representative must be an attorney licensed to practice law in this state, a licensed Florida-certified public accountant, or a private investigator licensed under chapter 493. The claimant’s representative must be registered with the department under this chapter. The claimant, or the claimant’s representative, shall provide the department with a legible copy of a valid driver license of the claimant at the time the original claim form is filed. If the claimant has not been issued a valid driver license at the time the original claim form is filed, the department shall be provided with a legible copy of a photographic identification of the claimant issued by the United States, a state or territory of the United States, a foreign nation, or a political subdivision or agency thereof or other evidence deemed acceptable by the department by rule.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
Cited in 3 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- State of Florida Department of etc. v. Lisa O'Connor, f/k/a Lisa Zane (District Court of Appeal of Florida 2015, 155 So. 3d 479)“…e Department seeking Zane’s unclaimed property pursuant to section 717.124, Florida Statutes. In response, the Department issued a…”
- Choice Plus LLC v. Florida Department of Financial Services, Bureau of Unclaimed Property (District Court of Appeal of Florida 2014, 135 So. 3d 1163)“…it to determine petitioner’s claim to property filed under section 717.124, Florida Statutes (2013). The Department asserts that man…”
- Alieda Maron v. Chief Financial Officer of Florida (Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit 2025, 136 F.4th 1322)“…stody, owners may file a claim with the Department. Fla. Stat. § 717.124(1). If the Department approves the clai…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 717.135Recovery agreements and purchase agreements for claims filed by a claimant’s representative; fees and costs or total net gain.In force
(1) In order to protect the interests of owners of unclaimed property, the department shall adopt by rule a form entitled “Unclaimed Property Recovery Agreement” and a form entitled “Unclaimed Property Purchase Agreement.” (2) The Unclaimed Property Recovery Agreement and the Unclaimed Property Purchase Agreement must include and disclose all of the following:(a) The total dollar amount of unclaimed property accounts claimed or sold. (b) The total percentage of all authorized fees and costs to be paid to the claimant’s representative or the percentage of the value of the property to be paid as net gain to the purchasing claimant’s representative. (c) The total dollar amount to be deducted and received from the claimant as fees and costs by the claimant’s representative or the total net dollar amount to be received by the purchasing claimant’s representative. (d) The net dollar amount to be received by the claimant or the seller. (e) For each account claimed, the unclaimed property account number.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
§ 717.1101Unclaimed equity and debt of business associations.In force
(1)(a) Stock or other equity interest in a business association is presumed unclaimed on the date of the earliest of the following:1. Three years after the most recent of any owner-generated activity or communication related to the account, as recorded and maintained in the holder’s database and records systems sufficient enough to demonstrate the owner’s continued awareness or interest in the property; 2. Three years after the date of the death of the owner, as evidenced by:a. Notice to the holder of the owner’s death by an administrator, beneficiary, relative, or trustee, or by a personal representative or other legal representative of the owner’s estate; b. Receipt by the holder of a copy of the death certificate of the owner; c. Confirmation by the holder of the owner’s death though other means; or d. Other evidence from which the holder may reasonably conclude that the owner is deceased; or 3. One year after the date on which the holder receives notice under subparagraph 2. if the notice is received 2 years or less after the owner’s death and the holder lacked knowledge of the owner’s death during that period of 2 years or less.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
§ 717.101Definitions.In force
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Aggregate” means the amounts reported for owners of unclaimed property of less than $10 or where there is no name for the individual or entity listed on the holder’s records, regardless of the amount to be reported. (2) “Apparent owner” means the person whose name appears on the records of the holder as the person entitled to property held, issued, or owing by the holder. (3) “Audit” means an action or proceeding to examine and verify a person’s records, books, accounts, and other documents to ascertain and determine compliance with this chapter. (4) “Audit agent” means a person with whom the department enters into a contract to conduct an audit or examination. The term includes an independent contractor of the person and each individual participating in the audit on behalf of the person or contractor.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Alieda Maron v. Chief Financial Officer of Florida (Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit 2025, 136 F.4th 1322)“…governs Florida’s management of unclaimed property. Fla. Stat. § 717.101 et seq. Under the Act, intangib…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 717.122Public sale of unclaimed property.In force
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2)(a), the department after the receipt of unclaimed property shall sell it to the highest bidder at public sale on the Internet or at a specified physical location wherever in the judgment of the department the most favorable market for the property involved exists. The department may decline the highest bid and reoffer the property for sale if in the judgment of the department the bid is insufficient. The department shall have the discretion to withhold from sale any unclaimed property that the department deems to be of benefit to the people of the state. If in the judgment of the department the probable cost of sale exceeds the value of the property, it need not be offered for sale and may be disposed of as the department determines appropriate. Any sale at a specified physical location held under this section must be preceded by a single publication of notice, at least 3 weeks in advance of sale, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the property is to be sold.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
§ 717.128Destruction or disposition of property having insubstantial commercial value; immunity from liability.In force
If the department after investigation finds that any property delivered under this chapter has insubstantial commercial value, the department may destroy or otherwise dispose of the property. No action or proceeding may be maintained against the state or any officer or against the holder for or on account of any action taken by the department pursuant to this section with respect to the property.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
§ 717.1382United States savings bond; unclaimed property; escheatment; procedure.In force
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a United States savings bond in possession of the department or registered to a person with a last known address in the state, including a bond that is lost, stolen, or destroyed, is presumed abandoned and unclaimed 5 years after the bond reaches maturity and no longer earns interest and shall be reported and remitted to the department by the financial institution or other holder in accordance with ss. 717.117(1) and (5) and 717.119, if the department is not in possession of the bond. (2)(a) After a United States savings bond is abandoned and unclaimed in accordance with subsection (1), the department may commence a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction in Leon County for a determination that the bond shall escheat to the state. Upon determination of escheatment, all property rights to the bond or proceeds from the bond, including all rights, powers, and privileges of survivorship of an owner, co-owner, or beneficiary, shall vest solely in the state. (b) Service of process by publication may be made on a party in a civil action pursuant to this section.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2017
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Laturner v. United States (United States Court of Federal Claims 2017, 133 Fed. Cl. 47)“…ir unclaimed property laws. See Ark. Code Ann. § 18-28-231; Fla. Stat. §§ 717.1382–.83; Ind. Code § 32-34-1-20.5; Ky. Rev.…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
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Sources and References
- Florida's Unclaimed Property official database and program information, FLTreasureHunt.gov(fltreasurehunt.gov).gov
- Florida Division of Unclaimed Property, Frequently Asked Questions(fltreasurehunt.gov).gov
- Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Unclaimed Property(myfloridacfo.com).gov
- Chapter 717, Florida Statutes, Disposition of Unclaimed Property (2025)(flsenate.gov).gov
- MissingMoney.com, free multi-state unclaimed property search sponsored by NAUPA(missingmoney.com)
- Federal Trade Commission consumer alert on unexpected calls about unclaimed funds(consumer.ftc.gov).gov
- Chapter 717, Florida Statutes (2026), Florida Disposition of Abandoned Personal Property Act(flsenate.gov)