Claiming unclaimed property for a deceased person in California
A guide for attorneys and CPAs administering estates
Overview
California's State Controller's Office (SCO) holds unclaimed property reported by holders under the Unclaimed Property Law (Code of Civil Procedure §§ 1500–1604). Claims on behalf of a deceased owner are filed by the estate's personal representative or their authorised attorney.
The official search portal is https://ucpi.sco.ca.gov/ucp/.
Documents required
The Controller's instructions require the following when claiming on behalf of a deceased person's estate:
- Certified death certificate of the property owner.
- Letters testamentary or letters of administration issued by the probate court, appointing the personal representative. Must be current (issued or re-issued within 60 days per Probate Code § 8015, unless the court order does not expire).
- Claimant identification — a photo ID issued by a state or federal agency for the personal representative filing the claim.
- Proof of address for the personal representative (utility bill, bank statement, or similar).
Notarisation thresholds
Per the Controller's instructions, claims for property valued at or above the state's threshold (historically $1,000 per item) may require notarised signatures. The exact threshold is published on the SCO claim form and may change; always check the current form at sco.ca.gov/upd_msg.html.
eClaim eligibility
The SCO's eClaim system allows online filing for certain claims. Eligibility depends on claim value and property type. Estate claims may be filed via eClaim when the total is under the state's online threshold and the required documents can be uploaded.
Check eligibility at the SCO unclaimed property portal.
Timelines
The SCO publishes the following processing guidance:
- Standard mail claims: 90–180 days from receipt of a complete claim.
- eClaim submissions may process faster, depending on volume and completeness.
- Incomplete claims are held until all documents are received; the processing clock restarts.
Current processing times are posted at sco.ca.gov/upd_msg.html.