Types of unclaimed property: what counts, and how long before each kind goes to the state

What counts as unclaimed property

Unclaimed property is anything of value that a business or other organization (the “holder”) owes you but cannot pay because it has lost contact with you. Once the dormancy period passes with no activity or contact from you, the holder must send it to the state.¹ NAUPA, the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, lists these among the common forms:¹

• checking and savings accounts, and certificates of deposit
• stocks, and uncashed dividend or payroll checks
• refunds and customer overpayments
• traveler’s checks, and unredeemed money orders or gift certificates (in some states)
• trust distributions
• utility security deposits
• mineral royalty payments
• insurance payments or refunds, life insurance policies and annuities
• contents of safe deposit boxes

Most unclaimed property is intangible, meaning a balance owed to you rather than an object.¹ Tangible property is mostly safe deposit box contents, and some states require it to be sold or auctioned before it is reported.² Alabama’s program, for example, answers “No” when asked whether unclaimed property means things such as houses, cars and boats: it holds “cash, stocks, bonds, insurance proceeds, utility deposits”, plus valuables from safe deposit boxes.⁵

How long each type waits before it goes to the state

Dormancy periods differ by state and by type of property. California’s list of its most often reported types shows how much the periods vary even within one state:³

Other states use different numbers for the same types. The dormancy table compares the states.

Outstanding official checks: cashier’s checks, money orders and traveler’s checks

An official check is a check or written instrument that a bank, other financial organization or business is itself liable for. That includes cashier’s checks, money orders, traveler’s checks, drafts, and expense and payroll checks.² If the check is never cashed, the money stays with the issuer, and once it has been outstanding for the dormancy period it is presumed abandoned.⁶ On the standard property codes that states use for holder reports, these are the “CK” codes, including “Other Outstanding Official Checks”.⁴

States set different periods for each kind:

Money orders and traveler’s checks follow a special federal rule on which state gets them. If the issuer’s records show the state where the instrument was bought, that state has the exclusive right to it.¹² This is different from most property, which goes to the state of your last known address (more on that below). In 2023 the Supreme Court held that Agent Checks and Teller’s Checks sold by banks on behalf of MoneyGram fall under the same federal rule, so they generally go to the state of purchase too.¹³ The U.S. Postal Service says its domestic money orders never expire.¹⁴ A lost or stolen postal money order can be replaced: you start a Money Order Inquiry at a Post Office counter, and replacing it costs a $23.00 processing fee.¹⁴

Insurance payments and premium refunds

Insurance companies report several kinds of unclaimed property, each with its own code on the standard holder list: policy benefits and claim payments, proceeds due to beneficiaries, proceeds from matured policies and annuities, and premium refunds.⁴ Premium refunds, premiums owed back to policyholders, have a 3-year dormancy period in California.⁴ In Pennsylvania, money an insurer owes under policies other than life insurance and annuities, “including premiums or deposits returnable”, is presumed abandoned after 3 years.¹⁸ Life insurance and the shares or cash paid out when an insurer demutualizes are covered in unclaimed life insurance.

Wages, stocks and safe deposit boxes

• Wages. Uncashed paychecks reach the state after only one year in California.³ See uncashed paychecks.
• Stocks and dividends. Shares can be reported as well as dividends. NAUPA’s glossary calls them “underlying shares”: shares whose owner holds the certificates but has stopped cashing dividend checks and does not respond to the company.² California’s period for stocks, bonds and dividends is 3 years.³
• Safe deposit boxes. State laws differ on how long before box contents must be handed over.¹⁵ California, for example, sells the contents that appear to have monetary value and destroys other contents such as wills, letters and deeds.¹⁶

Which state holds it

For most property, the holder reports it to the state of your last known address in its records. If it had no address for you, it reports to the state where the holder is incorporated.¹³ Official checks are the exception described above: money orders and traveler’s checks go to the state of purchase when that is on record.¹² The which-state tool and the multi-state checklist can help. Searching and claiming through the official program of the state holding the property is free.¹⁷ Each state page links to its program.

Guides by type

• Uncashed paychecks and unpaid wages
• Life insurance and demutualization proceeds
• Stocks, dividends and mutual funds
• Safe deposit box contents
• Utility deposits and refunds
• Gift cards
• Cryptocurrency
• Oil and gas royalties

Found a match? The claim guide explains the next steps.

Questions people ask

What counts as unclaimed property?

Money or valuables a holder owes you after a dormancy period with no contact, for example checking or savings accounts, stocks, uncashed dividends or payroll checks, refunds, traveler's checks, money orders, utility deposits, mineral royalties, insurance payments, annuities and safe deposit box contents.¹

What are outstanding official checks?

Checks or written instruments that a bank, other financial organization or business is directly liable for, such as cashier's checks, money orders, traveler's checks, drafts, and expense and payroll checks.² If nobody cashes one, it can become unclaimed property. On the standard holder code list, one category is "Other Outstanding Official Checks".⁴

How long before an uncashed cashier's check goes to the state?

It depends on the state: 2 years in North Dakota,⁸ 3 years in California³ and Iowa,⁷ and 5 years in Florida⁶ and Oklahoma.⁹

What does "premium refunds" mean in unclaimed property?

Premiums an insurer owes back to policyholders. Premium refunds have their own code on the standard holder list, with a 3-year dormancy period in California.⁴ Pennsylvania's law includes "premiums or deposits returnable" in the insurance money presumed abandoned after 3 years.¹⁸

Does a lost money order become unclaimed property?

An uncashed money order is reported to a state after its dormancy period: 7 years in California, Florida, Iowa, North Dakota and Oklahoma, but 3 in South Dakota.^3678910 It goes to the state where it was bought, if the issuer's records show that state.¹² The U.S. Postal Service says its domestic money orders never expire.¹⁴

Sources

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

1. What is unclaimed property? National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) · unclaimed.org · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (4)

   After a designated period of time (called the dormancy period) with no activity or contact, the property becomes “unclaimed” and—by law—must be turned over to the state.

   Unclaimed property can be intangible, which is the most common (ex. uncashed paychecks, stocks), or tangible (ex. safe deposit box contents).

   Unredeemed money orders or gift certificates (in some states)

   Insurance payments or refunds and life insurance policies

2. NAUPA's Glossary of Common Unclaimed Property Terms (PDF) National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) · unclaimed.org · 2024 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (3)

   Official Check: A check or written instrument for which a banking, financial organization, or business association is directly liable; including but not limited to drafts, money orders, travelers checks, cashiers checks, expense and payroll checks.

   Tangible Property: Physical property that can be assigned a value. Typically, safe deposit boxes are the main source of tangible property. Some states require tangible property to be liquidated or auctioned prior to reporting if it is abandoned.

   Underlying Shares: Shares of stock issued by a business association, banking organization or financial organization, the certificates for which are in the possession of the shareholders, but regarding which the shareholders have failed to either cash dividend checks, correspond with the issuing corporation or respond to the issuing corporation's attempts to make contact.

3. Dormancy Periods for Most Frequently Reported Unclaimed Property Type (PDF) California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov · Rev. 07/2023 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (15)

   Cashier’s Checks 3 CCP 1513 (d)

   Demand Deposits (Checking) 3 CCP 1513 (a)(b)

   Dividends 3 CCP 1516

   Gift Certificates With Expiration 3 CCP 1520

   IRA’s & Retirement Plans 3 CCP 1513 (f) & 1518

   Life Insurance Funds 3 CCP 1515

   Liquidating Distributions 6 Months CCP 1517

   Money Orders 7 CCP 1513 (e)

   Ordered Refunds 1 CCP 1519.5

   Safe-Deposit Boxes 3 CCP 1514

   Savings 3 CCP 1513 (a)(b)

   Stocks and Bonds 3 CCP 1516

   Traveler’s Checks 15 CCP 1513 (c)

   Wages or Salaries 1 CCP 1513 (g)

   Other Tangible and Intangible Property 3 CCP 1520

4. Standard NAUPA II Electronic File Format Codes & Dormancy Periods (PDF) California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (8)

   The following tables represent the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) standard codes used by California.

   IN01 Individual Policy Benefits or Claim Payments 3

   IN03 Proceeds Due Beneficiaries 3

   IN04 Proceeds from Matured Policies,

   IN05 Premium Refunds 3

   CK15 Other Outstanding Official Checks 3

   CK01 Cashier’s Checks 3

   CK08 Traveler’s Checks 15

5. FAQs: General Alabama State Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division · unclaimed.alabama.gov · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (2)

   Does unclaimed property mean you have things such as houses, cars, and boats?

   No. The only assets held by the Alabama Unclaimed Property are funds in the form of cash, stocks, bonds, insurance proceeds, utility deposits, etc. We also receive valuables from safe deposit boxes that may be claimed.

6. Chapter 717, Florida Statutes (2026), Florida Disposition of Abandoned Personal Property Act The Florida Legislature · leg.state.fl.us · 2026 Florida Statutes · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (3)

   including, but not limited to, a cashier’s check or a certified check, which has been outstanding for more than 5 years after it was payable or after its issuance if payable on demand, is presumed abandoned

   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 7 years after its issuance 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

7. Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 556, Disposition of Unclaimed Property (PDF) Iowa Legislature · legis.iowa.gov · Iowa Code 2026 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (3)

   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 deemed abandoned

   any sum payable on a money order that has been outstanding for more than seven years after its issuance is deemed abandoned

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

8. N.D.C.C. chapter 47-30.2, Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act (PDF) North Dakota Legislative Branch · legis.nd.gov · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (3)

   A cashier's check or certified check, two years after issuance;

   A money order, seven years after issuance;

   A traveler's check, fifteen years after issuance;

9. Oklahoma Statutes Title 60 (Property), Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, 60 O.S. §§651-688 (PDF) Oklahoma Legislative Service Bureau · oklegislature.gov · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (3)

   which has been outstanding for more than five (5) years after it was payable or after its issuance if payable on demand, is presumed abandoned

   that has been outstanding for more than seven (7) years after its issuance is presumed abandoned

   any sum payable on a travelers check that has been outstanding for more than fifteen (15) years after its issuance is presumed abandoned

10. SDCL 43-41B-4 South Dakota Legislature · sdlegislature.gov · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (2)

    (a) Any sum payable on a travelers check that has been outstanding for more than fifteen years after its issuance is presumed abandoned

    (b) 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 three years after its issuance is presumed abandoned

11. SDCL 43-41B-5 South Dakota Legislature · sdlegislature.gov · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (1)

    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

12. 12 U.S.C. 2503, State entitled to escheat or custody U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo), United States Code · govinfo.gov · 2024 edition · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (2)

    Where any sum is payable on a money order, traveler's check, or other similar written instrument (other than a third party bank check) on which a banking or financial organization or a business association is directly liable—

    if the books and records of such banking or financial organization or business association show the State in which such money order, traveler's check, or similar written instrument was purchased, that State shall be entitled exclusively to escheat or take custody of the sum payable on such instrument, to the extent of that State's power under its own laws to escheat or take custody of such sum;

13. Delaware v. Pennsylvania, 598 U.S. 115 (2023), opinion Supreme Court of the United States · supremecourt.gov · Feb. 28, 2023 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (4)

    products sold by banks on behalf of MoneyGram: Agent Checks and Teller's Checks (collectively, Disputed Instruments).

    We hold that the FDA covers the instruments in question and thus that they should generally escheat to the State of purchase, pursuant to § 2503.

    To resolve the competing claims, we established that, as the primary (default) rule, the proceeds of abandoned financial products should escheat “to the State of the creditor's last known address as shown by the debtor's books and records.”

    adopted a secondary rule to apply in those circumstances; namely, that the proceeds should escheat to the debtor's State of incorporation.

14. Money Orders United States Postal Service · usps.com · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (4)

    Domestic money orders never expire and they do not accrue interest.

    You cannot stop payment on postal money orders, but a lost or stolen money order can be replaced.

    There is a $23.00 processing fee to replace a lost or stolen money order.

    Talk to a retail associate at the counter to start a Money Order Inquiry.

15. How to Find a Long Lost Bank Account or Safe Deposit Box Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) · fdic.gov · December 2020 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (1)

    Federal law requires unclaimed deposit accounts to be transferred to the state after 18 months, and state laws differ on the period of time after which contents of safe deposit boxes must be transferred.

16. Guidelines for Claiming Unclaimed Property (PDF) California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (1)

    California’s Unclaimed Property Law requires the State Controller to sell the contents of safe deposit boxes if the contents appear to have monetary value; all other safe deposit box contents (e.g., wills, statements, letters, deeds) are destroyed.

17. Claim Your Found Property National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) · unclaimed.org · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (1)

    Both searching for and claiming your unclaimed property are free, provided you go through the official government program of the state holding the property.

18. The Fiscal Code, Act of Apr. 9, 1929, P.L. 343, No. 176, Article XIII.1 (72 P.S. § 1301.1 et seq.) Pennsylvania General Assembly · palegis.us · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (1)

    Any moneys held or owing by an insurer as established by its records under any contract of insurance other than annuity or life insurance, including premiums or deposits returnable or dividends payable to policy or contract holders or other persons entitled thereto, unclaimed and unpaid for more than three (3) years after the moneys have or shall become due and payable under the provisions of such contracts of insurance.