Canada Unclaimed Property: How to Search and Claim (Free)
Held by the Bank of Canada
Average claim
Cost to claim
The Bank of Canada held about C$1.6 billion in unclaimed bank balances as of December 31, 2025, spread across roughly 3.4 million dormant accounts. Federally regulated balances are transferred to the Bank after 10 years of inactivity, and you can claim them for free — though very old balances are eventually forfeited to the federal government. You can search your name and claim it for free at the Bank of Canada Unclaimed Balances registry, the official Bank of Canada site. A simple claim in your own name takes about 10 minutes and costs nothing.
How to search Canada’s unclaimed property for free
The only site you need is the Bank of Canada Unclaimed Balances registry, run by the Bank of Canada. Searching is free, and so is filing your claim. You never pay the state to get your own money, and you never need to hand over money to see what is waiting for you.
Search your last name first, then try maiden names, nicknames, and any business you owned. Canada lists property under old mailing addresses, so search broadly and check every result that could be you before you file.
Important: Canada does not report to MissingMoney.com, the national search site. A national search will miss your Canada money entirely — you have to search the Bank of Canada Unclaimed Balances registry directly. See our guide to MissingMoney.com for the full list of states it misses.
The Bank of Canada
Canada’s unclaimed property is held by the Bank of Canada. When a bank, employer, or insurer loses touch with you for the state’s dormancy period, it must turn your money over to this office, which then holds it for you to claim.
Canada handles unclaimed money differently from the US states. Balances at federally regulated banks and trust companies that sit inactive for 10 years are transferred to the Bank of Canada, which maintains a free public registry — about C$1.6 billion across roughly 3.4 million accounts as of the end of 2025, some dating to the 1800s. The Bank holds a transferred balance for 30 years if it is under $1,000 and 100 years if it is $1,000 or more; after that it is forfeited to the federal government, so unlike most US states, Canadian balances do not wait forever. Provinces run their own separate programs for other property — for example BC Unclaimed, Revenu Québec, and Alberta's unclaimed property program — and claiming is free through all of them.
What’s specific to Canada
- Federally regulated bank balances inactive for 10 years are transferred to the Bank of Canada's free public registry.
- The Bank of Canada held about C$1.6 billion across roughly 3.4 million accounts at the end of 2025, some dating back to the 1800s.
- Unlike most US states, balances do expire: the Bank keeps them 30 years (under $1,000) or 100 years ($1,000+), then forfeits them to the federal government.
- Provinces run separate programs — BC Unclaimed, Revenu Québec, Alberta and others — for property the Bank of Canada does not cover.
How to claim in Canada
You can do this yourself in about 10 minutes, free. Here is exactly how, step by step.
Search the Bank of Canada Unclaimed Balances registry
Go to the Bank of Canada Unclaimed Balances registry and search your name, including maiden names, initials, and any business you owned. Searching is free and takes about two minutes.
Also check your province's program
The Bank of Canada only covers balances at federally regulated banks. For other property, also search your provincial program — for example BC Unclaimed, Revenu Québec's unclaimed property service, or Alberta's unclaimed property registry.
Open the matching balance and start a claim
Select any result that looks like you and begin the online claim. Note the balance's reference number so you can track it.
Provide identity and ownership documents
The Bank of Canada asks for proof of identity and evidence that the balance is yours — such as old bank statements, a passbook, or documents linking you to the account or the original account holder. You never pay to claim.
Submit and wait for review
Submit your claim online or by mail. The Bank reviews it and pays valid claims directly. Claims involving estates or very old balances take longer because more documents are verified.
Claiming for a deceased relative in Canada
You can claim property that belonged to a relative who died, but Canada will ask for more than a simple claim needs. Expect to provide a certified death certificate and proof that you are entitled to the estate — a will, letters testamentary, or a small-estate affidavit, depending on the amount.
Here’s the honest part: heir claims take longer than claims in your own name, sometimes several months, because the state verifies the chain of inheritance. If several heirs exist, each may need to sign. Our guide on claiming unclaimed money from deceased relatives walks through exactly which documents Canada accepts.
Dormancy periods in Canada
“Dormancy” is how long an account can sit untouched before the holder must report it to the state. It varies by property type:
| Property type | Dormancy period |
|---|---|
| Federally regulated bank & credit union balances (transferred to Bank of Canada) | 10 years |
Canada finder-fee cap
You do not need a finder. A finder is a company that offers to recover your money for a cut. Their letters are not a scam, but they are unnecessary — the same claim is free if you file it yourself.
Canada does not set a flat percentage cap on finder fees. Instead, under Bank of Canada Act; Bank Act (unclaimed balances), you claim unclaimed balances directly from the Bank of Canada for free, and the Bank charges nothing to return your money — no percentage cap is needed because no finder can claim faster than you can. Either way, the same claim is free if you file it yourself.
Canada unclaimed property: common questions
Yes. It is the official federal registry run by the Bank of Canada. Searching and claiming are free, and the Bank never charges to return your money. If a site asks you to pay a fee to see your balance, it is not the Bank of Canada.
About C$1.6 billion as of December 31, 2025, spread across roughly 3.4 million dormant accounts — some dating back to the 1800s.
Yes. After a balance is transferred to the Bank of Canada, the Bank holds it for 30 years if it is under $1,000 and 100 years if it is $1,000 or more. After that it is forfeited to the federal government, so it is worth searching and claiming rather than waiting.
The Bank of Canada registry only covers balances at federally regulated banks and trust companies. For other unclaimed property, search your provincial program — for example BC Unclaimed, Revenu Québec, or Alberta's unclaimed property registry. Each is free to search and claim.
No — MissingMoney.com is a US database and will not surface federal Canadian balances. Search the Bank of Canada Unclaimed Balances registry directly, plus your provincial program.
Yes, as an heir or estate representative. The Bank will ask for proof of death and documents showing you are entitled to the estate. Estate claims take longer because the Bank verifies the chain of inheritance.
Unclaimed property in nearby states
See all state guides, or read how to find unclaimed money in your name for free across every state and federal source.