U.S. Virgin Islands Unclaimed Property: How to Search and Claim for Free

How to search for U.S. Virgin Islands unclaimed property

The official search is at usviclaims.unclaimedproperty.com/en/Property/SearchIndex.¹ The program's information pages are at ltg.gov.vi.⁶

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

How to claim unclaimed property in U.S. Virgin Islands, step by step

Claims can be filed online on the official site.² Cost: Free. The Division charges no fee to file or process a claim.⁵

1. Search the online database (Person or Business) at the Virgin Islands Unclaimed Property Claims Website.²
2. File the claim online by completing a secure form with your name, Social Security number, birthdate and address.²
3. Provide supporting documents if asked (for example, proof of ownership, a power of attorney or court documents).²
4. Track the claim or upload documents on the portal using the claimant's ZIP code and Claim ID.¹
5. No computer: use the public claim kiosks the Division has in both districts (St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix), or call the Division.⁵
6. By law the Administrator must allow or deny the claim in writing within 90 days, then pay within 30 days of approval.³

• Notary: The claim form itself has no notary block, but each Affidavit of Lost Instrument and the small-estate affidavit must be sworn before a notary public.⁷
• Interest: Interest is paid only on property that was an interest-bearing deposit: 9% a year, or the lower rate the deposit earned at the holder, from delivery to the Administrator for up to 10 years. Owners of non-cash property also get income or gains realized before it is sold.³
• If a claim is denied: If a claim is denied, the claimant is told why and what evidence is missing, and may file a new claim or sue the Administrator in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands. A lawsuit is also allowed if the claim is not acted on within 90 days.³

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 (all claims): Clear copy of a valid, unexpired photo ID that includes a signature (driver's license, passport, voter registration or other state-issued ID)⁸
• Lost passbook or instrument: Notarized Affidavit of Lost Instrument (versions for the owner, an attorney-in-fact, or a deceased owner's claimant); the claimant agrees to indemnify the Administrator⁷

A former address or a name change

• Proof of ownership / former address: A document showing your name and Social Security number, or proving you lived at the reported address; the Division will tell you if more is needed. Claims are never paid on the basis of name alone.⁸

The owner has died (estate)

• The Division requires probate documentation: contact the probate court in the state where the owner lived at death and obtain documents granting you the right to the funds. For small estates, the Division posts an 'Affidavit: Payment of Certain Debts Without Administration' under 15 V.I.C. 89, usable when no executor or administrator has been appointed and total payments do not exceed $10,000.⁸

You are an heir

• Deceased owner / heir: Death certificate and relationship documents (marriage or birth certificate) plus a judicial determination (probate will, order or decree) from the probate court where the owner lived at death; or, for small estates, the notarized Affidavit for Payment of Certain Debts Without Administration (15 V.I.C. 89)⁹

Securities, safe deposit boxes and other cases

• Bank accounts / safe deposit / insurance / certificates (paper claim form checklist): Passbook, certificate of deposit, safe deposit receipt, bank certificate of ownership, picture ID, or an Affidavit of Lost Instrument if the passbook or instrument is lost¹⁰
• Incapacitated owner / power of attorney: Durable Power of Attorney, or court documents showing guardianship or custodial relationship⁸

Not listed in the official sources we checked: a business or government agency. The claim form shows what to send.

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

• By statute: decision within 90 days after a claim is filed, and payment within 30 days after the claim is allowed. The Office does not publish its own processing-time estimate.³

Deadline

There is no deadline for owners and heirs in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

• No deadline: claims can be filed at any time.²

Contact the U.S. Virgin Islands unclaimed property office

When property becomes unclaimed: dormancy periods

In the U.S. Virgin Islands most property is presumed abandoned after 5 years without owner contact.³ Wages move faster: 1 year.³ More on how this works: what happens after the dormancy period.

Other states: dormancy periods table.

• Minimum amounts: Owners of items under $50 may be reported in aggregate without names. Holders need not send due-diligence notices for items under $50, and the Administrator need not advertise owners of property under $50.³
• Gift cards: Gift certificates are presumed abandoned 3 years after December 31 of the year sold. If redeemable in merchandise only, 60% of face value is reportable.³
• Published lists of owners: The Administrator must publish a notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the Virgin Islands by November 30 of the year after property is delivered. The Division also posts yearly listings on its website (program page: 2007-2009, 2011-2021 and 2023; no 2010 listing, 2022 not linked).³

Finder fees and heir finders in U.S. Virgin Islands

The legal limit in the U.S. Virgin Islands: No fixed percentage cap. Unconscionable compensation is unenforceable except by the owner, and the owner (or the Administrator for the owner) can sue to reduce it.³ You never need a finder: claiming directly is free.⁵

• Are finders allowed? Allowed, with limits. A finder (locator) agreement is void if signed between the date the property is presumed abandoned and 24 months after it is delivered to the Administrator. Exception: an attorney hired to file a claim for identified property or to contest a denial.³
• Contract rules: The agreement must be in writing, describe the property and the services, be signed by the apparent owner, and state the property's value before and after the fee. It must not be signed during the 24-month void period.³
• The law: 28 V.I.C. § 676 (Agreement to locate property)³ (read the text)

Before signing with a finder, read how finders work.

How to spot U.S. Virgin Islands unclaimed property scams

The U.S. Virgin Islands' official search is not on a .gov address: it is usviclaims.unclaimedproperty.com,¹ linked from the program's site ltg.gov.vi.⁶ Reach it from the program's own pages rather than from an ad or a message.

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 U.S. Virgin Islands

• Report due: Before November 1 each year, covering the 12 months before July 1. Life insurance companies file before May 1 for the preceding calendar year. Payment or delivery is due with the report.³
• Due diligence letters to owners: Send written notice to the apparent owner 60 to 120 days before filing, if the holder has an address not known to be wrong, the claim is not time-barred, and the property is worth $50 or more. File an affidavit of compliance with the report.³
• Where to report: usviholder.unclaimedproperty.com (online holder reporting portal; register, then upload)¹²
• File format: NAUPA II file uploaded through the holder portal (HRS Pro is linked for creating files). Payments by ACH or by check payable to 'Government of the Virgin Islands' mailed to 5049 Kongens Gade. Negative reports: a signed, notarized Verification. Securities go by DTC/DRS/DWAC to the custodian (DTC #0901, Agent Bank #26500, Acct #796840).¹²
• Penalties: 9% annual interest on late property. Civil penalty of $200 per day up to $5,000; for willful failure, $1,000 per day up to $25,000 plus 25% of unreported property. Fraudulent reports: $1,000 per day up to $25,000 plus 25%. Waivable for good cause, and must be waived if the holder acted in good faith without negligence.³

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

Other rules specific to U.S. Virgin Islands

• Law: Virgin Islands Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, 28 V.I.C. §§ 651-681 (Title 28, Chapter 29), as repealed and reenacted by Act No. 6999 (2008). Text: ltg.gov.vi/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/6999.pdf³
• Uniform act: Virgin Islands Uniform Unclaimed Property Act (a uniform act enacted by Act No. 6999 of 2008). The official sources do not say which Uniform Law Commission version it follows.³
• Unclaimed property is run by the Lieutenant Governor, not a treasurer or comptroller. The Lieutenant Governor is also Commissioner of Insurance and Chairman of the Banking Board.⁶
• The territory's online unclaimed property database and online claims went live on April 2, 2024. Before that, claims were paper only, by mail or in person.²
• Public claim kiosks are available in both districts (St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix) for people without a computer.⁵
• Unclaimed cash goes into the territory's General Fund. At least $100,000 is kept in a separate trust fund to pay claims.³
• Yearly PDF listings of unclaimed property owners are posted on the program page for 2007-2009, 2011-2021 and 2023. There is no 2010 listing, and 2022 appears as unlinked text. For other years, claimants must contact the Division.⁵
• Wages and utility deposits or refunds become unclaimed after just 1 year, and the territory's FAQ highlights payroll checks as the exception.⁸
• Holders may pay owners directly and then get reimbursed by the Government of the Virgin Islands, without a fee.¹¹
• If claimed within 3 years after delivery, securities sold by the Administrator are paid at the greater of the sale proceeds or market value at the time of the claim. After 3 years, the owner gets the securities if still held, or the net sale proceeds.³
• Holders must keep each unclaimed property report for 10 years after filing it.¹¹
• The Administrator cannot sue to enforce reporting, payment or delivery more than 10 years after the holder specifically identified the property in a report, or gave express notice of a dispute about it. Expired limitation periods on the owner's own claim do not stop property from being presumed abandoned.³
• The Division's own tips to avoid property becoming unclaimed: make a deposit or withdrawal on every bank account at least once a year, cash checks promptly, keep accurate records, tell a family member or trusted advisor where your records are, and notify banks and companies when you move.⁶

U.S. Virgin Islands unclaimed property: questions people ask

When is the U.S. Virgin Islands unclaimed property report due?

Before November 1 each year, covering the 12 months before July 1.³ Details above.

Moved? Neighboring programs

• Puerto Rico 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. US Virgin Islands Unclaimed Property Claims Website (home, search, claim status pages) Office of the Lieutenant Governor (portal usviclaims.unclaimedproperty.com) · usviclaims.unclaimedproperty.com · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (2)

   You may be richer than you think! Use this free tool to see if you have unclaimed property. If you do, you could claim your cash in four easy steps!

   Please enter the zip code of the Claimant and the Claim ID.

2. Bulletin 2024-02: Implementation of Online Unclaimed Property Database Office of the Lieutenant Governor · ltg.gov.vi · April 2024 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (6)

   Persons searching for unclaimed property can now visit the Virgin Islands Unclaimed Property Claims Website to search for and submit any valid claim.

   There is no statute of limitation to file a valid claim.

   The significance of this online database is that potential claimants can search the online database 24/7 to determine if they have a valid claim and use the online database to commence claims.

   To claim property electronically, property owners will be required to fill out a secure form online (including name, social security number, birthdate, and address).

   Depending on the complexity of your claim, additional supporting documents may be required to verify proof of ownership or authority to file a claim, e.g., power of attorney, court documents, etc.

   The Lieutenant Governor and Administrator of Unclaimed Property, Tregenza A. Roach, Esq., is pleased to announce that the Virgin Islands Office of the Lieutenant Governor’s online unclaimed property database successfully went live on Tuesday, April 2, 2024.

3. Act No. 6999 (Bill No. 27-0161): Virgin Islands Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, 28 V.I.C. ch. 29 (scanned; manual transcription) Legislature of the Virgin Islands (published by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor) · ltg.gov.vi · passed March 19, 2008; approved April 12, 2008 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (35)

   (c) Within 30 days after a claim is allowed, the property or the net proceeds of a sale of the property must be delivered or paid by the administrator to the claimant, together with any dividend, interest, or other increment to which the claimant is entitled under sections 662 and 663.

   (d) An agreement covered by this section which provides for compensation that is unconscionable is unenforceable except by the owner.

   (b) Within 90 days after a claim is filed, the administrator shall allow or deny the claim and give written notice of the decision to the claimant.

   If the property was an interest bearing demand, savings, or time deposit, including a deposit that is automatically renewable, the administrator shall pay interest at a rate of 9 percent a year or any lesser rate the property earned while in the possession of the holder.

   A person aggrieved by a decision of the administrator or whose claim has not been acted upon within 90 days after its filing may maintain an original action to establish the claim in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, naming the administrator as a defendant.

   (1) "Administrator" means the Lieutenant Governor of the Virgin Islands.

   (15) all other property, five years after the owner's right to demand the property or after the obligation to pay or distribute the property arises, whichever first occurs.

   (12) wages or other compensation for personal services, one year after the compensation becomes payable;

   (1) traveler's check, 15 years after issuance;

   (2) money order, seven years after issuance;

   (3) stock or other equity interest in a business association or financial organization, including a security entitlement under title 11A Virgin Islands Code, Article 8, five years after the earlier of (i) the date of the most recent dividend, stock split, or other distribution unclaimed by the apparent owner, or (ii) the date of the second mailing of a statement of account or other notification or communication that was returned as undeliverable or after the holder discontinued mailings, notifications, or communications to the apparent owner;

   (4) debt of a business association or financial organization, other than a bearer bond or an original issue discount bond, five years after the date of the most recent interest payment unclaimed by the apparent owner;

   (5) a demand, savings, or time deposit, including a deposit that is automatically renewable, five years after the earlier of maturity or the date of the last indication by the owner of interest in the property;

   (6) money or credits owed to a customer as a result of a retail business transaction, three years after the obligation accrued;

   (7) gift certificate, three years after December 31 of the year in which the certificate was sold, but if redeemable in merchandise only, the amount abandoned is deemed to be 60 percent of the certificate's face value;

   (8) amount owed by an insurer on a life or endowment insurance policy or an annuity that has matured or terminated, three years after the obligation to pay arose or, in the case of a policy or annuity payable upon proof of death, three years after the insured has attained, or would have attained if living, the limiting age under the mortality table on which the reserve is based;

   (9) property distributable by a business association or financial organization in a course of dissolution, one year after the property becomes distributable;

   (10) property received by a court as proceeds of a class action, and not distributed pursuant to the judgment, one year after the distribution date;

   (11) property held by a court, government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, one year after the property becomes distributable;

   (13) deposit or refund owed to a subscriber by a utility, one year after the deposit or refund becomes payable;

   (14) property in an individual retirement account, defined benefit plan, or other account or plan that is qualified for tax deferral under the income tax laws of the United States, three years after the earliest of the date of the distribution or attempted distribution of the property, the date of the required distribution as stated in the plan or trust agreement governing the plan, or the date, if determinable by the holder, specified in the income tax laws of the United States by which distribution of the property must begin in order to avoid a tax penalty; and

   Tangible property held in a safe deposit box or other safekeeping depository in the Virgin Islands in the ordinary course of the holder's business and proceeds resulting from the sale of the property permitted by other law, are presumed abandoned if the property remains unclaimed by the owner for more than five years after expiration of the lease or rental period on the box or other depository.

   (b) The administrator is not required to advertise the name and address or location of an owner of property having a total value less than $50, or information concerning a traveler's check, money order, or similar instrument.

   (a) The administrator shall publish a notice not later than November 30 of the year next following the year in which abandoned property has been paid or delivered to the administrator.

   (a) An agreement by an owner, the primary purpose of which is to locate, deliver, recover, or assist in the recovery of property that is presumed abandoned is void and unenforceable if it was entered into during the period commencing on the date the property was presumed abandoned and extending to a time that is 24 months after the date the property is paid or delivered to the administrator.

   (b) An agreement by an owner, the primary purpose of which is to locate, deliver, recover, or assist in the recovery of property is enforceable only if the agreement is in writing, clearly sets forth the nature of the property and the services to be rendered, is signed by the apparent owner, and states the value of the property before and after the fee or other compensation has been deducted.

   §676. AGREEMENT TO LOCATE PROPERTY.

   (d) The report must be filed before November 1 of each year and cover the 12 months next preceding July 1 of that year, but a report with respect to a life insurance company must be filed before May 1 of each year for the calendar year next preceding.

   (e) The holder of property presumed abandoned shall send written notice to the apparent owner, not more than 120 days or less than 60 days before filing the report, stating that the holder is in possession of property subject to this chapter, if:

   (b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), a holder who fails to report, pay, or deliver property within the time prescribed by this chapter, or fails to perform other duties imposed by this chapter shall pay to the administrator, in addition to interest as provided in subsection (a), a civil penalty of $200 for each day the report, payment, or delivery is withheld, or the duty is not performed, up to a maximum of $5,000.

   §651. This chapter may be cited as the Virgin Islands Uniform Unclaimed Property Act.

   This chapter shall be applied and construed to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law with respect to the subject of this chapter among States enacting it.

   The administrator shall retain in a separate trust fund at least $100,000 from which the administrator shall pay allowed claims.

   If securities are sold by the administrator before the expiration of three years after their delivery to the administrator, a person making a claim under this chapter before the end of the three-year period is entitled to the proceeds of the sale of the securities or the market value of the securities at the time the claim is made, whichever is greater, plus dividends, interest, and other increments thereon up to the time the claim is made, less any deduction for expenses of sale.

   (b) An action or proceeding may not be maintained by the administrator to enforce this chapter in regard to the reporting, delivery, or payment of property more than 10 years after the holder specifically identified the property in a report filed with the administrator or gave express notice to the administrator of a dispute regarding the property.

4. Contact Us Office of the Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Virgin Islands · ltg.gov.vi · page modified Oct. 7, 2026 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (2)

   (340) 774-2991, opt. 4

   8000 Nisky Center Suite 200 St. Thomas V.I. 00802 (Second Floor) Banking Insurance and Financial Regulations

5. 2023 Listing of Unclaimed Property / Unclaimed Property Info sheet (FAQ pages; owner listing not archived) Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulation · ltg.gov.vi · uploaded 2025-02 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (3)

   No. The Division does not charge a fee for claim filing or processing.

   If you do not have access to a computer or you are unable to print the claim form, the Division has public Kiosks in both districts that can be utilized by the public to complete the claim.

   To obtain unclaimed property information for earlier years, contact the Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulation.

6. Banking, Insurance & Financial Regulation (Unclaimed Property section) Office of the Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Virgin Islands · ltg.gov.vi · page modified Oct. 15, 2026 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (6)

   The Office of the Lieutenant Governor, through the Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulation, serves as the territory’s custodian of abandoned or unclaimed properties.

   Overview of Unclaimed Property

   Resources for Property Owners

   Holders can also submit payments through the mail at:

   The Lieutenant Governor, by statute, is, therefore, Chairman of the Virgin Islands Banking Board; Commissioner of Insurance; Administrator of the Virgin Islands Uniform Securities Act; Administrator of the Virgin Islands Uniform Unclaimed Property Act; Chairman of the Insurance Advisory Committee; and Administrator ex officio of the Virgin Islands State Health Insurance Assistance Program (VI SHIP/Medicare).

   Keep your accounts active. At least once a year, make a deposit or withdrawal on all bank accounts;

7. Affidavit of Lost Instrument (form) Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulation · ltg.gov.vi · uploaded 2019-01 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (2)

   Subscribed and sworn to before me this _____ day of _____________________, 20______.

   2. After due diligence, I have not been able to locate the passbook or other instrument for said account.

8. Unclaimed Property ~ Frequently Asked Questions (DOCX) Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulation · ltg.gov.vi · uploaded 2021-05 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (5)

   First, always provide a clear copy of your photo I.D. This may include a driver’s license, passport, voter registration or other state-issued ID. The ID must be valid (unexpired) and include a signature.

   Proof may be as simple as a document that shows your name and Social Security number, or proves that you lived at the reported address on file with the Division.

   If the original owner is deceased, the Division will require that you contact the Probate Court in the State where the owner lived at the time of death.

   If the owner is incapacitated, the Division will require documentation such as a Durable Power of Attorney or court documents which shows guardianship or custodial relationship.

   One exception is payroll checks, which are only held for one year.

9. Claim of Abandoned Property (Deceased) (form) Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulation · ltg.gov.vi · uploaded 2019-01 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
   Quoted text (1)

   Copy of Judicial determination, i.e., Probate Will, Order, Decree.

10. Claim of Abandoned Property (form) Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulation · ltg.gov.vi · uploaded 2024-01 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (1)

    The following documents are attached in support of this claim:

11. General Reporting Instructions for Preparing Unclaimed Property Reports Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulation · ltg.gov.vi · Rev. Nov. 4, 2024 · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (3)

    A request for the Instruction guide may be sent electronically to [email protected] or it can be found on the Office’s website.

    There is an option to pay the claimants directly and then file for reimbursement from the Virgin Islands Government of the Virgin Islands.

    A holder required to file a report must maintain the report for 10 years after the holder files the report.

12. Holder Reporting - Home (online unclaimed property reporting portal) Office of the Lieutenant Governor (portal usviholder.unclaimedproperty.com) · usviholder.unclaimedproperty.com · checked Nov. 3, 2026
    Quoted text (2)

    Welcome to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor’s online unclaimed property reporting portal.

    To participate in online reporting with the US Virgin Islands, you must submit a file in the NAUPA II format.