Virginia · Unclaimed property · Updated Oct 2026
Virginia Department of the Treasury, Division of Unclaimed Property holds money that businesses could not return to its owners. Here is how to search, what proof you need and how long it takes.
Search Virginia's official list of unclaimed property by name.
Search in VirginiaSearch your name for free on vaMoneySearch.gov, the state's 'Click and Claim' site.
Pick the items that belong to you and start a claim online. The site tells you what proof your claim needs.
Send your proof by uploading it or emailing it to [email protected], or mail it to the Treasury's P.O. Box in Richmond.
No internet? Call 1-800-468-1088 (option 1) and ask for an Inquiry Form by mail.
If you want to visit the office in Richmond, you must make an appointment first.
Yes. Under the VA Cash Now program, Treasury mails checks automatically, with no claim needed, for single-owner cash property up to $5,000 when it can match the owner to verified tax and address records; you get a letter and should expect the check within 45 days.
Send proof you are entitled to the money, in this order of preference: a certificate of qualification as executor or administrator, a Virginia Small Estate Act affidavit naming you as designated successor, or the order of distribution from a closed estate. If you have none of these, the owner died at least one year ago and the claim is $25,000 or less, Treasury may accept your sworn affidavit instead.
A finder may not charge you, or even sign you up, for property that has been reported to the state until 36 months after the business turned it over to Treasury. After that, a finder agreement is invalid if the fee is more than 10% of the property's value. Violating this is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000. Treasury can pay you directly and does not have to honor a power of attorney or assignment to a finder.
Law: Va. Code § 55.1-2542
Watch out: Treasury says claiming is a free public service and warns you to watch out for unauthorized fee-based services.
Search every other state where you lived or worked. Some money, like old savings bonds and IRS refunds, is held by federal agencies.
Money that businesses could not return to you and had to hand over to a state, such as old bank accounts and insurance policies. USA.gov says state governments hold most unclaimed money.
Official siteOld paper or electronic U.S. savings bonds that were never cashed, including bonds that have matured and stopped earning interest (EE and I bonds earn interest for up to 30 years), plus lost, stolen or destroyed bonds.
Official siteTax refunds owed to people who never filed a federal tax return for a year, often because they earned little and were not required to file. The IRS says taxpayers usually have three years to file and claim a refund; after that the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.
Official siteSearch the official database run by the Virginia Department of the Treasury, Division of Unclaimed Property. Searching is free. Search every name you have used and every address where you lived in Virginia.
No. The state does not charge a fee to claim. A finder may not charge you, or even sign you up, for property that has been reported to the state until 36 months after the business turned it over to Treasury. After that, a finder agreement is invalid if the fee is more than 10% of the property's value. Violating this is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000. Treasury can pay you directly and does not have to honor a power of attorney or assignment to a finder.
Send proof you are entitled to the money, in this order of preference: a certificate of qualification as executor or administrator, a Virginia Small Estate Act affidavit naming you as designated successor, or the order of distribution from a closed estate. If you have none of these, the owner died at least one year ago and the claim is $25,000 or less, Treasury may accept your sworn affidavit instead.
For VA Cash Now automatic payments, expect a check within 45 days of the notice letter. Treasury's state performance goal is to pay valid claims within 30 calendar days.
Last checked: Oct 2026.