Oregon Unclaimed Property: How to Search and Claim

How to search for Oregon unclaimed property

The official search is at unclaimed.oregon.gov/app/claim-search.¹

Which names and places to try: how to search well.

Fast-track and automatic payments

• Simple claims under $2,500 can be approved automatically the day they are received if the information is complete and matches the program's records; Treasury also mails some payments without a claim (Checks Without Claims).¹

How to claim unclaimed property in Oregon, step by step

Claims can be filed online on the official site.¹

1. Search for property: on the Property Search page, type your name (first, last or both) in the Last Name/Business Name field; narrow with city or ZIP if needed.¹
2. Select your properties, click CLAIM, then CONTINUE TO FILE CLAIM.¹
3. Enter your claimant information (current mailing address, where payment will be mailed) and your relationship to the owner (Owner, Heir or Representative).¹
4. Preview and submit the claim to generate your claim number.¹
5. Complete the claim: review the emailed claim form for the documents required, then upload them via the secure link or mail them to the program.¹
6. Track the claim online with your claim number on the claim status page.¹

• Notary: Required for the paper Pending Claim Form; for other claims, a notary may be required case by case.⁴
• Interest: No interest is paid on the account; the owner is credited with dividends or other discrete income received before the property is sold, but not with income after the sale.²
• If a claim is denied: A person aggrieved by a Treasurer decision may request a contested case hearing (ORS 183.413-183.470); if no action within 120 days of filing, the claimant may petition a court under ORS 183.484.²

The general process is in our how to claim guide.

Documents you need, by situation

These are the official requirements. The claim form for a specific property can ask for more.

Claiming your own property

• Individual: copy of current government-issued photo ID; proof of current mailing address; proof of the address tied to the property (or a brief written explanation); proof of SSN (requested, not required).¹

A former address or a name change

• Former address: something proving you lived at the previous address (old utility bill, envelope); if none, a written statement of when you lived there.⁴
• Name change: proof such as a marriage certificate.⁴

The owner has died (estate)

• Claimant must be one of the closest relatives or named in court documents as entitled to the estate; open probate: court-certified Letters of Administration or Affidavit of Claiming Successor; closed probate: court-certified Final Decree of Distribution. Treasury requires probate for assets of $5,000 and above.⁴

You are an heir

• Heir of a deceased owner: death certificate or obituary; court-certified probate documents (including small estate affidavit); proof of relationship. Probate is required for assets of $5,000 and above.¹

A business or government agency

• Business or government: proof of FEIN, evidence linking the business to the property, photo ID of the authorized person, and written proof of authority; authorizations dated within one year (OAR (170) 140-0110).¹

Securities, safe deposit boxes and other cases

• Representative: power of attorney, conservatorship or guardianship documents dated within the last year (explain if older).⁴
• Securities: same process; original certificates may be required, or a surety bond if they cannot be found.¹

See also: claiming for a deceased relative and the claim documents tool.

How long it takes, how you are paid and the deadline

Processing time

• Goal of a response within 120 days; manual-review claims are worked in order received and can take up to 10 months at the busiest times; approved claimants get a confirmation email in 1-2 business days and the mailed payment within a couple of weeks.¹

How you are paid

Oregon pays by check, so keep the mailing address on your claim current.

• Check mailed to the claimant's current mailing address.¹

Deadline

There is no deadline for owners and heirs in Oregon.

• No time limit: a claim may be filed at any time after the property is reported.²

Contact the Oregon unclaimed property office

When property becomes unclaimed: dormancy periods

In Oregon most property is presumed abandoned after 3 years without owner contact.² Wages move faster: 1 year.² More on how this works: what happens after the dormancy period.

Other states: dormancy periods table.

• Minimum amounts: No minimum: any amount must be reported (Treasury need not publish items under $100).¹
• Gift cards: Gift cards/certificates meeting the ORS 646A.274 definition are not reportable; multi-seller gift cards, stored value cards and prepaid calling cards are reportable.³
• Published lists of owners: Treasury must publish notice of owners' accounts at least twice in a newspaper or other generally circulated periodical published in Oregon, completing publication within one year of remittance; items under $100 need not be published.²

Finder fees and heir finders in Oregon

The official sources we checked do not confirm a finder-fee cap for Oregon, so none is shown here.

• Are finders allowed? Yes: finders may file claims for clients if they hold an Oregon private investigator license (DPSST, ORS 703.401-703.470).¹
• Contract rules: Notarized power of attorney from the owner; copy of the finder's current license with the initial POA and the license number on later POAs; the claimant (or heir/personal representative) must sign the claim form; proof of ownership is required (name similarity is not enough).¹
• The law: ORS 703.401-703.470 (private investigator licensing); OAR 170-140 (Unclaimed Property Claims/Finders Rules)¹ (read the text)

Before signing with a finder, read how finders work.

How to spot Oregon unclaimed property scams

Oregon's official search is on unclaimed.oregon.gov, a .gov address.¹

What Oregon warns about

• Treasury does not list amounts or sources online and will not give them out by phone.¹
• Never email claim forms or sensitive information; upload them on the site or mail them.¹
• To check that a Checks Without Claims letter or check is genuine, verify on Treasury's site or unclaimed.oregon.gov.¹

Unsure about a letter, text or call? Try the scam check or read how to spot a fake notice.

For businesses: reporting unclaimed property to Oregon

• Report due: November 1 each year (filed after October 1) for property dormant as of June 30; Treasury may postpone on written request.²
• Due diligence letters to owners: For property of $100 or more, holders must try to contact the owner (phone, email, letter, personal contact) at least 60 days before filing and keep documentation for three years; due-diligence costs may not be deducted.³
• Where to report: unclaimed.oregon.gov/app/submit-a-report³
• File format: Electronic NAUPA standard format required; hard-copy only with written approval; no reports by email; mailed DVD/CD or flash drive accepted; aggregation only with prior written consent (max $15 per item, per the current site FAQ).³
• Penalties: Willful failure to report, pay or deliver: civil penalty up to $1,000 for individuals and $50,000 for corporations (assessed only after at least one reporting cycle and written instructions; waivable); misdemeanor for willful failure (ORS 98.991); interest on late payment at the Department of Revenue rate (ORS 98.416(2)).²
• Voluntary disclosure: Voluntary Disclosure Program: eligible holders (not under or notified of audit; no VDA or self-audit in past 10 years) sign a VDA, get 180 days to comply, and have interest and penalties waived; review should cover at least the last six reporting years. Requests to [email protected].¹

New to this? See who must report. Other states' dates are in the holder reporting deadlines table.

Other rules specific to Oregon

• Law: ORS 98.302 to 98.436 and 98.992 (Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 98, 2025 edition): oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors098.html²
• Uniform act: Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act (Oregon's 1957 act, Or Laws 1957 c.670; short title ORS 98.436)²
• The program moved from the Department of State Lands to Oregon State Treasury by 2019 legislation, effective July 1, 2021.¹
• Checks Without Claims: Treasury mails some unclaimed property payments without a claim (2025 round: single-owner property worth $50 to $10,000, no securities, reported under the owner's SSN).¹
• Military medals reported as unclaimed property are never sold or destroyed; Treasury keeps them for the service member or a descendant.²
• County tax-foreclosure surplus is treated as unclaimed property and claimed through the program (HB 2089, effective September 26, 2025).¹
• Unclaimed U.S. savings bonds can escheat to Oregon if no owner is identified within three years of public notice, by Marion County Circuit Court order.²
• Unclaimed client funds in lawyer trust accounts (Oregon addresses) go to the Oregon State Bar, not Treasury, and fund legal aid until claimed.³

Oregon unclaimed property: questions people ask

Where do I search for Oregon unclaimed property?

On the official search at unclaimed.oregon.gov.¹

When is the Oregon unclaimed property report due?

November 1 each year (filed after October 1) for property dormant as of June 30; Treasury may postpone on written request.² Details above.

What is the Oregon unclaimed property phone number?

(503) 566-9445 (claims); general program line (503) 378-4000.¹

Moved? Neighboring programs

• Washington unclaimed property
• Idaho unclaimed property
• Nevada unclaimed property
• California unclaimed property

See which state holds your property, or list every search with the multi-state checklist.

Sources

Footnote numbers point here. Open "Quoted text" for the exact words relied on ("[…]" marks words left out).

1. unclaimed.oregon.gov page texts (Claims FAQ, How to Claim steps, Contact Us, Licensed Finders, Forms, Unclaimed Property Law, Voluntary Disclosure, Reporting FAQ, Checks Without Claims, Foreclosure Surplus FAQ, Useful Links) Oregon State Treasury, Unclaimed Property Program · unclaimed.oregon.gov · archived copy, captured Oct. 7, 2026 (view capture) · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (29)

   STEP 1: Navigate to the PROPERTY SEARCH page You can access the Property Search page through the home page by hovering over Claiming Property > “Search Unclaimed Properties” or by simply clicking the SEARCH button in the middle of the page.

   You may file an electronic claim on our website and upload all your documents electronically.

   This is to ensure we are sending your check to a valid mailing address.

   Our goal is to respond within 120 days, but actual timing depends on claim type and our overall workload.

   If you still have questions, you can email [email protected] or reach us by phone at 503-566-9445.

   Our system will approve simple claims of less than $2,500 the day we receive them.

   Type your name (first name, last name, or both) into the Last Name/Business Name field and click SEARCH.

   Once you’ve found the properties that may belong to you, click the CLAIM button, and then click the CONTINUE TO FILE CLAIM button to begin the claims process.

   Complete your information as the claimant. This should include your current mailing address as it will be the address where the funds are mailed.

   If correct, click SUBMIT to officially create your claim and generate your claim number.

   Most claims require a completed and signed claim form as well as a copy of both photo identification and legal document listing social security number.

   Enter your claim number at any time via our Status Page to receive the most recent status.

   Here are examples of what we may ask for, depending on the complexity of each claim: Copy of a current, government-issued photo ID Proof of current mailing address Proof of address for the property you are claiming.

   In addition to items outlined above, we may request the following: Death certificate or proof of death, such as an obituary Court-certified probate documents, including small estate affidavit Proof of your relationship with the owner of the funds

   Specific requirements for claims submitted on behalf on businesses and government agencies can be found at OAR 170-140-0110.

   We may require the original stock certificates. If you can’t find them, we’ll accept a surety bond.

   In September 2025, individuals will receive a notification letter from Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner informing them of their upcoming payment.

   FORMS AND RESOURCES Claims Form Name Description View Link Claim Form View (PDF) Holder Reimbursement Form View (PDF)

   Yes, any amount of unclaimed property should be reported to the state.

   When submitting a claim for a client, a finder must forward a copy of their current license with the initial Power of Attorney.

   Once you have made contact with an individual who may be the owner of an unclaimed account, and have obtained a notarized power of attorney, please submit a written request for the appropriate claim form.

   OAR 170-140 Unclaimed Property Claims/Finders Rules

   To protect your privacy and prevent fraud, we do not list specific amounts and sources on our website, nor do we give that information out on the phone.

   Never email us your claim forms; forms have sensitive information, and email communication is not secure.

   Here is what you can do to verify this is not a scam: Visit the Oregon State Treasury’s website or unclaimed.oregon.gov to learn more about the Unclaimed Property Program’s Checks Without Claims distribution effort.

   We will waive all applicable interest and penalty as allowed under ORS 98.416(2) and 98.992 for the property covered by our agreement.

   The move became official on July 1, 2021, and Oregon’s Unclaimed Property Program and team are now part of Treasury.

   Checks Without Claims is an annual effort by Treasury’s Unclaimed Property Program to proactively return unclaimed funds to current and former Oregonians.

   The Oregon State Treasury is involved because the bill deems foreclosure surplus to be unclaimed property.

2. ORS Chapter 98, Lost, Unclaimed or Abandoned Property (2025 edition) Oregon State Legislature (Legislative Counsel) · oregonlegislature.gov · archived copy, captured Feb. 21, 2026 (view capture) · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (25)

   A person claiming an interest in unclaimed property reported under ORS 98.352 may file a claim to the property or to the proceeds from the sale of the property at any time after the property has been reported.

   The owner is not entitled to receive income or other increments that have accrued on the property after the property is sold by the State Treasurer under ORS 98.382.

   A person aggrieved by a decision of the State Treasurer under ORS 98.302 to 98.436 may request a contested case hearing in accordance with ORS 183.413 to 183.470.

   All intangible personal property, not otherwise covered by ORS 98.302 to 98.436 and 98.992, including any income or increment thereon and deducting any lawful charges, that is held or owing in the ordinary course of the holder’s business and has remained unclaimed by the owner for more than three years after it became payable or distributable is presumed abandoned.

   Unpaid wages, including wages represented by unpresented payroll checks, due and owing in the ordinary course of the holder’s business that remain unclaimed by the owner for more than one year after becoming payable are presumed abandoned, notwithstanding the owner’s failure to make demand or to present any instrument or document required to receive payment.

   any demand, savings or matured time deposit with a financial institution, including a deposit that is automatically renewable, and any funds paid toward the purchase of a share, mutual investment certificate or any other interest in a financial institution is presumed abandoned unless the owner, within three years, has done one or more of the following:

   any sum payable on a money order or similar written instrument, other than a third party bank check, that has been outstanding for more than seven years after its issuance is presumed abandoned

   any sum payable on a check, draft or similar instrument, on which a financial institution is directly liable, including a cashier’s check and a certified check, which has been outstanding for more than three years after it was payable or after its issuance if payable on demand, is presumed abandoned

   all tangible and intangible property held in a safe deposit box or any other safekeeping repository in this state in the ordinary course of the holder’s business, which remains unclaimed by the owner for more than two years after the lease or rental period on the box or other repository has expired, is presumed abandoned.

   any sum payable on a traveler’s check that has been outstanding for more than 15 years after its issuance is presumed abandoned

   Funds held or owing under any life or endowment insurance policy or annuity contract that has matured or terminated are presumed abandoned if unclaimed for more than three years after the funds become due and payable as established from the records of the insurance company holding or owing the funds, but property described in subsection (3)(b)(A) of this section is presumed abandoned if unclaimed for more than two years.

   The following funds held or owing by any utility are presumed abandoned if unclaimed by the apparent owner for more than one year after the date of termination of services or when the funds otherwise become payable or distributable:

   Three years after the date of the owner’s last communication to the holder indicating the owner’s interest in the property;

   Intangible property, including uncashed warrants and excluding unpaid wages, held for the owner by a court, state or other government, governmental subdivision or agency, public corporation or public authority that remains unclaimed by the owner for more than two years is presumed abandoned.

   All intangible personal property distributable in the course of a dissolution of a business association or financial institution that is unclaimed by the owner for more than one year after the date for final distribution is presumed abandoned.

   All intangible personal property and any income or increment thereon, held in a fiduciary capacity is presumed abandoned unless the owner has, within three years after it becomes payable or distributable, increased or decreased the principal, accepted payment of principal or income, corresponded in writing concerning the property, or otherwise indicated an interest as evidenced by a memorandum on file with the fiduciary.

   A credit memo issued in the ordinary course of an issuer’s business which remains unclaimed by the owner for more than three years after becoming payable or distributable is presumed abandoned.

   A digital asset is presumed abandoned three years after the latest owner contact by the apparent owner.

   The notice shall be published at least twice in a newspaper or other generally circulated periodical published in this state.

   Except as otherwise provided under ORS 312.560 (2), the holder shall file the report after October 1, but no later than November 1, of each year for accounts dormant as of June 30.

   A person who willfully fails to render any report, to pay or deliver property or to perform other duties required by ORS 98.302 to 98.436 and 98.992 may be required to forfeit and pay to the State Treasurer to be deposited in the Unclaimed Property and Estates Fund, an amount determined by the State Treasurer pursuant to ORS 183.745 of not more than $1,000 for individuals and $50,000 for corporations.

   As used in ORS 98.302 to 98.436 and 98.992, unless the context otherwise requires:

   This Act may be cited as the Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act.

   Notwithstanding ORS 98.382 and 98.384, the State Treasurer may not sell or destroy a military medal.

   If no person has been identified as the owner of U.S. savings bonds within three years after the first public notice provided under subsection (4)(b) of this section with respect to the bonds:

3. Oregon Holder Reporting Handbook Oregon State Treasury, Unclaimed Property Program · unclaimed.oregon.gov · archived copy, captured May 24, 2025 (view capture) · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (9)

   Oregon State Treasury administers Oregon’s unclaimed property program and works to reunite as many people as possible with their money.

   Oregon Unclaimed Property website: https://unclaimed.oregon.gov/

   Claims Team: (503) 566-9445; [email protected]

   ORS 646A.274 defines a gift card in Oregon. If your gift card/gift certificate meets the definition, then it does not need to be reported.

   For all holders reporting lawyer trust accounts or the interest on lawyer trust accounts, the abandonment period is three years.

   Oregon requires holders to make a diligent effort to locate owners of property valued at $100 or greater before remitting the property to Oregon State Treasury’s Unclaimed Property Program.

   You may also use the Treasury's free reporting tool at https://unclaimed.oregon.gov/app/submit-a-report.

   Oregon requires electronic reports in the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) standard format.

   Until claimed from the Oregon State Bar, the remitted funds are used for the Legal Services program, which funds legal aid organizations that provide civil legal services to those who qualify statewide.

4. Pending Claim Form and instructions Oregon State Treasury, Unclaimed Property Program · unclaimed.oregon.gov · archived copy, captured May 24, 2025 (view capture) · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (6)

   Sign completed form in the presence of a notary public.

   Attach something that proves you lived at the previous address you listed (e.g., old utility bill, or the envelope from a letter).

   Attach a copy of something showing proof of any name changes (e.g., marriage certificate).

   Note: OST requires probate on claims for assets valued at $5,000 and above.

   If you are claiming an asset for someone else, please provide documentation such as a power of attorney, conservator, guardian, etc. dated within the last year.

   Oregon State Treasury Unclaimed Property Program 867 Hawthorne Ave SE Salem, OR 97301