Is a safe-deposit box, or money, waiting for you or a relative?

What it is

What is unclaimed property?

When a bank or company holds money or property for you and loses touch with you for a set time (the "dormancy period"), the law says it must turn it over to the state. The state then holds it and, by law, tries to return it to you. Most of it is money: old checking and savings accounts, uncashed paychecks and refunds, stock dividends, insurance payouts. Some of it is physical, like the contents of a safe-deposit box.

NAUPA, the national association of state unclaimed property administrators, says about 1 in 7 people have some. NAUPA: What is unclaimed property? ↗

Safe-deposit boxes

Why box contents end up with the state, and then at auction

A box doesn't become "unclaimed" overnight. The rent stops being paid, the bank's letters come back, and after a waiting period set by state law the bank opens the box and inventories what's inside. In Florida, for example, a box is drilled after three years of unpaid rent and the state then holds the contents at least two more years. Florida CFO fact sheet ↗

What's still unclaimed after that is often sold. That's where the auctions on Vault Drop's calendar come from. But states differ:

• Many states take the contents and may sell them. Many say the sale money is then held in the owner's name, so it's still claimable: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington.
• Some states have the bank sell the contents and send only the cash: Connecticut, Mississippi, New Jersey and Tennessee. In Louisiana the bank disposes of the box under state law.
• Some take only part of it. Ohio takes coins and paper money, not jewelry. Wyoming asks banks for an inventory, not the contents.

Each state page below says what that state's own sources say, and marks what we couldn't confirm.

It's free

Searching and claiming are free. You don't need a finder.

There's no fee to search for or claim your property if you use your state's official program, according to NAUPA. Companies called finders or locators may offer to claim it for you for a cut, usually a percentage. NAUPA says most work within the law, but there are also many unclaimed property scams. Some states cap finder fees and many require finders to register, so before you sign anything, check with the state's unclaimed property office. NAUPA: Is it really free to search? ↗

Some states warn about fake messages. Arizona's Department of Revenue says it will never text you about unclaimed property (ADOR ↗), and Rhode Island says any text message about unclaimed property isn't an official state message (FindRIMoney.gov ↗). Type the official address yourself rather than tapping a link in a text.

Search all states

Search many states at once

Property is reported to the state where the company holding it is based, so it's common to have something in a state you moved away from. MissingMoney.com ↗ is a free site sponsored by NAUPA that searches the databases of most states at once and links you to each state's official site to start a claim. NAUPA's search page ↗

Or use the state-by-state list below.

Every state · official searches checked Oct 19, 2026

Official unclaimed property search, by state

Tap a state for its page: who runs it, what happens to safe-deposit boxes there, and whether sale money stays claimable. The search links go straight to the state's own site.

* Yes: the state's own sources say sale money stays claimable by the owner or heirs; each state's page links the source. † No state sale: the bank sells the box contents, or the state doesn't take them; each state's page says which.

How we checked: we opened each state's search site once, by hand, on Oct 19, 2026. Some states host their search on a vendor's domain (for example findyourunclaimedproperty.com); we list those only where the state's own .gov page links to them. "Not stated" means the sources we read don't say what happens to sale money; it doesn't mean the money is gone.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do I check whether a relative who died left an unclaimed box?

Search their name, past names and old addresses on the state's official unclaimed property site. Heirs can often claim. Ask the state office what proof it needs.

What is unclaimed property?

Money or property held by a bank or company that has had no activity or contact with the owner for a set time (the dormancy period). After that, the law says it must be turned over to the state, which holds it for the owner. Most of it is money, like old bank accounts and uncashed checks, but it also includes the contents of safe-deposit boxes.

Is it free to search and claim?

Yes, on your state's official site. NAUPA, the national association of state unclaimed property administrators, says there is no fee to search for and claim your property through the official state program. Paid finders are legal in most cases but never required.

Can I search every state at once?

MissingMoney.com, a free site sponsored by NAUPA, searches the databases of most states at once and links to each state's official site to start a claim. You can also search each state's own site.

What happens to an unclaimed safe-deposit box?

After the rent goes unpaid and the bank can't reach the renter, the bank opens the box after a waiting period set by state law and sends the contents to the state. Many states hold the contents for a while and then auction what's left. Some states have the bank sell the contents and send only the cash.

If the contents were auctioned, is the money gone?

Often not. Many states, including Florida, Washington, Missouri and DC, say they hold sale proceeds for the owner or heirs to claim. Each state page here says what that state's sources say, or that we couldn't confirm it.