Washington · Unclaimed property · Updated Oct 2026
Washington State Department of Revenue, Unclaimed Property Program 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 Washington's official list of unclaimed property by name.
Search in WashingtonSearch your name for free at ucp.dor.wa.gov (also reached at claimyourcash.org).
Select the items that are yours and file a claim online.
Use the Department of Revenue's interactive claim tool to get a checklist of the documents your type of claim needs.
Send the signed claim form and your documents as instructed. The documents your claim needs are listed on the claim form emailed to you.
If you live outside the US and have no SSN or tax ID, call 360-534-1502, Option 1 to claim.
Yes. Under the Money Match Program, the Department of Revenue matches property to owners, confirms addresses by mail and sends checks directly, with no claim or paperwork needed; in fiscal 2025 it sent out $5.2 million. A separate Fast Track process pays some claims within five days or less. Not all property qualifies, so you should still search.
Heirs of a deceased owner can claim; the Department of Revenue's interactive claim tool builds a checklist of the documents you need based on who you are and the type of claim.
A finder (locator or heir finder) cannot charge more than 5% of the value of the property expected to be recovered; an agreement for more is unenforceable. The agreement must be in writing, describe the property and the services, be signed by you, and state the value before and after the fee. The current statute sets no waiting period, but the Department's finder instructions still say a finder's affidavit must state that no fee may be taken on property within 24 months of it being turned over to the state. Finders must be registered to do business in Washington. The cap does not apply to an attorney you hire to pursue a specific claim.
Law: RCW 63.30.780 and RCW 63.30.790 (as amended 2025, c 29 s 24)
Watch out: The state says you never need to pay a finder's fee: searching and filing a claim is free. In fiscal 2025 it denied $7.2 million in claims flagged as potentially fraudulent.
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 Washington State Department of Revenue, Unclaimed Property Program. Searching is free. Search every name you have used and every address where you lived in Washington.
No. The state does not charge a fee to claim. A finder (locator or heir finder) cannot charge more than 5% of the value of the property expected to be recovered; an agreement for more is unenforceable. The agreement must be in writing, describe the property and the services, be signed by you, and state the value before and after the fee. The current statute sets no waiting period, but the Department's finder instructions still say a finder's affidavit must state that no fee may be taken on property within 24 months of it being turned over to the state. Finders must be registered to do business in Washington. The cap does not apply to an attorney you hire to pursue a specific claim.
Heirs of a deceased owner can claim; the Department of Revenue's interactive claim tool builds a checklist of the documents you need based on who you are and the type of claim.
The Department says claims are processed in the order received and review can take up to 90 days. Once approved, funds are mailed in 2-3 weeks. By law (RCW 63.30.540-.550) it must decide within 90 days and pay within 30 days after approval.
Last checked: Oct 2026.