Frequently Asked Questions


Claim Information

How can I find out where the money came from?
Section C on the claim form identifies the Holder’s Name, the company which reported and remitted the funds; and the Property Type identifies the type property remitted such as wages, utility deposit, dividends, stock, etc.
How do I claim money for an estate?
The executor, executrix, or administrator of the estate is the person to submit a claim for the property.  This person must provide a copy of the death certificate, a copy of the letters of testamentary, along with proof of address and social security number of the deceased.
How long do I have to file a claim?
There is no time limit for filing claims. The state maintains unclaimed assets in trust for the rightful owners forever.
What documents may I use for proof of address?
Drivers License
Employment application or documents from personal file
W-2 form
Income tax form
Letterhead/envelope with printed address
Page out of phone book or church/club directory
Pay stub
City/County tax bill
Title to car, truck, boat, mobile home etc
Bank statement or bank book
Privilege license certificate
Blank or canceled check, deposit slip
Marriage/death certificates, divorce decree
Utility, medical, legal, insurance bill etc
Church records
Credit Report
School records/transcripts
Power of Attorney papers
Last Will and Testament
Trust Agreements
Envelope addressed to claimant with US postmark
Letter from 911 office verifying new & old address
Motor vehicles driving record or registration
Call DMV at 919-715-7000 to request copy of your Driver Address History
Military records (check with Veterans Affairs Division)
Birth certificate of child born while at that address
Why can’t I access OR print the "On-line Claim Form"?
Ensure you have the latest version of your web browser (such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Google Chrome) and Adobe Acrobat Reader.  Be sure to allow sufficient time for the PDF to load.
Why is the dollar amount not listed?
The dollar amount due is not listed to discourage professional finders, who charge a fee, from seeking out owners and taking advantage of them. Although there are some reputable professional finders that charge reasonable fees, we have found others that charge up to 50%. North Carolina statute requires professional finders to be registered with our office; however, some do not. The Department of State Treasurer does not charge for an owner to claim funds due to them. This is a FREE service.


How do I check for unclaimed property in other states?
All states have unclaimed property programs. If you would like more information about other states, please visit the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators site at
How does property become “unclaimed?”
  • Loss of communication - owner does not notify of address change.
  • Oversight - owner does not complete required information updates.
  • Mail lost or returned to the holder (Entity “holding” the unclaimed funds) by the post office- no follow-up by the holder.
  • Mail received by the owner - no action taken.
  • Holder (Entity “holding" the unclaimed funds) did not perform proper due diligence.
How does the state get the property?
State law requires financial institutions, insurance companies, public agencies, and businesses to turn over unclaimed property to the state if there has been no contact with the owners for the statutory period of time.
Is there a fee charged to get my money back?
No. This is a FREE public service provided by the State of North Carolina.
What attempts are made to find the rightful owners?
What does the State do with the money before it is claimed?
What happens to money that is never claimed by the owner?
There is no time limit for making a claim to the State Treasurer. Owners or heirs can always claim their property.  If the owner is deceased, the executor of the deceased person’s estate may claim such funds with proper documentation.
What is an Escheat?
An escheat is the succession of abandoned property to the State. It is commonly associated with properties that come from an estate of a person dying without a will and without any known heirs. However, this concept has been broadened to include the recovery of any property that results from the failure of a person legally entitled to that property to make a valid claim against the holder of the property within a prescribe period of time. Consequently, the terms escheat and unclaimed property are used interchangeably.
What is Tangible Unclaimed Property?
Tangible property is defined as cash or personal property physically held in a safe deposit box.  Following at least a one year hold period, these items are sold through a co-operative effort with State Surplus Property. The unclaimed property is sold through a bid process, which can be viewed at, or through retail sales, at the State Surplus Facility located at 6501 Chapel Hill Road, Hwy 54 in Raleigh.
The revenue generated from the sale of unclaimed property is then entered into the database under the owner’s name.  The owner would be due this cash amount.
What is the purpose of the Escheat Fund?
In 1970, legislation mandated that the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer assume responsibility for the administration of the escheat program that was previously administered by the University of North Carolina. The purpose of the program is to:
  • Recover unclaimed or forgotten property
  • Reunite these properties with the rightful owner
  • Remit the interest earnings on the funds invested to the North Carolina State Educational Assistance Authority to provide grants and loans to worthy and needy North Carolina students in State-supported institutions of higher education.
What is unclaimed property?
Unclaimed property consists of bank accounts, wages, utility deposits, insurance policy proceeds, stocks, bonds, and contents of safe deposit boxes that have been abandoned – that is, for which there have been no documented transactions or contact with the owners for a statutory period of time. In most cases, this period of time varies from 1 to 5 years depending upon the property type. There are over 100 types of property which may become unclaimed.
What should I do if my claim includes stock or mutual fund shares?

If your claim contains shares of stocks or mutual funds, you have the option of asking us to liquidate your shares at the current market price in order to refund you the cash proceeds from the sale and refunding you the proceeds from the sale; or you can request that the shares be reinstated.  Please indicate on the claim form if you wish to have your shares liquidated or reinstated.

If your claim contains shares of stock and choose NOT to sell your shares, we will request that the shares be transferred to your name.  The holder or their transfer agent will issue a statement which will be mailed directly to you, the claimant.  Your shares will be held in book entry form.

If your claim contains mutual fund shares and choose NOT to sell your shares, we will request that the shares be reinstated with the fund in your name.  The mutual fund will issue a statement of your account and mail the statement directly to you, the claimant.  Your shares will be held in book entry form.  If you wish to have your mutual fund shares reinstated, you will need to provide our office a completed W-9 and your date of birth. A W-9 can be obtained from the IRS’s website at

Remember, is a free service offered by the Department of State Treasurer.  If a professional finder contacts you and offers to find unclaimed property for a fee, please contact our office at before signing any agreement.  Please be advised that professional finders must register annually with the State.  You may contact our office to see if a finder is registered.  The finder must also have you sign an agreement that includes information about services to be provided, property involved, and the finder’s fee.  In most cases the finder's fee shall not exceed $1,000 or 20% of the value of the property, whichever is less.  If the agreement does not contain this information or fees exceed this amount, it may not be enforceable.  Please see Statute 116B-78 for more information.